Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $916.3 (market cap $408.78B), while Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc trades at $278.04 (market cap $11.03B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 37.1× Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc's market cap, and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc pays the higher dividend (1.97%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | HII | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $408.78B | $11.03B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Technology |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $453.73 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $252.93 |
Enterprise Value | $396.92B | $13.75B |
Dividend Yield | 0.64% | 1.97% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco (COST) trades at $916.54, down 1.07% with a bearish technical signal. The company shows strong fundamentals with revenue growth from $275.24B in 2025 to projected $293.6B in 2026 and consistent earnings beats in recent quarters. Analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with 65.5% buy ratings and a $1,120 price target, though valuation metrics appear elevated with a P/E of 46.37. Recent March sales surged 11.3% year-over-year, demonstrating resilient consumer demand despite market volatility.
The outlook remains positive given Costco's membership fee growth and expansion strategy, but risks include premium valuation compression and competitive pressures. With strong institutional accumulation and solid cash flow generation, COST offers long-term growth potential for investors comfortable with current multiples. The stock's current pullback near support at $917 may present an entry opportunity for patient investors.
HII trades at $284.86, down 0.43% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. The company shows stable fundamentals with a P/E of 18.19 and net income margin of 4.71%, supported by recent earnings beats. Recent news highlights contract awards and leadership additions, reinforcing its defense sector presence.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic with a consensus price target of $354.50, implying significant upside. Risks include execution on new contracts and defense budget dependencies, but analyst sentiment leans positive with 44% buy ratings. The upcoming Q2 2026 earnings report on July 30 will be a key catalyst for near-term direction.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
The leading warehouse club, Costco has 815 stores worldwide (at the end of fiscal 2021), with most sales derived in the United States (72%) and Canada (14%). It sells memberships that allow customers to shop in its warehouses, which feature low prices on a limited product assortment. Costco mainly caters to individual shoppers, but roughly 20% of paid members carry business memberships. Food and sundries accounted for 40% of fiscal 2021 sales, with non-food merchandise 29%, warehouse ancillary and other businesses (such as fuel and pharmacy) nearly 17%, and fresh food 14%. Costco's warehouses average around 146,000 square feet
Read more on COST →Huntington Ingalls is the largest military shipbuilder in the U.S. and a provider of professional services to government and industry partners, specializing in nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers.
Read more on HII →