Costco Wholesale Corporation vs H2O America — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $948.89 (market cap $418.79B), while H2O America trades at $62.3 (market cap $2.61B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 160.5× H2O America's market cap, and H2O America pays the higher dividend (2.83%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | HTO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $418.79B | $2.61B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Technology |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $65.43 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $44.44 |
Enterprise Value | $406.93B | $4.40B |
Dividend Yield | 0.62% | 2.83% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco (COST) trades at $944.32, down 0.88% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. The company reported strong March sales growth of 11.3% year-over-year (Business Wire, April 8, 2026) and has consistently beaten earnings expectations in recent quarters. Revenue reached $275.24 billion in 2025 with net income of $8.10 billion, though valuation ratios remain elevated with a P/E of 47.5. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 65.5% buy ratings and a $1,120 price target.
Costco's outlook remains positive due to membership fee increases and expanding warehouse footprint, but the stock faces risks from high valuation multiples and competitive retail pressures. The current price sits near key support at $938, with upside potential to resistance at $950. Institutional buying activity continues, though technical indicators suggest near-term consolidation may occur before further gains.
HTO trades at $62.57, up 2.16% with bullish technical signals and strong analyst support. The stock shows solid fundamentals with 12.91% net margin and consistent earnings beats in recent quarters. Recent transformative acquisitions in Texas water utilities drive growth potential, though execution risks and share dilution from equity issuance present challenges. Technical indicators show bullish momentum with key resistance at $63 and support at $61.
Outlook remains positive with 83% analyst buy ratings and $69.50 consensus target offering 11% upside. Dividend sustainability and acquisition integration are key watchpoints. Risks include execution challenges from Quadvest deal and potential EPS dilution from recent 11M share issuance.
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 →H2O America is a utility company that provides essential water and wastewater services, primarily in the United States. The company operates a network of regulated water and wastewater systems, focusing on responsible resource management and high-quality service delivery. HTO aims to expand its operational footprint through acquisitions and internal growth, serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
Read more on HTO →