Compare Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) vs Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Illinois Tool Works Inc. — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $922.75 (market cap $408.78B), while Illinois Tool Works Inc. trades at $270.73 (market cap $78.33B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 5.2× Illinois Tool Works Inc.'s market cap, and Illinois Tool Works Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.37%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | ITW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $408.78B | $78.33B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Industrials |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $299.60 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $241.07 |
Enterprise Value | $396.92B | $86.66B |
Dividend Yield | 0.64% | 2.37% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco (COST) trades at $921.73, down 0.51% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamental growth. Revenue reached $275.24B in 2025 with net income of $8.10B, and March 2026 sales grew 11.3% year-over-year. The stock carries premium valuations (P/E 46.37, P/S 1.4) while maintaining steady margin expansion. Analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with a $1,120 price target, though recent earnings miss in Q1 2026 highlights execution risks amid high expectations.
Outlook: Costco's membership fee increase and warehouse expansion support long-term growth, but elevated valuation requires flawless execution. Risks include competitive pressures and macroeconomic sensitivity. Institutional accumulation continues, with 65% analyst buy ratings signaling confidence in the company's resilient business model and cash flow generation.
Illinois Tool Works (ITW) trades at $271.50, up 1.0% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $288.25. The company has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, including Q1 2026 EPS of $2.66 versus $2.57 expected, and maintains strong profitability with a net income margin of 19.32% and ROE of 96.88%. Recent news highlights segment strength and a declared quarterly dividend of $1.61.
The outlook for ITW is positive, supported by earnings momentum and operational efficiency, though risks include construction sector weakness and currency headwinds. The stock offers a balanced opportunity with solid fundamentals and a dividend, but investors should weigh high valuation multiples against growth prospects.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
About Costco Wholesale Corporation
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 →About Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Illinois Tool Works is a diversified global manufacturer that produces specialized industrial equipment, consumables, and related services. The firm operates 87 global divisions through seven distinct operating segments: automotive OEM, construction products, food equipment, specialty products, test/measurement and electronics, polymers and fluids, and welding. About half of its revenue comes from its operations in North America, with the remainder originating from international markets. ITW takes a bottom-up and decentralized approach to portfolio management, with the exception that each segment must apply its 80/20 operating process modeled on the Pareto principle.
Read more on ITW →
