Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Kimberly Clark Corp — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $948.99 (market cap $418.79B), while Kimberly Clark Corp trades at $108.46 (market cap $36.11B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 11.6× Kimberly Clark Corp's market cap, and Kimberly Clark Corp pays the higher dividend (4.72%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | KMB | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $418.79B | $36.11B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $134.81 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $93.05 |
Enterprise Value | $406.93B | $41.67B |
Dividend Yield | 0.62% | 4.72% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) trades at $948.43, down 0.45% on the day, with technical indicators signaling a bearish trend amid neutral oscillators. The stock shows strong fundamentals with revenue growth to $275.24 billion in 2025 and consistent earnings beats, though it missed Q1 2026 estimates. Recent news highlights membership fee hikes and robust March sales, while analyst consensus remains bullish with a $1,120 price target.
The outlook for COST is positive due to steady revenue growth and high analyst confidence, but risks include elevated valuation multiples and competitive pressures. Investment opportunity lies in its scalable business model and membership-driven profits, though investors should monitor earnings consistency and macroeconomic impacts on consumer spending.
Kimberly-Clark (KMB) trades at $108.95, up 0.86% on the day, with a neutral technical signal. The stock shows strong profitability with a net income margin of 11.79% and a high ROE of 129.43%, though revenue declined to $16.45B in 2025. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed expectations, and the company cut its 2026 outlook due to challenges in China and softer consumer demand, as reported by Reuters on August 4, 2026.
The outlook is mixed; KMB offers a solid dividend yield and trades below the consensus price target of $113.20, but near-term headwinds from China and volatile shipments pose risks. Analyst sentiment is cautious with 61.29% hold ratings, reflecting balanced optimism for long-term value against short-term operational pressures.
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 →With around half of sales from personal care and another third from tissue products, Kimberly-Clark sits as a leading manufacturer of tissue and hygiene realm. Its brand mix includes Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex, Depend, Kleenex, and Cottonelle. The firm also operates K-C Professional, which partners with businesses to provide safety and sanitary products for the workplace. Kimberly-Clark generates just over of half its sales in North America and more than 10% in Europe, with the rest primarily concentrated in Asia and Latin America.
Read more on KMB →