Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Li Auto Inc — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $943.36 (market cap $422.52B), while Li Auto Inc trades at $12.59 (market cap $12.54B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 33.7× Li Auto Inc's market cap, and Costco Wholesale Corporation pays a 0.62% dividend while Li Auto Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | LI | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $422.52B | $12.54B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $26.69 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $11.74 |
Enterprise Value | $410.66B | $1.37B |
Dividend Yield | 0.62% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco (COST) trades at $952.75, up 0.52% with neutral technical signals. The company shows steady revenue growth, reaching $275.24B in 2025, and maintains strong profitability with a 3.01% net margin. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q3 and Q4 2025 but missed in Q1 2026. Analyst sentiment remains bullish with 65.52% buy ratings and a $1,120 consensus price target, while institutional buying activity continues.
Costco's outlook is positive due to membership fee growth and expansion, though high valuation multiples (P/E 47.93) pose risks. Key opportunities include consistent cash flow generation and market share gains, while risks involve competitive pressures and economic sensitivity. The stock offers long-term growth potential but requires monitoring of valuation metrics.
Li Auto (LI) trades at $12.95, up 2.05% today, amid mixed technical signals with a bearish overall trend. The company reported declining revenue from $144.5B in 2024 to $112.3B in 2025, with net income dropping to $1.12B. Recent vehicle deliveries show modest growth, with 30,468 vehicles delivered in July 2026. Analyst consensus remains divided with a $14.80 price target, suggesting potential upside from current levels despite near-term challenges.
The outlook for LI is cautious with revenue contraction and profitability pressures, though the EV market in China offers long-term growth potential. Key risks include intense domestic competition and execution challenges with new vehicle launches. Investment opportunity exists if the company can stabilize margins and regain growth momentum, supported by analyst optimism for recovery from 2027 onwards.
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 →Li Auto is a leading Chinese NEV manufacturer that designs, develops, manufactures, and sells premium smart NEVs. The company started volume production of its first model Li One in November 2019. The model is a six-seater, large, premium plug-in electric SUV equipped with a range extension system and advanced smart vehicle solutions. It sold over 90,000 EVs in 2021, accounting for about 2.7% of China's passenger new energy vehicle market. Beyond Li One, the company will expand its product line, including both BEVs and PHEVs, to target a broader consumer base.
Read more on LI →