Compare Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) vs Alliant Energy Corporation (LNT) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Alliant Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $924.38 (market cap $408.78B), while Alliant Energy Corporation trades at $75.93 (market cap $19.71B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 20.7× Alliant Energy Corporation's market cap, and Alliant Energy Corporation pays the higher dividend (2.73%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | LNT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $408.78B | $19.71B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Utilities |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $78.03 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $61.85 |
Enterprise Value | $396.92B | $31.43B |
Dividend Yield | 0.64% | 2.73% |
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 $923.9, down 0.27% with bearish technical signals but strong fundamentals. The stock shows consistent revenue growth, reaching $275.24B in 2025 with net income of $8.10B. Recent March sales surged 11.3% year-over-year to $28.41B, indicating robust business momentum. Analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with 65.5% buy ratings and a $1,120 price target, though valuation metrics appear elevated with P/E at 46.37.
The investment case balances premium valuation against exceptional operational execution. Membership fee increases and expanding warehouse network drive profitability, but high P/E ratio requires sustained growth. Key risks include competitive pressure and economic sensitivity, while institutional accumulation supports long-term confidence.
Alliant Energy (LNT) trades at $76.63, up 0.3% today, near the consensus price target of $76.50. The stock shows a bullish technical trend with strong moving average signals. Recent earnings have mostly beaten estimates, with Q1 2026 EPS of $0.82 exceeding expectations. The company's $13.4 billion clean energy investment plan aims to capitalize on data center demand and drive 5-7% annual earnings growth, supported by rising operating cash flow and a solid 18.58% net income margin.
LNT presents a balanced opportunity with steady utility earnings and growth initiatives, but faces risks from high capital expenditure and rising debt levels. Analyst sentiment is positive with a 52% buy rating, though the stock's valuation multiples like a P/E of 24.1 suggest limited near-term upside without significant earnings acceleration. Regulatory approvals and execution on its investment plan are critical for sustained performance.
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 Alliant Energy Corporation
Alliant Energy is the parent of two regulated utilities, Interstate Power and Light and Wisconsin Power and Light, serving nearly 1 million electricity and natural gas customers and approximately 420,000 natural gas-only customers. Both subsidiaries engage in the generation and distribution of electricity and the distribution and transportation of natural gas. Alliant also owns a 16% interest in American Transmission Co.
Read more on LNT →
