Costco Wholesale Corporation vs McDonald's Corp — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $946.88 (market cap $420.05B), while McDonald's Corp trades at $235.85 (market cap $167.64B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 2.5× McDonald's Corp's market cap, and McDonald's Corp pays the higher dividend (3.26%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Costco Wholesale Corporation for 132 Days and McDonald's Corp for 164 Days on average.
| COST | MCD | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $420.05B | $167.64B |
Volume | 2,087,565 | 11,320,306 |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $341.06 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $230.88 |
Typical Hold Time | 132 Days | 164 Days |
Enterprise Value | $407.33B | $221.41B |
Dividend Yield | 0.62% | 3.26% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco (COST) trades at $942.25, up 0.7% on the day, showing strong operational momentum with a 28.4% ROE and 11.3% March sales growth. The stock is near its 52-week high, supported by bullish moving averages, though RSI levels indicate potential overbought conditions. Recent membership fee hikes and robust cash flow generation underscore its resilient business model.
Outlook remains positive given analyst consensus and a $1,090 price target, but elevated P/E of 45.66 poses valuation risk. Key catalysts include sustained membership growth and expansion, while risks involve competitive pressures and macroeconomic sensitivity.
McDonald's (MCD) trades at $230.88, down 0.68% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages. The company shows steady revenue growth, reaching $26.89B in 2025, and has consistently beaten EPS estimates in recent quarters. Recent news highlights a new global growth strategy, 'McDonald's NEXT', focusing on automation and improved customer experience to counter competitive pressures and attract diners.
The outlook is mixed: strong fundamentals and a 58.7% analyst buy rating support upside to the $284.70 consensus target, but technical weakness and inflation-driven cost pressures pose near-term risks. The stock offers value through its dividend and defensive profile, yet investors must weigh execution risks of the new strategy against its long-term growth potential.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
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 →McDonald's Corporation franchises and operates fast-food restaurants in the global restaurant industry. The Company's restaurants serves a variety of value-priced menu products in countries around the world.
Read more on MCD →