Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Altria Group Inc — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $943.5 (market cap $422.52B), while Altria Group Inc trades at $65.07 (market cap $114.13B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 3.7× Altria Group Inc's market cap, and Altria Group Inc pays the higher dividend (6.2%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | MO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $422.52B | $114.13B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $74.92 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $54.72 |
Enterprise Value | $410.66B | $136.34B |
Dividend Yield | 0.62% | 6.2% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco (COST) trades at $944.32, down 0.37% on the day, with strong fundamental performance including 11.3% March sales growth and consistent earnings beats in recent quarters. The stock shows neutral technical signals with key support at $933 and resistance at $949, while maintaining robust revenue growth and expanding profit margins. Recent membership fee increases and strong renewal rates support the company's profit engine.
The outlook remains positive with analyst consensus at Buy (65.5%) and $1,120 price target, though elevated P/E of 47.9x presents valuation risk. Key catalysts include continued warehouse expansion and digital growth, while risks include competitive pressures and potential consumer spending slowdown.
Altria Group (MO) trades at $68.35, up 0.89% with mixed technical signals showing bearish moving averages but oversold RSI levels. The company maintains strong profitability with 39% net income margin and $6.95B net income for 2025, though revenue declined slightly to $20.14B. Recent earnings show alternating beats and misses, with Q3 2026 results pending. Analyst consensus remains bullish with 61.5% buy ratings and $71.50 price target, while the stock offers a 6.3% dividend yield with 56 consecutive annual increases expected.
MO presents value opportunity with 14.4x P/E ratio and strong cash flow generation, but faces headwinds from cigarette volume declines and regulatory pressures. The smoke-free product transition shows progress but remains early stage. Current price near support at $67 suggests limited downside, while analyst targets indicate 4.6% upside potential. Key risks include litigation exposure and slower-than-expected diversification from traditional tobacco products.
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 →Altria comprises Philip Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, John Middleton, Helix Innovations, and Philip Morris Capital, although the company plans to wind down Philip Morris Capital by the end of 2022. It holds a 10% interest in the world's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev. Through its tobacco subsidiaries, Altria holds the leading position in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the United States and the number-two spot in machine-made cigars. The company's Marlboro brand is the leading cigarette brand in the U.S. with a 43% share in 2020. Altria holds strategic investments in JUUL Labs (35% economic interest) and Cronos (42%).
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