Costco Wholesale Corporation vs QUALCOMM, Inc. — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $942.95 (market cap $422.52B), while QUALCOMM, Inc. trades at $163.69 (market cap $170.28B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 2.5× QUALCOMM, Inc.'s market cap, and QUALCOMM, Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.27%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | QCOM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $422.52B | $170.28B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Technology |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $251.10 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $124.07 |
Enterprise Value | $410.66B | $177.24B |
Dividend Yield | 0.62% | 2.27% |
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.
Qualcomm (QCOM) trades at $162.68, down 3.09% amid broader semiconductor sector pressure. The stock shows mixed signals with bearish technical indicators but strong fundamentals including recent earnings beats and a 21.01% net income margin. Recent news highlights Qualcomm's strategic pivot toward AI and data centers, though competition from Nvidia's new PC chip has sparked investor concerns. The company maintains solid cash flow generation of $14.01B from operations in 2025 and continues dividend payments.
Qualcomm presents a compelling value opportunity with a P/E of 18.53 below sector averages, supported by analyst consensus price target of $200.56 implying 23% upside. Key risks include smartphone market softness and intensifying AI competition. The company's diversification into automotive and data centers provides growth catalysts, though execution risks remain. Current levels offer attractive entry for long-term investors seeking exposure to semiconductor and AI infrastructure.
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 →Qualcomm develops and licenses wireless technology and designs chips for smartphones. The company's key patents revolve around CDMA and OFDMA technologies, which are standards in wireless communications that are the backbone of all 3G and 4G networks. The firm is a leader in 5G network technology as well. Qualcomm's IP is licensed by virtually all wireless device makers. The firm is also the world's largest wireless chip vendor, supplying nearly every premier handset maker with leading-edge processors. Qualcomm also sells RF-front end modules into smartphones and chips into automotive and Internet of Things markets.
Read more on QCOM →