Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Charles Schwab Corporation Common Stock — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $922.19 (market cap $408.78B), while Charles Schwab Corporation Common Stock trades at $101.54 (market cap $175.83B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 2.3× Charles Schwab Corporation Common Stock's market cap, and Charles Schwab Corporation Common Stock pays the higher dividend (1.27%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | SCHW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $408.78B | $175.83B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Financials |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $107.21 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $85.35 |
Enterprise Value | $396.92B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.64% | 1.27% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
COST trades at $926.43, up 1.11% over 24h, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals. Revenue grew to $275.24B in 2025, with net income of $8.10B, though Q1 2026 EPS missed expectations. The stock's valuation is elevated with a P/E of 46.37, while analyst consensus remains bullish with a $1,120 price target. Recent news highlights membership fee hikes and March sales growth of 11.3% year-over-year, indicating resilient consumer demand.
Outlook is mixed: robust membership model and sales trends support growth, but high valuation and technical bearishness pose near-term risks. Investors should weigh strong cash flow and analyst optimism against potential pullbacks from current levels. Key risks include competitive pressures and macroeconomic sensitivity, though institutional buying signals confidence.
Charles Schwab (SCHW) trades at $102.38, down 0.72% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook and strong fundamentals. Recent earnings beats, including Q1 2026 EPS of $1.43 versus $1.40 expected, highlight robust profitability. The stock is supported by a 21.79% ROE and a net income margin of 37.99%, with revenue growth to $23.92 billion in 2025. Positive sentiment is fueled by a Zacks Strong Buy upgrade and a consensus price target of $122.71, suggesting 20% upside.
Outlook remains favorable given earnings momentum and retail trading growth, but risks include interest rate sensitivity and competitive pressures. Analyst consensus is 58% buy, with institutional confidence bolstered by a recent dividend payment. The stock's valuation at a P/E of 20.35 appears reasonable relative to growth, though high RSI levels indicate potential near-term consolidation.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Charles Schwab operates in brokerage, banking, and asset-management businesses. The company runs a large network of brick-and-mortar brokerage branch offices, a well-established online investing website, and has mobile trading capabilities. It also operates a bank and a proprietary asset management business and offers services to independent investment advisors. The company is among the largest firms in the investment business, with over $8 trillion of client assets at the end of 2021. Nearly all of its revenue is from the United States.
Read more on SCHW →