Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Verizon Communications Inc — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $918 (market cap $408.78B), while Verizon Communications Inc trades at $42.84 (market cap $177.34B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 2.3× Verizon Communications Inc's market cap, and Verizon Communications Inc pays the higher dividend (6.66%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | VZ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $408.78B | $177.34B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Media |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $51.38 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $38.40 |
Enterprise Value | $396.92B | $364.84B |
Dividend Yield | 0.64% | 6.66% |
Volume | — | 22,584,735 |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) trades at $921.75, down 0.51% on the day. The stock exhibits a bearish technical signal with key support at $917 and resistance at $928. Fundamentally, revenue grew to $275.24 billion in 2025 with a net income margin of 3.01%, though valuation ratios like a P/E of 46.37 appear elevated. Recent news highlights strong March sales growth of 11.3% year-over-year (Costco Wholesale Corporation, April 8, 2026) and a membership fee increase, reinforcing its competitive moat.
The outlook remains positive driven by consistent revenue growth and high analyst buy ratings (65.52%), with a consensus price target of $1,120. Risks include rich valuations and competitive pressures, but strong cash flow generation and institutional accumulation support long-term potential for patient investors.
Verizon (VZ) trades at $42.68, up 1.33% today, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but recent earnings beats. The stock offers a 6.7% dividend yield with a consensus price target of $47.57, indicating 11.5% upside. Revenue grew to $138.19B in 2025, with a net income margin of 12.46%, while debt levels remain elevated at $144B total debt. Recent news highlights competitive threats from SpaceX's Starlink but also new partnerships like the 5G deal with BMW.
Outlook: VZ presents a value opportunity with a low P/E of 10.4 and strong cash flow, but faces significant competitive and debt-related risks. The stock is suitable for income-focused investors seeking defensive yield, though growth is constrained by industry saturation and rising capital expenditures.
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 →Verizon Communications Inc. is an integrated telecommunications company that provides wire line voice and data services, wireless services, Internet services, and published directory information. The Company also provides network services for the federal government including business phone lines, data services, telecommunications equipment, and payphones.
Read more on VZ →