Costco Wholesale Corporation vs WD 40 Company — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $926.77 (market cap $408.78B), while WD 40 Company trades at $249.8 (market cap $3.35B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 122× WD 40 Company's market cap, and WD 40 Company pays the higher dividend (1.64%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | WDFC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $408.78B | $3.35B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Technology |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $264.91 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $187.52 |
Enterprise Value | $396.92B | $3.40B |
Dividend Yield | 0.64% | 1.64% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) trades at $923.76, down 0.29% on the day, as technical indicators signal a bearish trend with the price near pivot point support. Fundamentally, the company shows consistent revenue growth, reaching $275.24B in 2025, and strong cash flow generation of $13.34B from operations, though valuation metrics like a P/E of 46.37 appear elevated. Recent news highlights a March sales surge of 11.3% year-over-year and the first membership fee increase in seven years, which analysts view positively for future profit growth.
The investment outlook balances strong business fundamentals against a high valuation and near-term technical weakness. Upside potential is supported by robust membership renewal rates, expanding margins, and a consensus price target of $1,120. Key risks include sensitivity to consumer spending, competitive pressures in retail, and the stock's premium valuation requiring sustained execution to justify further gains.
WDFC trades at $251.43, down 5.09% today but maintains a bullish technical outlook with strong moving average signals. The company reported robust Q2 2026 earnings of $2.33 per share, beating estimates by 47%, driven by broad-based sales growth. Valuation remains elevated with a P/E of 37.88 and P/S of 5, while profitability metrics show a net income margin of 13.22% and ROE of 11%. Recent news highlights WD-40's strong brand moat and inclusion in Zacks' Strong Buy list on July 15, 2026.
Outlook is positive given earnings momentum and brand strength, but high valuation and margin pressures from input costs pose risks. Analyst consensus is mixed with 71% hold ratings, suggesting cautious optimism. The stock offers growth potential but requires monitoring of cost management and competitive dynamics.
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 →WD-40 Company is a global marketing organization dedicated to creating 'positive lasting memories' by developing and selling products that solve maintenance and cleaning problems. Built around the legendary WD-40 Multi-Use Product, the company operates an asset-light business model, focusing on brand management and innovation while utilizing a network of contract manufacturers to deliver solutions across the Americas, EIMEA, and Asia-Pacific.
Read more on WDFC →