Compare Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) vs Waste Management, Inc. (WM) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Waste Management, Inc. — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $945 (market cap $418.79B), while Waste Management, Inc. trades at $226.77 (market cap $90.68B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 4.6× Waste Management, Inc.'s market cap, and Waste Management, Inc. pays the higher dividend (1.56%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | WM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $418.79B | $90.68B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Industrials |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $246.51 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $196.77 |
Enterprise Value | $406.93B | $113.47B |
Dividend Yield | 0.62% | 1.56% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
COST trades at $952.75, up 0.52% today, with a neutral technical signal. The stock shows strong fundamentals, including revenue growth to $275.24B in 2025 and consistent earnings beats, though Q1 2026 missed estimates. Positive sentiment is driven by a 65.52% analyst buy rating and a consensus price target of $1,120. Recent news highlights membership fee hikes and robust March sales, supporting investor confidence.
Outlook remains favorable due to steady growth and high institutional ownership, but risks include elevated valuation (P/E 47.5) and competitive pressures. The stock offers long-term potential if earnings momentum continues, though near-term volatility may persist amid market fluctuations.
WM trades at $226.6, down 0.47% over 24 hours, with a bullish technical signal and support near $226. The stock shows strong profitability with a 40.6% gross margin and 11.12% net margin, though its P/E of 59.74 is elevated. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations at $2.02 per share, and analyst consensus is a buy with a $263.43 price target. Cash flow from operations grew to $6.04B in 2025, but net cash flow was negative $190M due to investments.
Outlook is positive with revenue growth and margin stability, but risks include high valuation and debt levels. The stock offers upside to the consensus target, supported by institutional confidence and consistent earnings beats, though investors should monitor volume trends and interest rate impacts on borrowing costs.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Costco Wholesale Corporation
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 →About Waste Management, Inc.
Waste Management ranks as the largest integrated provider of traditional solid waste services in the United States, operating approximately 260 active landfills and about 340 transfer stations. The company serves residential, commercial, and industrial end markets and is also a leading recycler in North America.
Read more on WM →
