Compare Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) vs Xcel Energy Inc (XEL) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Xcel Energy Inc — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $923.48 (market cap $408.78B), while Xcel Energy Inc trades at $80.1 (market cap $50.05B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 8.2× Xcel Energy Inc's market cap, and Xcel Energy Inc pays the higher dividend (2.96%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | XEL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $408.78B | $50.05B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Utilities |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $83.91 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $68.33 |
Enterprise Value | $396.92B | $87.49B |
Dividend Yield | 0.64% | 2.96% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco (COST) trades at $923.9, down 0.27% with bearish technical signals but strong fundamentals. The stock shows consistent revenue growth, reaching $275.24B in 2025 with net income of $8.10B. Recent March sales surged 11.3% year-over-year to $28.41B, indicating robust business momentum. Analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with 65.5% buy ratings and a $1,120 price target, though valuation metrics appear elevated with P/E at 46.37.
The investment case balances premium valuation against exceptional operational execution. Membership fee increases and expanding warehouse network drive profitability, but high P/E ratio requires sustained growth. Key risks include competitive pressure and economic sensitivity, while institutional accumulation supports long-term confidence.
XEL trades at $80.48, up 0.52% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong analyst consensus. Recent earnings show a Q1 2026 beat, while Q3 and Q4 2025 missed expectations. The company's $60 billion capital plan through 2030 aims to capitalize on rising electricity demand, supporting projected EPS growth. Cash flow trends show improving net cash flow, reaching $637 million in 2026. The stock is near its 52-week high, with a consensus price target of $91.88 implying potential upside.
Outlook is positive due to robust capital investment and sector tailwinds, but regulatory pushback and high valuation pose risks. Analyst sentiment is predominantly bullish, with 63% buy ratings. Investors should weigh growth prospects against execution risks and current premium multiples.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 Xcel Energy Inc
Xcel Energy manages utilities serving 3.7 million electric customers and 2.1 million natural gas customers in eight states. Its utilities are Northern States Power, which serves customers in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan
Read more on XEL →
