AMZN vs. COST: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AMZN and COST, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AMZN’s market capitalization of 2,371.81 billion USD is substantially larger than COST’s 437.72 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
With betas of 1.33 for AMZN and 0.99 for COST, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | AMZN | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Amazon.com, Inc. | Costco Wholesale Corporation |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Defensive |
| Industry | Specialty Retail | Discount Stores |
| CEO | Andrew R. Jassy | Ron M. Vachris |
| Price | 223.41 USD | 987.02 USD |
| Market Cap | 2,371.81 billion USD | 437.72 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.33 | 0.99 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | May 15, 1997 | July 9, 1986 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AMZN and COST by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AMZN
24.26%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 70.52%
- Q3
- 29.03%
- Median
- 10.90%
- Q1
- -7.86%
- Min
- -57.43%
AMZN’s Return on Equity of 24.26% is on par with the norm for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
COST
31.13%
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 31.68%
- Q3
- 28.60%
- Median
- 15.53%
- Q1
- 12.21%
- Min
- 12.12%
In the upper quartile for the Discount Stores industry, COST’s Return on Equity of 31.13% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Return on Invested Capital
AMZN
13.10%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 29.46%
- Q3
- 13.75%
- Median
- 8.05%
- Q1
- 0.80%
- Min
- -17.95%
AMZN’s Return on Invested Capital of 13.10% is in line with the norm for the Specialty Retail industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
COST
20.02%
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 20.02%
- Q3
- 12.27%
- Median
- 11.13%
- Q1
- 6.51%
- Min
- 5.03%
In the upper quartile for the Discount Stores industry, COST’s Return on Invested Capital of 20.02% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
AMZN
10.14%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 19.78%
- Q3
- 8.49%
- Median
- 3.43%
- Q1
- -0.69%
- Min
- -9.88%
A Net Profit Margin of 10.14% places AMZN in the upper quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
COST
2.92%
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 2.92%
- Q3
- 2.92%
- Median
- 2.81%
- Q1
- 2.75%
- Min
- 2.75%
COST’s Net Profit Margin of 2.92% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Discount Stores industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
AMZN
11.02%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.47%
- Q3
- 11.10%
- Median
- 5.85%
- Q1
- 0.66%
- Min
- -12.62%
AMZN’s Operating Profit Margin of 11.02% is around the midpoint for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
COST
3.75%
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 5.42%
- Q3
- 5.42%
- Median
- 4.33%
- Q1
- 3.93%
- Min
- 2.10%
COST’s Operating Profit Margin of 3.75% is in the lower quartile for the Discount Stores industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AMZN | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 24.26% | 31.13% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 10.25% | 10.39% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 13.10% | 20.02% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.14% | 2.92% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.02% | 3.75% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 49.16% | 13.38% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AMZN
1.05
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.24
- Q3
- 1.99
- Median
- 1.42
- Q1
- 1.02
- Min
- 0.54
AMZN’s Current Ratio of 1.05 aligns with the median group of the Specialty Retail industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
COST
1.02
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 1.25
- Q3
- 1.23
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.78
- Min
- 0.74
COST’s Current Ratio of 1.02 aligns with the median group of the Discount Stores industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AMZN
0.44
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 2.72
- Q3
- 1.42
- Median
- 0.87
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- 0.01
AMZN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.44 is typical for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
COST
0.30
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 2.34
- Q3
- 1.40
- Median
- 0.80
- Q1
- 0.31
- Min
- 0.20
Falling into the lower quartile for the Discount Stores industry, COST’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.30 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AMZN
31.13
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 37.34
- Q3
- 17.19
- Median
- 4.28
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- -23.60
AMZN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 31.13 is in the upper quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
COST
916.73
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 18.46
- Q3
- 17.45
- Median
- 13.09
- Q1
- 10.49
- Min
- 1.08
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 916.73, COST demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Discount Stores industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AMZN | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.05 | 1.02 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.84 | 0.52 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.44 | 0.30 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.21 | 0.11 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.50 | -0.49 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 31.13 | 916.73 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AMZN and COST. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AMZN
0.00%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.54%
- Q3
- 1.52%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AMZN currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
COST
0.48%
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 4.51%
- Q3
- 0.91%
- Median
- 0.49%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
COST’s Dividend Yield of 0.48% is consistent with its peers in the Discount Stores industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AMZN
0.00%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 177.64%
- Q3
- 9.49%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AMZN has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
COST
19.69%
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 44.99%
- Q3
- 36.65%
- Median
- 19.69%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
COST’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 19.69% is within the typical range for the Discount Stores industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AMZN | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.48% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 19.69% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AMZN
35.92
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 81.45
- Q3
- 42.51
- Median
- 25.40
- Q1
- 12.72
- Min
- 1.88
AMZN’s P/E Ratio of 35.92 is within the middle range for the Specialty Retail industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
COST
55.87
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 55.76
- Q3
- 45.00
- Median
- 33.38
- Q1
- 22.25
- Min
- 10.79
At 55.87, COST’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Discount Stores industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AMZN
1.72
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.90
- Q3
- 2.79
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 0.69
- Min
- 0.00
AMZN’s Forward PEG Ratio of 1.72 is within the middle range of its peers in the Specialty Retail industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
COST
5.06
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 5.06
- Q3
- 3.70
- Median
- 2.97
- Q1
- 2.24
- Min
- 1.25
A Forward PEG Ratio of 5.06 places COST in the upper quartile for the Discount Stores industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AMZN
3.65
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.26
- Q3
- 2.60
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 0.41
- Min
- 0.06
AMZN’s P/S Ratio of 3.65 is in the upper echelon for the Specialty Retail industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
COST
1.63
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 2.07
- Q3
- 1.63
- Median
- 0.96
- Q1
- 0.64
- Min
- 0.43
COST’s P/S Ratio of 1.63 is in the upper echelon for the Discount Stores industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AMZN
7.74
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 12.73
- Q3
- 6.96
- Median
- 3.28
- Q1
- 1.42
- Min
- 0.24
AMZN’s P/B Ratio of 7.74 is in the upper tier for the Specialty Retail industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
COST
16.15
Discount Stores Industry
- Max
- 16.12
- Q3
- 9.30
- Median
- 5.40
- Q1
- 3.27
- Min
- 2.73
At 16.15, COST’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Discount Stores industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AMZN | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 35.92 | 55.87 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.72 | 5.06 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.65 | 1.63 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.74 | 16.15 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 113.97 | 59.82 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 18.07 | 37.31 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 3.75 | 1.61 |