Seek Returns

ASML vs. COST: ASML vs. Costco Wholesale Stock Comparison

How do ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

ASML (ASML) is classified in the Information Technology sector (Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment), whereas Costco Wholesale (COST) belongs to Consumer Staples (Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Costco Wholesale (COST) trades as ordinary local shares, while ASML (ASML) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
Profile ItemASMLCOST
NameASML Holding N.V. NY Registered SharesCostco Wholesale Corp
Country/RegionNetherlandsUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupSemiconductors & Semiconductor EquipmentConsumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS IndustrySemiconductors & Semiconductor EquipmentConsumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS Sub-IndustrySemiconductor Materials & EquipmentConsumer Staples Merchandise Retail
Market Capitalization549.12 billion USD466.86 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateMarch 15, 1995July 9, 1986
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ASML
COST
GSPC
Loading price history…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricASMLCOST
Total Return (1Y)50.12%14.87%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)34.80%24.84%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)13.32%16.92%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ASML
COST
GSPC
Loading price history…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricASMLCOST
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)48.80%20.30%
Beta (5Y)1.800.84
Max Drawdown (5Y)-56.47%-31.40%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.42M2.15M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
ASML and COST are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. Each dashed Capital Allocation Line uses that stock's own industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricASMLCOST
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.940.52
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.390.77

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but ASML (ASML) at 65.64% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Costco Wholesale (COST) at 28.40% also sits in the top quartile.

ASML

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

65.64%

ASML
65.64%
Max
52.82%
Q3
22.26%
Median
10.58%
Q1
1.29%
Min
-16.89%

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

28.40%

Max
33.48%
COST
28.40%
Q3
22.31%
Median
15.57%
Q1
7.66%
Min
-2.27%
Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their ROE against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Net Margin (TTM)

ASML (ASML) at 34.14% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Costco Wholesale (COST) at 3.04%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ASML

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

34.14%

Max
63.80%
ASML
34.14%
Q3
28.36%
Median
11.44%
Q1
0.90%
Min
-37.77%

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.04%

Max
5.45%
Q3
3.42%
COST
3.04%
Median
2.44%
Q1
1.86%
Min
-0.06%
Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

ASML (ASML) at 44.36% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Costco Wholesale (COST) at 3.79%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ASML

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

44.36%

Max
58.66%
ASML
44.36%
Q3
30.23%
Median
15.91%
Q1
7.54%
Min
-25.74%

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.79%

Max
6.81%
Q3
5.49%
Median
3.84%
COST
3.79%
Q1
2.00%
Min
0.97%
Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricASMLCOST
ROE (TTM)65.64%28.40%
ROA (TTM)18.28%8.66%
Net Margin (TTM)34.14%3.04%
Operating Margin (TTM)44.36%3.79%
Gross Margin (TTM)54.34%12.77%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both ASML (ASML) at 15.58% and Costco Wholesale (COST) at 10.14% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: ASML (ASML) reports EPS growth of 28.43%, ranked against its industry; Costco Wholesale (COST) has no EPS growth figure this period.

Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricASMLCOST
Revenue Growth (YoY)15.58%10.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)15.55%7.76%
EPS Growth (YoY)28.43%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)15.42%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 1.06 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while ASML (ASML) at 1.49 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for ASML.

ASML

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

1.49

Max
10.33
Q3
5.62
Median
3.33
Q1
2.35
ASML
1.49
Min
1.03

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.06

Max
2.04
Q3
1.45
Median
1.17
COST
1.06
Q1
1.00
Min
0.69
Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their current ratio against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 0.28 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while ASML (ASML) at 0.09 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

ASML

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

0.09

Max
1.46
Q3
0.65
Median
0.27
ASML
0.09
Q1
0.04
Min
0.00

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.28

Max
2.59
Q3
1.83
Median
1.24
Q1
0.63
COST
0.28
Min
0.01
Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricASMLCOST
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.491.06
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.090.28
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.67-0.78

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both ASML (ASML) at 0.55% and Costco Wholesale (COST) at 0.52% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

ASML

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

0.55%

Max
1.37%
Q3
0.65%
ASML
0.55%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.52%

Max
2.90%
Q3
1.72%
COST
0.52%
Median
0.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 26.69% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while ASML (ASML) at 22.26% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

ASML

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

22.26%

Max
49.64%
ASML
22.26%
Q3
21.71%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

26.69%

Max
57.98%
Q3
30.05%
COST
26.69%
Median
11.72%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricASMLCOST
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.55%0.52%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)22.26%26.69%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

ASML (ASML) at 35.06 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Costco Wholesale (COST) at 50.75 sits in the richer quartile — COST needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

ASML

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

35.06

Max
110.34
Q3
66.81
Median
37.02
ASML
35.06
Q1
23.96
Min
8.12

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

50.75

COST
50.75
Max
50.75
Q3
33.64
Median
22.19
Q1
16.09
Min
9.28
Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both ASML (ASML) at 13.91 and Costco Wholesale (COST) at 1.54 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

ASML

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

13.91

Max
21.42
ASML
13.91
Q3
12.27
Median
5.76
Q1
2.73
Min
0.00

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.54

COST
1.54
Max
1.54
Q3
0.81
Median
0.47
Q1
0.26
Min
0.02
Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both ASML (ASML) at 1,223.36 and Costco Wholesale (COST) at 13.04 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

ASML

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

1,223.36

ASML
1,223.36
Max
14.06
Q3
7.44
Median
4.29
Q1
2.30
Min
0.20

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

13.04

COST
13.04
Max
10.15
Q3
6.27
Median
3.70
Q1
1.85
Min
0.93
Loading chart…
ASML (ASML) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for ASML (ASML) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricASMLCOST
P/E Ratio (TTM)35.0650.75
P/S Ratio (TTM)13.911.54
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1,223.3613.04
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.89%1.45%