BDX vs. COST: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at BDX and COST, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | BDX | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Becton, Dickinson and Company | Costco Wholesale Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail |
| Market Capitalization | 54.73 billion USD | 406.60 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | February 21, 1973 | July 9, 1986 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of BDX 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | BDX | COST |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 5.73% | -2.08% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 7.47% | -6.50% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -16.51% | -0.44% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -20.80% | 4.52% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.01% | -1.88% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -15.84% | 1.02% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.58M | 3.12M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.45M | 2.22M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 28.03% | 15.94% |
| Beta | 0.26 | 0.98 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
BDX
6.31%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 29.93%
- Q3
- 16.99%
- Median
- 9.28%
- Q1
- 5.10%
- Min
- -12.52%
BDX’s Return on Equity of 6.31% is on par with the norm for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
COST
30.47%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 36.53%
- Q3
- 21.48%
- Median
- 13.14%
- Q1
- 8.11%
- Min
- -9.87%
In the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, COST’s Return on Equity of 30.47% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
BDX
7.51%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.41%
- Q3
- 13.71%
- Median
- 10.08%
- Q1
- 5.96%
- Min
- -5.58%
BDX’s Net Profit Margin of 7.51% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
COST
2.94%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 7.25%
- Q3
- 3.98%
- Median
- 2.77%
- Q1
- 1.73%
- Min
- -0.70%
COST’s Net Profit Margin of 2.94% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
BDX
11.83%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.09%
- Q3
- 18.11%
- Median
- 15.07%
- Q1
- 8.48%
- Min
- -0.28%
BDX’s Operating Profit Margin of 11.83% is around the midpoint for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
COST
3.77%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.42%
- Q3
- 5.61%
- Median
- 4.18%
- Q1
- 2.72%
- Min
- 0.23%
COST’s Operating Profit Margin of 3.77% is around the midpoint for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | BDX | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 6.31% | 30.47% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 2.90% | 10.83% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 7.51% | 2.94% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.83% | 3.77% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 45.08% | 12.84% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
BDX
1.10
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 5.19
- Q3
- 3.00
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.86
BDX’s Current Ratio of 1.10 falls into the lower quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
COST
1.03
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.76
- Q3
- 1.28
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.82
- Min
- 0.49
COST’s Current Ratio of 1.03 aligns with the median group of the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
BDX
0.76
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.61
- Q3
- 0.76
- Median
- 0.45
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.00
BDX’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.76. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
COST
0.20
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.61
- Q3
- 1.64
- Median
- 1.00
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, COST’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.20 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 (TTM)
BDX
5.93
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 56.35
- Q3
- 25.56
- Median
- 9.60
- Q1
- 3.78
- Min
- -26.49
BDX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.93 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
COST
91.27
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.36
- Q3
- 13.75
- Median
- 5.79
- Q1
- 3.04
- Min
- -5.51
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 91.27, COST demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | BDX | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.10 | 1.03 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.46 | 0.55 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.76 | 0.20 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 5.93 | 91.27 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
BDX
2.15%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.15%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.15%, BDX offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
COST
0.54%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.08%
- Q3
- 3.33%
- Median
- 1.77%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
COST’s Dividend Yield of 0.54% is consistent with its peers in the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
BDX
73.10%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 160.00%
- Q3
- 66.60%
- Median
- 27.49%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
BDX’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 73.10% is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
COST
34.59%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 172.48%
- Q3
- 103.93%
- Median
- 54.70%
- Q1
- 24.82%
- Min
- 0.00%
COST’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 34.59% is within the typical range for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | BDX | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.15% | 0.54% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 73.10% | 34.59% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
BDX
34.00
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 67.29
- Q3
- 47.01
- Median
- 30.94
- Q1
- 23.91
- Min
- 10.79
BDX’s P/E Ratio of 34.00 is within the middle range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies 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
50.20
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 47.99
- Q3
- 30.23
- Median
- 22.19
- Q1
- 16.85
- Min
- 4.52
At 50.20, COST’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
BDX
2.55
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 9.49
- Q3
- 5.41
- Median
- 2.86
- Q1
- 2.07
- Min
- 0.74
BDX’s P/S Ratio of 2.55 aligns with the market consensus for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
COST
1.48
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.79
- Q3
- 0.96
- Median
- 0.53
- Q1
- 0.37
- Min
- 0.06
COST’s P/S Ratio of 1.48 is in the upper echelon for the Consumer Staples Distribution & 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.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
BDX
1.94
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 10.85
- Q3
- 6.56
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 2.36
- Min
- 0.71
BDX’s P/B Ratio of 1.94 is in the lower quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
COST
14.34
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 8.68
- Q3
- 4.97
- Median
- 2.98
- Q1
- 1.86
- Min
- 0.46
At 14.34, COST’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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 | BDX | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 34.00 | 50.20 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.55 | 1.48 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.94 | 14.34 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 21.42 | 51.88 |