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BJ vs. COST: BJ's Wholesale Club vs. Costco Wholesale Stock Comparison

How do BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) 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

BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST) are both classified in the Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail sub-industry within the broader Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
Profile ItemBJCOST
NameBJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.Costco Wholesale Corp
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupConsumer Staples Distribution & RetailConsumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS IndustryConsumer Staples Distribution & RetailConsumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS Sub-IndustryConsumer Staples Merchandise RetailConsumer Staples Merchandise Retail
Market Capitalization13.82 billion USD466.86 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJune 28, 2018July 9, 1986
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BJ
COST
GSPC
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) 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

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Trailing total returns for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricBJCOST
Total Return (1Y)18.51%14.87%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.19%24.84%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)11.61%16.92%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BJ
COST
GSPC
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricBJCOST
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)30.49%20.30%
Beta (5Y)0.140.84
Max Drawdown (5Y)-30.12%-31.40%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.94M2.15M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BJ and COST are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricBJCOST
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.470.52
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.700.77

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) at 27.67% and Costco Wholesale (COST) at 28.40% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

BJ

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

27.67%

Max
33.48%
BJ
27.67%
Q3
22.31%
Median
15.57%
Q1
7.66%
Min
-2.27%

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%
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their ROE against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) at 2.61% and Costco Wholesale (COST) at 3.04% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

BJ

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

2.61%

Max
5.45%
Q3
3.42%
BJ
2.61%
Median
2.44%
Q1
1.86%
Min
-0.06%

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%
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their net margin against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) at 4.05% and Costco Wholesale (COST) at 3.79% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

BJ

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

4.05%

Max
6.81%
Q3
5.49%
BJ
4.05%
Median
3.84%
Q1
2.00%
Min
0.97%

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%
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their operating margin against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricBJCOST
ROE (TTM)27.67%28.40%
ROA (TTM)7.05%8.66%
Net Margin (TTM)2.61%3.04%
Operating Margin (TTM)4.05%3.79%
Gross Margin (TTM)18.24%12.77%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) at 4.66% 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.

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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) reports EPS growth of 9.50%, ranked against its industry; Costco Wholesale (COST) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricBJCOST
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.66%10.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.57%7.76%
EPS Growth (YoY)9.50%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.22%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 1.06 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) at 0.73 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for BJ.

BJ

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.73

Max
2.04
Q3
1.45
Median
1.17
Q1
1.00
BJ
0.73
Min
0.69

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
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their current ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 0.28 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) at 1.26 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

BJ

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.26

Max
2.59
Q3
1.83
BJ
1.26
Median
1.24
Q1
0.63
Min
0.01

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
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricBJCOST
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.731.06
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.260.28
Net Debt / EBITDA2.36-0.78

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Costco Wholesale (COST) reports a yield of 0.52%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BJ

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.00%

Max
2.90%
Q3
1.72%
Median
0.43%
BJ
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%
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Costco Wholesale (COST) reports a payout of 26.69%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BJ

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.00%

Max
57.98%
Q3
30.05%
Median
11.72%
BJ
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%
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricBJCOST
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.52%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%26.69%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) at 23.94 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.

BJ

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

23.94

Max
50.75
Q3
33.64
BJ
23.94
Median
22.19
Q1
16.09
Min
9.28

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
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) at 0.61 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Costco Wholesale (COST) at 1.54 sits in the pricier quartile — COST costs more per dollar of sales.

BJ

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.61

Max
1.54
Q3
0.81
BJ
0.61
Median
0.47
Q1
0.26
Min
0.02

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
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) at 6.30 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Costco Wholesale (COST) at 13.04 prices even higher, above its industry range.

BJ

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

6.30

Max
10.15
BJ
6.30
Q3
6.27
Median
3.70
Q1
1.85
Min
0.93

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…
BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) and Costco Wholesale (COST)
MetricBJCOST
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.9450.75
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.611.54
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.3013.04
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.79%1.45%