CL vs. COST: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CL and COST, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | CL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Colgate-Palmolive Company | Costco Wholesale Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Household Products | Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail |
| Market Capitalization | 69.78 billion USD | 434.10 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | May 2, 1973 | July 9, 1986 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CL 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 | CL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.92% | 0.14% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -3.14% | -3.67% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 0.77% | -6.86% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -14.75% | 13.35% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.97% | 4.17% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -5.03% | 6.83% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 5.71M | 2.34M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 5.30M | 2.24M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 17.38% | 17.98% |
| Beta | 0.35 | 0.99 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CL
679.67%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 226.04%
- Q3
- 106.83%
- Median
- 17.55%
- Q1
- 9.51%
- Min
- -8.31%
CL’s Return on Equity of 679.67% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Household Products industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
COST
31.13%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 34.20%
- Q3
- 21.61%
- Median
- 13.70%
- Q1
- 5.18%
- Min
- -9.87%
In the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CL
14.55%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 12.48%
- Q3
- 10.54%
- Median
- 9.15%
- Q1
- 8.81%
- Min
- 8.58%
CL’s Net Profit Margin of 14.55% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Household Products industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
COST
2.92%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 7.16%
- Q3
- 3.87%
- Median
- 2.44%
- Q1
- 1.65%
- Min
- -0.70%
COST’s Net Profit Margin of 2.92% 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)
CL
21.17%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 21.54%
- Q3
- 16.06%
- Median
- 13.28%
- Q1
- 12.03%
- Min
- 6.49%
An Operating Profit Margin of 21.17% places CL in the upper quartile for the Household Products industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
COST
3.75%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.42%
- Q3
- 5.29%
- Median
- 4.03%
- Q1
- 2.22%
- Min
- -1.85%
COST’s Operating Profit Margin of 3.75% 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 | CL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 679.67% | 31.13% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 17.38% | 10.75% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.55% | 2.92% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.17% | 3.75% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 60.57% | 12.78% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CL
0.89
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 3.31
- Q3
- 2.04
- Median
- 1.21
- Q1
- 0.76
- Min
- 0.55
CL’s Current Ratio of 0.89 aligns with the median group of the Household Products industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
COST
1.02
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.80
- Q3
- 1.25
- Median
- 0.97
- Q1
- 0.82
- Min
- 0.52
COST’s Current Ratio of 1.02 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)
CL
12.48
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 1.47
- Q3
- 1.47
- Median
- 0.49
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.01
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 12.48, CL operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Household Products industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
COST
0.21
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.44
- Q3
- 1.56
- 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 0.21 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)
CL
20.49
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 83.52
- Q3
- 68.49
- Median
- 13.94
- Q1
- 9.41
- Min
- 4.76
CL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 20.49 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Household Products industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
COST
91.27
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.36
- Q3
- 14.71
- Median
- 6.25
- Q1
- 3.16
- Min
- -10.70
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 | CL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.89 | 1.02 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.57 | 0.52 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 12.48 | 0.21 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 20.49 | 91.27 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CL
2.57%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 5.40%
- Q3
- 3.85%
- Median
- 2.82%
- Q1
- 1.83%
- Min
- 0.00%
CL’s Dividend Yield of 2.57% is consistent with its peers in the Household Products industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
COST
0.35%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.63%
- Q3
- 3.17%
- Median
- 1.35%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
COST’s Dividend Yield of 0.35% 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)
CL
61.95%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 191.34%
- Q3
- 102.63%
- Median
- 70.63%
- Q1
- 34.62%
- Min
- 0.00%
CL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 61.95% is within the typical range for the Household Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
COST
25.50%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 163.46%
- Q3
- 90.34%
- Median
- 52.13%
- Q1
- 20.46%
- Min
- 0.00%
COST’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 25.50% 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 | CL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.57% | 0.35% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 61.95% | 25.50% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CL
24.08
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 33.84
- Q3
- 22.61
- Median
- 18.73
- Q1
- 14.08
- Min
- 13.61
A P/E Ratio of 24.08 places CL in the upper quartile for the Household Products industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
COST
55.52
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 49.92
- Q3
- 31.34
- Median
- 23.38
- Q1
- 17.55
- Min
- 6.19
At 55.52, 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)
CL
3.50
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 4.78
- Q3
- 2.70
- Median
- 1.93
- Q1
- 1.27
- Min
- 0.73
CL’s P/S Ratio of 3.50 is in the upper echelon for the Household Products 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
1.62
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.88
- Q3
- 1.00
- Median
- 0.55
- Q1
- 0.40
- Min
- 0.06
COST’s P/S Ratio of 1.62 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)
CL
104.94
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 14.28
- Q3
- 14.28
- Median
- 4.13
- Q1
- 1.75
- Min
- 1.42
At 104.94, CL’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Household Products 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.
COST
16.62
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.74
- Q3
- 4.99
- Median
- 2.88
- Q1
- 1.77
- Min
- 0.46
At 16.62, 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 | CL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 24.08 | 55.52 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3.50 | 1.62 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 104.94 | 16.62 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 20.79 | 59.51 |