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COST vs. GOOGL: Costco Wholesale vs. Alphabet Stock Comparison

How do Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL) 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

Costco Wholesale (COST) is classified in the Consumer Staples sector (Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail), whereas Alphabet (GOOGL) belongs to Communication Services (Media & Entertainment) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Company profile comparison for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
Profile ItemCOSTGOOGL
NameCostco Wholesale CorpAlphabet Inc. Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesCommunication Services
GICS Industry GroupConsumer Staples Distribution & RetailMedia & Entertainment
GICS IndustryConsumer Staples Distribution & RetailInteractive Media & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryConsumer Staples Merchandise RetailInteractive Media & Services
Market Capitalization466.86 billion USD3,501.09 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateJuly 9, 1986August 19, 2004
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

COST
GOOGL
GSPC
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL), 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 Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricCOSTGOOGL
Total Return (1Y)14.87%4.89%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)24.84%31.25%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.92%14.61%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

COST
GOOGL
GSPC
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL), 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 Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricCOSTGOOGL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)20.30%33.67%
Beta (5Y)0.841.20
Max Drawdown (5Y)-31.40%-44.32%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.15M28.79M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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COST and GOOGL 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 Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricCOSTGOOGL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.520.02
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.770.03

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Costco Wholesale (COST) at 28.40% and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 44.29% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

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%

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

44.29%

Max
49.92%
GOOGL
44.29%
Q3
17.95%
Median
7.20%
Q1
-4.53%
Min
-26.31%
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their ROE against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Net Margin (TTM)

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 50.03% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Costco Wholesale (COST) at 3.04% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

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%

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

50.03%

GOOGL
50.03%
Max
32.91%
Q3
11.75%
Median
5.04%
Q1
-4.17%
Min
-25.14%
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 31.81% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Costco Wholesale (COST) at 3.79%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

31.81%

Max
40.16%
GOOGL
31.81%
Q3
18.72%
Median
8.63%
Q1
1.90%
Min
-22.08%
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricCOSTGOOGL
ROE (TTM)28.40%44.29%
ROA (TTM)8.66%12.74%
Net Margin (TTM)3.04%50.03%
Operating Margin (TTM)3.79%31.81%
Gross Margin (TTM)12.77%60.86%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 15.09% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Costco Wholesale (COST) at 10.14% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for GOOGL.

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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Alphabet (GOOGL) reports EPS growth of 34.45%, ranked against its industry; Costco Wholesale (COST) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricCOSTGOOGL
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.14%15.09%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.76%12.51%
EPS Growth (YoY)--34.45%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--33.34%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 1.06 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Alphabet (GOOGL) at 2.79 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

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

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

2.79

Max
4.69
GOOGL
2.79
Q3
2.53
Median
1.52
Q1
0.95
Min
0.28
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their current ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 0.28 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Alphabet (GOOGL) at 0.22 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

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

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.22

Max
3.65
Q3
1.69
Median
0.46
GOOGL
0.22
Q1
0.17
Min
0.00
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricCOSTGOOGL
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.062.79
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.280.22
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.78-0.62

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Costco Wholesale (COST) at 0.52% and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 0.30% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

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%

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.30%

Max
1.33%
Q3
0.65%
GOOGL
0.30%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Costco Wholesale (COST) at 26.69% and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 4.49% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

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%

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

4.49%

Max
71.43%
Q3
28.98%
GOOGL
4.49%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricCOSTGOOGL
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.52%0.30%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)26.69%4.49%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 14.87 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.

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

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

14.87

Max
51.21
Q3
28.90
Median
17.98
GOOGL
14.87
Q1
11.53
Min
1.64
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Costco Wholesale (COST) at 1.54 and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 7.43 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

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

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

7.43

GOOGL
7.43
Max
7.43
Q3
3.82
Median
1.40
Q1
0.70
Min
0.00
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Alphabet (GOOGL) at 5.31 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Costco Wholesale (COST) at 13.04 prices even higher, above its industry range.

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

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

5.31

Max
11.45
GOOGL
5.31
Q3
5.30
Median
1.84
Q1
0.77
Min
-2.61
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricCOSTGOOGL
P/E Ratio (TTM)50.7514.87
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.547.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)13.045.31
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.45%-0.03%