COST vs. KR: Costco Wholesale vs. Kroger Stock Comparison

August 16, 2026

How do Costco Wholesale (COST) and Kroger (KR) 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) and Kroger (KR) both belong to the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, though COST is classified under Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail while KR falls under Food Retail.

Company profile comparison for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Kroger (KR)
Profile Item	COST	KR
Name	Costco Wholesale Corporation	Kroger Co.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Consumer Staples	Consumer Staples
GICS Industry Group	Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail	Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS Industry	Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail	Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS Sub-Industry	Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail	Food Retail
Market Capitalization	426.23 billion USD	34.73 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	July 9, 1986	January 2, 1962
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

COST

GSPC

Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Kroger (KR), 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 Kroger (KR). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Kroger (KR)
Metric	COST	KR
Total Return (1Y)	-0.89%	-15.83%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	21.29%	7.67%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	17.76%	8.10%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

COST

GSPC

Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Kroger (KR), 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 Kroger (KR). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Kroger (KR)
Metric	COST	KR
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	19.72%	28.06%
Beta (5Y)	0.86	0.41
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-31.40%	-31.07%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.36M	7.78M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

COST and KR 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 Costco Wholesale (COST) and Kroger (KR)
Metric	COST	KR
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.25	-0.71
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.34	-0.96

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 29.15% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Kroger (KR) at 13.78% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for COST.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

29.15%

Max: 35.20%
COST: 29.15%
Q3: 21.90%
Median: 15.63%
Q1: 8.48%
Min: -2.30%

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

13.78%

Max: 35.20%
Q3: 21.90%
Median: 15.63%
KR: 13.78%
Q1: 8.48%
Min: -2.30%

Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Kroger (KR): A comparison of their ROE against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 3.01% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while Kroger (KR) at 0.71% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.01%

Max: 5.59%
Q3: 3.39%
COST: 3.01%
Median: 2.27%
Q1: 1.59%
Min: -0.12%

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.71%

Max: 5.59%
Q3: 3.39%
Median: 2.27%
Q1: 1.59%
KR: 0.71%
Min: -0.12%

Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Kroger (KR): A comparison of their net margin against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Costco Wholesale (COST) at 3.67% and Kroger (KR) at 3.22% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.67%

Max: 9.09%
Q3: 5.18%
Median: 3.89%
COST: 3.67%
Q1: 1.70%
Min: 0.00%

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.22%

Max: 9.09%
Q3: 5.18%
Median: 3.89%
KR: 3.22%
Q1: 1.70%
Min: 0.00%

Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Kroger (KR): A comparison of their operating margin against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Kroger (KR)
Metric	COST	KR
ROE (TTM)	29.15%	13.78%
ROA (TTM)	8.67%	5.77%
Net Margin (TTM)	3.01%	0.71%
Operating Margin (TTM)	3.67%	3.22%
Gross Margin (TTM)	12.88%	23.98%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 8.17% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Kroger (KR) at 0.35% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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

EPS Growth

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 9.96% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Kroger (KR) at -58.04% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Kroger (KR)
Metric	COST	KR
Revenue Growth (YoY)	8.17%	0.35%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	6.64%	-0.14%
EPS Growth (YoY)	9.96%	-58.04%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	11.49%	-20.46%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 1.07 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Kroger (KR) at 0.79 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for KR.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.07

Max: 2.15
Q3: 1.50
Median: 1.17
COST: 1.07
Q1: 1.00
Min: 0.68

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.79

Max: 2.15
Q3: 1.50
Median: 1.17
Q1: 1.00
KR: 0.79
Min: 0.68

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 0.60 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while Kroger (KR) at 3.73 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.60

Max: 3.73
Q3: 1.88
Median: 1.26
Q1: 0.64
COST: 0.60
Min: 0.00

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.73

KR: 3.73
Max: 3.73
Q3: 1.88
Median: 1.26
Q1: 0.64
Min: 0.00

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

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Kroger (KR)
Metric	COST	KR
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.07	0.79
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.60	3.73
Net Debt / EBITDA	-0.07	2.64

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Costco Wholesale (COST) at 0.56% and Kroger (KR) at 1.85% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.56%

Max: 2.92%
Q3: 1.87%
COST: 0.56%
Median: 0.27%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.85%

Max: 2.92%
Q3: 1.87%
KR: 1.85%
Median: 0.27%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Kroger (KR): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 27.01% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Kroger (KR) at 80.12% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

27.01%

Max: 80.12%
Q3: 33.46%
COST: 27.01%
Median: 12.07%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

80.12%

KR: 80.12%
Max: 80.12%
Q3: 33.46%
Median: 12.07%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Kroger (KR): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Kroger (KR)
Metric	COST	KR
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.56%	1.85%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	27.01%	80.12%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Kroger (KR) at 33.15 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Costco Wholesale (COST) at 48.32 sits in the richer quartile — COST needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

48.32

Max: 51.70
COST: 48.32
Q3: 37.59
Median: 21.47
Q1: 16.83
Min: 11.73

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

33.15

Max: 51.70
Q3: 37.59
KR: 33.15
Median: 21.47
Q1: 16.83
Min: 11.73

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Kroger (KR) at 0.23 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Costco Wholesale (COST) at 1.45 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.45

Max: 1.78
COST: 1.45
Q3: 0.95
Median: 0.48
Q1: 0.24
Min: 0.02

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.23

Max: 1.78
Q3: 0.95
Median: 0.48
Q1: 0.24
KR: 0.23
Min: 0.02

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Kroger (KR) at 6.13 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Costco Wholesale (COST) at 25.78 prices above its benchmark range — COST looks rich relative to book.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

25.78

COST: 25.78
Max: 9.73
Q3: 6.68
Median: 4.09
Q1: 2.08
Min: 0.63

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

6.13

Max: 9.73
Q3: 6.68
KR: 6.13
Median: 4.09
Q1: 2.08
Min: 0.63

Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Kroger (KR): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Kroger (KR)
Metric	COST	KR
P/E Ratio (TTM)	48.32	33.15
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.45	0.23
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	25.78	6.13
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.63%	8.62%