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COST vs. PG: Costco Wholesale vs. Procter & Gamble Stock Comparison

How do Costco Wholesale (COST) and Procter & Gamble (PG) 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 Procter & Gamble (PG) share the Consumer Staples sector but sit in different industry groups — COST in Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and PG in Household & Personal Products.

Company profile comparison for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
Profile ItemCOSTPG
NameCostco Wholesale CorpThe Procter & Gamble Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupConsumer Staples Distribution & RetailHousehold & Personal Products
GICS IndustryConsumer Staples Distribution & RetailHousehold Products
GICS Sub-IndustryConsumer Staples Merchandise RetailHousehold Products
Market Capitalization425.16 billion USD355.83 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateJuly 9, 1986January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

COST
PG
GSPC
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG), 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 Procter & Gamble (PG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCOSTPG
Total Return (1Y)3.10%6.71%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.75%4.57%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)17.84%4.07%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

COST
PG
GSPC
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG), 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 Procter & Gamble (PG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCOSTPG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)19.73%19.89%
Beta (5Y)0.870.39
Max Drawdown (5Y)-31.40%-23.77%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.03M8.34M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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COST and PG 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 Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCOSTPG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.070.11
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.100.17

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 28.40% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Procter & Gamble (PG) at 30.29% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for COST.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

28.40%

Max
35.20%
COST
28.40%
Q3
22.31%
Median
15.25%
Q1
7.33%
Min
1.04%

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

30.29%

Max
42.18%
Q3
31.08%
PG
30.29%
Median
15.43%
Q1
4.92%
Min
-28.58%
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their ROE against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Net Margin (TTM)

Procter & Gamble (PG) at 18.44% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Costco Wholesale (COST) at 3.04%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.04%

Max
5.59%
Q3
3.42%
COST
3.04%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.67%
Min
0.08%

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

18.44%

PG
18.44%
Max
18.44%
Q3
11.54%
Median
7.28%
Q1
2.73%
Min
-10.42%
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Procter & Gamble (PG) at 22.09% 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
7.49%
Q3
5.61%
Median
3.84%
COST
3.79%
Q1
2.10%
Min
0.97%

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

22.09%

Max
23.94%
PG
22.09%
Q3
19.00%
Median
14.26%
Q1
8.81%
Min
-6.37%
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCOSTPG
ROE (TTM)28.40%30.29%
ROA (TTM)8.66%10.72%
Net Margin (TTM)3.04%18.44%
Operating Margin (TTM)3.79%22.09%
Gross Margin (TTM)12.77%50.87%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Procter & Gamble (PG) at 3.26% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Costco Wholesale (COST) at 8.17% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for PG.

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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Costco Wholesale (COST) at 9.96% and Procter & Gamble (PG) at 1.69% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCOSTPG
Revenue Growth (YoY)8.17%3.26%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.64%2.00%
EPS Growth (YoY)9.96%1.69%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)11.49%3.91%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 1.06 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Procter & Gamble (PG) at 0.68 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for PG.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.06

Max
2.03
Q3
1.44
Median
1.17
COST
1.06
Q1
1.00
Min
0.68

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

0.68

Max
3.94
Q3
2.65
Median
1.80
Q1
1.01
PG
0.68
Min
0.66
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their current ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Costco Wholesale (COST) at 0.28 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Procter & Gamble (PG) at 0.64 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.28

Max
2.65
Q3
1.83
Median
1.26
Q1
0.62
COST
0.28
Min
0.01

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

0.64

Max
3.49
Q3
2.03
Median
0.81
PG
0.64
Q1
0.47
Min
0.06
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCOSTPG
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.060.68
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.280.64
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.781.01

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Costco Wholesale (COST) at 0.59% and Procter & Gamble (PG) at 2.82% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.59%

Max
2.97%
Q3
1.86%
COST
0.59%
Median
0.48%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.82%

Max
5.93%
Q3
2.85%
PG
2.82%
Median
1.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Costco Wholesale (COST) at 26.69% and Procter & Gamble (PG) at 64.33% 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
59.29%
Q3
30.05%
COST
26.69%
Median
11.72%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

64.33%

Max
103.12%
Q3
82.28%
PG
64.33%
Median
46.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCOSTPG
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.59%2.82%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)26.69%64.33%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Procter & Gamble (PG) at 23.14 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Costco Wholesale (COST) at 46.22 sits in the richer quartile — COST needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

46.22

Max
52.28
COST
46.22
Q3
34.09
Median
21.84
Q1
15.64
Min
12.30

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

23.14

Max
35.43
Q3
30.82
PG
23.14
Median
20.73
Q1
15.16
Min
6.05
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Costco Wholesale (COST) at 1.40 and Procter & Gamble (PG) at 4.09 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

1.40

COST
1.40
Max
1.40
Q3
0.85
Median
0.49
Q1
0.24
Min
0.03

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

4.09

PG
4.09
Max
4.09
Q3
2.68
Median
1.98
Q1
0.72
Min
0.27
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Procter & Gamble (PG) at 6.68 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Costco Wholesale (COST) at 11.88 carries an above-peer premium to book — COST is pricier on assets.

COST

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

11.88

COST
11.88
Max
11.88
Q3
6.25
Median
3.86
Q1
1.83
Min
0.96

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

6.68

Max
9.78
Q3
7.14
PG
6.68
Median
4.15
Q1
1.47
Min
-3.01
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Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Costco Wholesale (COST) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCOSTPG
P/E Ratio (TTM)46.2223.14
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.404.09
P/B Ratio (MRQ)11.886.68
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.59%3.73%