COST vs. SHEL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at COST and SHEL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
COST is a standard domestic listing, while SHEL trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | COST | SHEL |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Costco Wholesale Corporation | Shell plc |
| Country | United States | United Kingdom |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Staples | Energy |
| GICS Industry | Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail | Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels |
| Market Capitalization | 441.07 billion USD | 209.92 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | July 9, 1986 | March 12, 1984 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of COST and SHEL 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 | COST | SHEL |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.97% | 1.45% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -3.85% | 7.61% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -7.64% | -0.30% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 14.01% | -1.55% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 5.85% | -1.66% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 8.55% | 7.67% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.97M | 4.94M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.10M | 5.97M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 17.17% | 18.39% |
| Beta | 0.99 | 1.19 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
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.
SHEL
7.40%
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 35.51%
- Q3
- 17.86%
- Median
- 10.69%
- Q1
- 5.71%
- Min
- -8.98%
SHEL’s Return on Equity of 7.40% is on par with the norm for the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
SHEL
5.00%
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 44.03%
- Q3
- 20.12%
- Median
- 8.91%
- Q1
- 2.62%
- Min
- -23.39%
SHEL’s Net Profit Margin of 5.00% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
SHEL
9.81%
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 64.72%
- Q3
- 31.93%
- Median
- 19.14%
- Q1
- 5.67%
- Min
- -27.31%
SHEL’s Operating Profit Margin of 9.81% is around the midpoint for the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | COST | SHEL |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 31.13% | 7.40% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 10.75% | 3.45% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 2.92% | 5.00% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 3.75% | 9.81% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.78% | 24.92% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
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.
SHEL
1.32
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 2.76
- Q3
- 1.64
- Median
- 1.22
- Q1
- 0.84
- Min
- 0.22
SHEL’s Current Ratio of 1.32 aligns with the median group of the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
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.
SHEL
0.43
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 2.24
- Q3
- 1.06
- Median
- 0.60
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
SHEL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.43 is typical for the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
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.
SHEL
-16.99
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 54.03
- Q3
- 23.32
- Median
- 7.46
- Q1
- 2.57
- Min
- -19.25
SHEL has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -16.99. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | COST | SHEL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.02 | 1.32 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.52 | 1.08 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.21 | 0.43 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 91.27 | -16.99 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
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.
SHEL
4.11%
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 13.98%
- Q3
- 7.41%
- Median
- 4.36%
- Q1
- 2.84%
- Min
- 0.00%
SHEL’s Dividend Yield of 4.11% is consistent with its peers in the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
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.
SHEL
63.10%
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 180.73%
- Q3
- 92.90%
- Median
- 63.90%
- Q1
- 27.41%
- Min
- 0.00%
SHEL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 63.10% is within the typical range for the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | COST | SHEL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.35% | 4.11% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 25.50% | 63.10% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
COST
56.05
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 49.92
- Q3
- 31.34
- Median
- 23.38
- Q1
- 17.55
- Min
- 6.19
At 56.05, 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.
SHEL
15.36
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 41.71
- Q3
- 21.35
- Median
- 12.26
- Q1
- 7.77
- Min
- 0.00
SHEL’s P/E Ratio of 15.36 is within the middle range for the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
COST
1.64
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 1.64 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.
SHEL
0.77
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 5.87
- Q3
- 2.89
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 0.54
- Min
- 0.00
SHEL’s P/S Ratio of 0.77 aligns with the market consensus for the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
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.
SHEL
1.28
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels Industry
- Max
- 3.83
- Q3
- 2.12
- Median
- 1.34
- Q1
- 0.91
- Min
- 0.34
SHEL’s P/B Ratio of 1.28 is within the conventional range for the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | COST | SHEL |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 56.05 | 15.36 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 1.64 | 0.77 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 16.62 | 1.28 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 60.08 | 7.27 |