Side by sideWalmart (WMT) and Costco (COST)Memos of October 10, 2026 and October 11, 2026
Walmart vs Costco stock: the numbers side by side (October 2026)
How do Walmart and Costco compare?
| Walmart WMT | Costco COST | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 4.7%Year to Jan 2026 | 10.1%Aug 2026 |
| Operating margin | 4.2%Year to Jan 2026 | 3.9%Aug 2026 |
| Free cash flow | 14,923US$ millions · Year to Jan 2026 | 9,382US$ millions · Aug 2026 |
| Free cash flow yield | 1.7%Today (Oct 9, 2026) | 2.2%Today (Oct 11, 2026) |
| Dividend yield | 0.9%Today (Oct 9, 2026) | 0.6%Today (Oct 11, 2026) |
| P/E, last 12 months | 39.9xToday (Oct 9, 2026) | 45.6xToday (Oct 11, 2026) |
| P/E, next 12 months | 34.3xToday (Oct 9, 2026) | 37.8xToday (Oct 11, 2026) |
| Weighted price forecast, about 1 year | 112.05 (+2 %)October 2027 | 865.55 (-8 %)October 2027 |
| Weighted price forecast, about 3 years | 114.26 (+6 %)October 2029 | 875.57 (-5 %)October 2029 |
Who leads on what?
| Leads | The lead is | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | Costco | The higher figure |
| Operating margin | Walmart | The higher figure |
| Free cash flow | Walmart | The higher figure |
| Free cash flow yield | Costco | The higher figure |
| Dividend yield | Walmart | The higher figure |
| P/E, last 12 months | Walmart | The lower figure |
| P/E, next 12 months | Walmart | The lower figure |
| Weighted price forecast, about 1 year | Walmart | The higher weighted return |
| Weighted price forecast, about 3 years | Walmart | The higher weighted return |
What does each company do?
Walmart sells groceries, general merchandise, health products and services to households through 10,955 retail units.
Walmart (WMT), from our memo of October 10, 2026 · Walmart stock forecast
Costco sells memberships and goods, fuel, food, travel and other services to households and businesses.
Costco (COST), from our memo of October 11, 2026 · Costco stock forecast