Figures as of the Nov 13, 2026 close. Updated after each trading day. Not a recommendation or a forecast.
From Nov 14, 2016 to the Nov 13, 2026 close, $1,000 in Costco (COST) became $8,601 and $1,000 in Walmart (WMT) became $6,442, with dividends reinvested.
From Nov 14, 2016 to Nov 13, 2026, Costco grew 24.0% a year and Walmart grew 20.5%. The higher rate, Costco's, came with narrower daily swings. Volatility was 22.1% for Costco and 22.3% for Walmart. The Sharpe ratio is the yearly return above a fixed 5% risk-free rate, per unit of volatility.
Sharpe ratios were 0.86 for Costco and 0.70 for Walmart. Over the same dates, the price record shows deepest falls of 31.4% for Costco and 25.7% for Walmart. From Nov 15, 2016 to Nov 13, 2026, betas to the S&P 500 were 0.66 for Costco and 0.48 for Walmart.
The $1,000 in Costco and the $1,000 in Walmart swapped places 5 times at month ends. The latest swap came at the end of Apr 2018. Since then, the $1,000 in Costco has been worth more at every month end. Across all 121 month ends, Costco's value was the higher one at 112 and Walmart's at 9.
At the end of Feb 2024, $1,000 had become $5,695 in Costco and $2,867 in Walmart. In relative terms, that was the widest gap between them at any month end. The $1,000 in Costco first doubled to $2,000 at a month end in Aug 2019. The $1,000 in Walmart did so in Aug 2020.
Every row ends at the Nov 13, 2026 close. The "a year" columns give the yearly rate from each start date. The yearly rates were furthest apart over the last year. Over that span, Costco grew 20.3% a year and Walmart grew 26.0%.
The rates were closest over the full span since Jul 1986: 13.2% for Costco and 14.2% for Walmart.
Costco's rate over the last year, 20.3%, was below its 10-year rate of 24.0%. Walmart's last-year rate, 26.0%, was above its 10-year rate of 20.5%. In every row, $1,000 in Costco and $1,000 in Walmart both ended above $1,000.
| Period | $1,000 in Costco | $1,000 in Walmart | Costco a year | Walmart a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since both startedfrom Jul 9, 1986 | $151,416 | $214,182 | 13.2% | 14.2% |
| Last 20 yearsfrom Nov 13, 2006 | $31,189 | $12,382 | 18.8% | 13.4% |
| Last 10 yearsfrom Nov 14, 2016 | $8,601 | $6,442 | 24.0% | 20.5% |
| Last 5 yearsfrom Nov 12, 2021 | $2,257 | $2,768 | 17.7% | 22.6% |
| Last yearfrom Nov 13, 2025 | $1,203 | $1,260 | 20.3% | 26.0% |
At the Nov 13, 2026 close, Costco was at its month-end high. At the same close, Walmart was 2.5% below its Apr 2026 month-end high. On daily closes, the deepest falls of Costco and Walmart came in the same stretch. Costco fell 31.4% from Apr 7, 2022 to May 20, 2022.
Walmart fell 25.7% from Apr 21, 2022 to Jun 17, 2022. Costco closed back at its old high on Dec 5, 2023, 1 year and 6 months after the low. Walmart closed back at its old high on Jun 14, 2023, 11 months after the low. Costco was 20% or more below its high at 1 of 121 month ends.
Walmart was 20% or more below its high at 4.
The S&P 500's COVID fall ran from its Feb 19, 2020 high to its Mar 23, 2020 low. Over those dates, Costco fell 11.6% and Walmart 2.5%. The S&P 500's 2022 fall ran from its Jan 3, 2022 high to its Oct 12, 2022 low. Over those dates, Costco fell 17.3% and Walmart 8.2%.
The bars cover 9 full calendar years, 2017 to 2025. Costco rose in 7 of them and Walmart in 7. Costco's yearly change was higher in 5 years and Walmart's in 4. Both rose in 6 and both fell in 1. In 2 years, one rose while the other fell.
Costco's lowest year was 2022 (−19.0%) and Walmart's was 2018 (−3.4%). Their highest years were 2021 for Costco (+51.8%) and 2024 for Walmart (+74.0%). The widest one-year gap between Costco and Walmart came in 2021, one of the years above. In 2025, the latest full year, Costco fell 5.4% and Walmart rose 24.5%.
These counts cover 119 full months, Dec 2016 to Oct 2026. Costco rose in 75 of them and Walmart in 72. Both rose in 55, both fell in 27, and in 37 one rose while the other fell. Costco's largest monthly fall was −15.3% in Dec 2022, and Walmart's −15.6% in May 2022.
Costco's largest monthly rise was +14.8% in Nov 2017, and Walmart's +18.9% in Oct 2026. Costco's longest run of falling months was 3, ending in Aug 2017. Walmart's longest run of falling months was 5, ending in Sep 2026.
The latest cell is a part month, from the Oct 30, 2026 close to the Nov 13, 2026 close. Over those days, Costco changed +9.3% and Walmart +3.7%.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | +9.2 | +7.5 | −1.4 | +1.8 | −5.6 | −2.2 | +1.9 | −0.8 | −3.6 | +11.4 | +9.3 | |
| 2025 | +6.9 | +7.1 | −9.8 | +5.2 | +4.7 | −4.8 | −5.1 | +0.5 | −1.9 | −1.4 | +0.2 | −5.6 |
| 2024 | +5.3 | +7.2 | −1.5 | −1.2 | +12.0 | +5.0 | −3.2 | +8.6 | −0.7 | −1.4 | +11.3 | −5.7 |
| 2023 | +12.0 | −5.1 | +2.6 | +1.3 | +1.9 | +5.2 | +4.1 | −1.8 | +2.9 | −2.2 | +7.5 | +13.9 |
| 2022 | −11.0 | +3.0 | +10.9 | −7.5 | −12.3 | +2.8 | +13.1 | −3.5 | −9.5 | +6.4 | +7.5 | −15.3 |
| 2021 | −6.5 | −5.9 | +6.5 | +5.8 | +1.7 | +4.6 | +8.8 | +6.0 | −1.3 | +9.6 | +9.7 | +5.3 |
| 2020 | +3.9 | −7.8 | +1.4 | +6.5 | +1.8 | −1.7 | +7.6 | +6.8 | +2.1 | +0.9 | +9.5 | −1.3 |
| 2019 | +5.4 | +2.2 | +10.7 | +1.4 | −2.2 | +10.3 | +4.3 | +7.2 | −2.3 | +3.3 | +0.9 | −2.0 |
| 2018 | +4.7 | −1.8 | −1.3 | +4.6 | +0.8 | +5.4 | +4.7 | +6.9 | +0.8 | −2.7 | +1.4 | −11.9 |
| 2017 | +2.4 | +8.4 | −5.4 | +5.9 | +6.1 | −11.4 | −0.9 | −0.8 | +4.8 | −2.0 | +14.8 | +0.9 |
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | +6.9 | +7.4 | −2.7 | +6.2 | −12.1 | −2.2 | −1.8 | −5.5 | −0.9 | +18.9 | +3.7 | |
| 2025 | +8.6 | +0.5 | −10.7 | +10.8 | +1.8 | −1.0 | +0.2 | −0.8 | +6.3 | −1.8 | +9.2 | +1.0 |
| 2024 | +4.8 | +6.4 | +3.0 | −1.4 | +11.2 | +3.0 | +1.4 | +12.8 | +4.6 | +1.5 | +12.9 | −2.1 |
| 2023 | +1.5 | −1.2 | +4.2 | +2.4 | −2.3 | +7.0 | +1.7 | +2.1 | −1.6 | +2.2 | −4.7 | +1.6 |
| 2022 | −3.4 | −3.3 | +10.6 | +2.7 | −15.6 | −5.5 | +8.6 | +0.8 | −2.2 | +9.7 | +7.1 | −6.6 |
| 2021 | −2.5 | −7.5 | +5.0 | +3.0 | +1.9 | −0.7 | +1.1 | +4.3 | −5.9 | +7.2 | −5.9 | +3.3 |
| 2020 | −3.7 | −5.9 | +6.0 | +7.0 | +2.5 | −3.4 | +8.0 | +7.7 | +0.8 | −0.8 | +10.1 | −5.3 |
| 2019 | +2.9 | +3.3 | −0.9 | +5.4 | −0.8 | +8.9 | −0.1 | +4.0 | +3.9 | −1.2 | +1.6 | +0.2 |
| 2018 | +7.9 | −15.6 | −0.6 | −0.6 | −6.1 | +3.8 | +4.2 | +8.1 | −2.0 | +6.8 | −2.6 | −4.1 |
| 2017 | −3.4 | +6.3 | +2.4 | +4.3 | +5.2 | −3.7 | +5.7 | −1.8 | +0.1 | +11.7 | +11.4 | +2.1 |
The rolling 1-year return is the change over the 12 months to each month end. From Nov 2017 to Nov 2026, Costco's rolling 1-year return ran from −19.0% (12 months to Dec 2022) to +68.7% (to Nov 2024). Over the same months, Walmart's ran from −12.5% (12 months to Jun 2022) to +80.6% (to Nov 2024).
Costco's 12-month change was below zero at 11 of those 109 month ends, and Walmart's at 10. Costco's 12-month change was the higher one at 60 month ends and Walmart's at 48, and the two were level at 1.
These measures cover Nov 14, 2016 to Nov 13, 2026. Over those dates, volatility was 22.1% for Costco and 22.3% for Walmart. The Sortino ratio counts only falling days as risk. Against the same 5% rate, Sortino ratios were 1.24 for Costco and 1.03 for Walmart. The Calmar ratio is the yearly return divided by the deepest fall.
Calmar ratios were 0.76 for Costco and 0.80 for Walmart, the opposite order to the Sharpe ratios.
Beta shows how much Costco and Walmart tended to move on the days the S&P 500 (SPY) moved. A beta of 1 means moving by the same amount as the index. From Nov 15, 2016 to Nov 13, 2026, Costco's beta was 0.66 and Walmart's 0.48. By that measure, both tended to move less than the index.
The correlation of Costco's and Walmart's daily moves was 0.58, a partial link. A correlation of 1 would mean they always moved together, 0 no link and −1 always opposite.
| Measure | Costco | Walmart |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility, a year | 22.1% | 22.3% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.86 | 0.70 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.24 | 1.03 |
| Calmar ratio | 0.76 | 0.80 |
| Deepest fall | 31.4% | 25.7% |
| Beta to the S&P 500from Nov 15, 2016 | 0.66 | 0.48 |
| Upside capturemonths from Dec 2016 | 96% | 78% |
| Downside capturemonths from Dec 2016 | 30% | 15% |
| Biggest one-day rise | +9.96%Mar 2, 2020 | +11.71%Mar 17, 2020 |
| Biggest one-day fall | −12.45%May 18, 2022 | −11.38%May 17, 2022 |
| Price against its 50-day average | +14.5% | +11.8% |
| Price against its 200-day average | +13.7% | +8.0% |
| Correlation of daily movesfrom Nov 15, 2016 | 0.58 | |
What Costco and Walmart do, from each company's latest annual report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership warehouses. It operated 939 warehouses worldwide at August 30, 2026. They are in the United States and Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Sweden, Iceland and New Zealand. It also runs e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and China.
Its merchandise categories are foods and sundries, non-foods and fresh foods, plus warehouse ancillary businesses such as gasoline, pharmacy, optical and food courts. Its reportable segments are United States, Canada and Other International. Costco began operations in 1983 in Seattle, Washington. Its principal executive offices are in Issaquah, Washington. Its fiscal year ends on the Sunday closest to August 31.
Source: 10-K (fiscal 2026, ended August 30, 2026), filed Oct 7, 2026 (SEC EDGAR)
Walmart Inc. operates retail and wholesale stores and clubs, as well as eCommerce websites and mobile applications. Its operations are located throughout the U.S., Africa, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India and Mexico. The company describes itself as an omnichannel retailer, offering shopping in stores and through eCommerce along with other services.
It reports three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam's Club U.S. Its principal offices are in Bentonville, Arkansas, and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Its fiscal year ends on January 31 for its U.S. and Canadian operations. Other operations are generally consolidated with a one-month lag on a calendar-year basis.
Source: 10-K (fiscal 2026, ended January 31, 2026), filed Mar 13, 2026 (SEC EDGAR)
It depends on the period. Costco had the higher total return over the last 20 and 10 years. Walmart had the higher total return over the full span since Jul 1986, the last 5 years and the last year. From Jul 9, 1986 to the Nov 13, 2026 close, Costco returned +15,042% in total and Walmart +21,318%.
Both include reinvested dividends, before taxes and fees. Over the last 10 years, Costco returned +760% and Walmart +544%. Over the last 5 years, Costco returned +126% and Walmart +177%. Over the last year, Costco returned +20.3% and Walmart +26.0%. None of these Costco and Walmart figures is a forecast.
SmartFin does not say which to buy. This page reports what Costco and Walmart prices did. From Nov 14, 2016 to Nov 13, 2026, Costco grew 24.0% a year and Walmart grew 20.5%. The record shows deepest falls of 31.4% for Costco and 25.7% for Walmart. Past returns for Costco and Walmart do not show what either will do next.
Yes. Every COST and WMT figure here uses closing prices adjusted for stock splits and dividends, so dividends count as reinvested. Taxes, fees and trading costs are left out of the Costco and Walmart figures.
At the Nov 13, 2026 close, Costco was at its highest month-end value. At the same close, Walmart was 2.5% below its highest month-end value, set in Apr 2026. Costco's deepest fall on daily closes was 31.4%, from Apr 2022 to May 2022. Walmart's deepest fall was 25.7%, from Apr 2022 to Jun 2022.
Compare Costco and Walmart with your own amount and dates in Compare Two Stocks
Daily closing prices adjusted for stock splits, with dividends reinvested, before taxes and fees. Both amounts are invested at the same close and valued at the Nov 13, 2026 close. See also: What if you invested in Costco · What if you invested in Walmart.
This page presents historical market data and calculated results for a defined period. It is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold the security, fund, or index shown. Past performance is not indicative of future results.