AON vs. COST
AON (Aon plc) and COST (Costco Wholesale Corporation) are both stocks. AON operates in Insurance Brokers (Financial Services), while COST operates in Discount Stores (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, AON returned 13.10%/yr vs 22.27%/yr for COST. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
AON vs. COST - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AON achieves a -4.52% return, which is significantly lower than COST's 14.24% return. Over the past 10 years, AON has underperformed COST with an annualized return of 13.10%, while COST has yielded a comparatively higher 22.27% annualized return.
AON
- 1D
- 0.04%
- 1M
- 7.85%
- YTD
- -4.52%
- 6M
- -4.77%
- 1Y
- -4.90%
- 3Y*
- 2.54%
- 5Y*
- 6.89%
- 10Y*
- 13.10%
COST
- 1D
- 0.68%
- 1M
- -4.91%
- YTD
- 14.24%
- 6M
- 11.38%
- 1Y
- -1.48%
- 3Y*
- 25.12%
- 5Y*
- 22.12%
- 10Y*
- 22.27%
AON vs. COST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AON Aon plc | -4.52% | -0.94% | 24.45% | -2.31% | 0.61% | 43.39% | 2.37% | 44.68% | 9.94% | 21.49% |
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation | 14.24% | -5.39% | 39.62% | 49.00% | -19.05% | 51.82% | 32.67% | 45.70% | 10.60% | 22.37% |
Correlation
The correlation between AON and COST is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 22, 1993 | 0.32 |
The correlation between AON and COST shifts across timeframes, from 0.19 (1 year) to 0.37 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
AON:
$18.21
COST:
$26.51
AON:
18.41
COST:
37.06
AON:
0.47
COST:
2.90
AON:
4.15
COST:
1.12
AON:
$17.49B
COST:
$293.59B
AON:
$9.77B
COST:
$11.12B
AON:
$6.55B
COST:
$12.48B
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
AON vs. COST — Risk / Return Rank
AON
COST
AON vs. COST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Aon plc (AON) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AON | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.15 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.98 | 1.00 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.28 | -0.10 | -0.19 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.53 | -0.22 | -0.31 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
AON vs. COST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AON drawdown since its inception was -69.05%, which is greater than COST's maximum drawdown of -53.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AON and COST.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| AON | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -69.05% | -53.39% | -15.66% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -17.28% | -15.14% | -2.14% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -23.84% | -20.74% | -3.10% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.38% | -31.40% | +6.02% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.73% | -31.40% | -7.33% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -17.16% | -10.23% | -6.93% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.67% | -13.36% | -0.31% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 9.29% | 6.67% | +2.62% |
Volatility
AON vs. COST - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Aon plc (AON) is 5.69%, while Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) has a volatility of 7.44%. This indicates that AON experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than COST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| AON | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.69% | 7.44% | -1.75% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.50% | 14.53% | +4.97% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.54% | 18.80% | +4.74% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.11% | 22.72% | +0.39% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.45% | 21.95% | +1.50% |
Dividends
AON vs. COST - Dividend Comparison
AON's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.91%, more than COST's 0.55% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AON Aon plc | 0.91% | 0.82% | 0.74% | 0.83% | 0.73% | 0.66% | 0.84% | 0.83% | 1.35% | 1.05% | 1.16% | 1.25% |
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation | 0.55% | 0.59% | 0.49% | 2.87% | 0.76% | 0.54% | 3.38% | 0.86% | 1.08% | 4.81% | 1.09% | 4.06% |
Financials
AON vs. COST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Aon plc and Costco Wholesale Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
AON vs. COST - Profitability Comparison
AON - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Aon plc reported a gross profit of 2.64B and revenue of 5.03B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 52.5%.
COST - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Costco Wholesale Corporation reported a gross profit of -17.68B and revenue of 70.53B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was -25.1%.
AON - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Aon plc reported an operating income of 1.72B and revenue of 5.03B, resulting in an operating margin of 34.1%.
COST - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Costco Wholesale Corporation reported an operating income of 2.82B and revenue of 70.53B, resulting in an operating margin of 4.0%.
AON - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Aon plc reported a net income of 1.21B and revenue of 5.03B, resulting in a net margin of 24.1%.
COST - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Costco Wholesale Corporation reported a net income of 2.19B and revenue of 70.53B, resulting in a net margin of 3.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
AON and COST have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
COST has higher volatility (7.44%) compared to AON (5.69%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AON dropped -69.05% vs COST's -53.39%.
COST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.08 vs -0.21), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
Find the right allocation for AON and COST
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer