COST vs. PM
COST (Costco Wholesale Corporation) and PM (Philip Morris International Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Consumer Defensive sector — COST in Discount Stores, PM in Tobacco. Over the past 10 years, COST returned 22.27%/yr vs 11.71%/yr for PM. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
COST vs. PM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, COST achieves a 14.24% return, which is significantly lower than PM's 15.93% return. Over the past 10 years, COST has outperformed PM with an annualized return of 22.27%, while PM has yielded a comparatively lower 11.71% annualized return.
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%
PM
- 1D
- 1.95%
- 1M
- -1.92%
- YTD
- 15.93%
- 6M
- 22.12%
- 1Y
- 3.66%
- 3Y*
- 31.18%
- 5Y*
- 18.78%
- 10Y*
- 11.71%
COST vs. PM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation | 14.24% | -5.39% | 39.62% | 49.00% | -19.05% | 51.82% | 32.67% | 45.70% | 10.60% | 22.37% |
PM Philip Morris International Inc. | 15.93% | 37.99% | 34.34% | -1.85% | 12.31% | 20.78% | 3.69% | 35.02% | -33.30% | 19.85% |
Correlation
The correlation between COST and PM is 0.28, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 17, 2008 | 0.31 |
Fundamentals
COST:
$26.51
PM:
$7.12
COST:
37.06
PM:
25.90
COST:
2.90
PM:
2.81
COST:
1.12
PM:
6.93
COST:
$293.59B
PM:
$41.49B
COST:
$11.12B
PM:
$27.93B
COST:
$12.48B
PM:
$17.74B
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Return for Risk
COST vs. PM — Risk / Return Rank
COST
PM
COST vs. PM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) and Philip Morris International Inc. (PM). 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.
| COST | PM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.21 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.35 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 1.05 | -0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.10 | 0.18 | -0.28 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.22 | 0.34 | -0.56 |
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Drawdowns
COST vs. PM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum COST drawdown since its inception was -53.39%, which is greater than PM's maximum drawdown of -42.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for COST and PM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| COST | PM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.39% | -42.87% | -10.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.14% | -20.64% | +5.50% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.74% | -20.64% | -0.10% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.40% | -22.78% | -8.62% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -31.40% | -42.87% | +11.47% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.23% | -3.94% | -6.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.36% | -10.02% | -3.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.67% | 10.81% | -4.14% |
Volatility
COST vs. PM - Volatility Comparison
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) and Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) have volatilities of 7.44% and 7.76%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| COST | PM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.44% | 7.76% | -0.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.53% | 21.07% | -6.54% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.80% | 27.73% | -8.93% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.72% | 22.73% | -0.01% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.95% | 24.46% | -2.51% |
Dividends
COST vs. PM - Dividend Comparison
COST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.55%, less than PM's 3.13% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
PM Philip Morris International Inc. | 3.13% | 3.52% | 4.40% | 5.46% | 4.98% | 5.16% | 5.73% | 5.43% | 6.73% | 3.99% | 4.50% | 4.60% |
Financials
COST vs. PM - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Costco Wholesale Corporation and Philip Morris International Inc.. 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
COST vs. PM - Profitability Comparison
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%.
PM - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Philip Morris International Inc. reported a gross profit of 6.91B and revenue of 10.15B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 68.1%.
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%.
PM - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Philip Morris International Inc. reported an operating income of 3.89B and revenue of 10.15B, resulting in an operating margin of 38.4%.
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%.
PM - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Philip Morris International Inc. reported a net income of 2.44B and revenue of 10.15B, resulting in a net margin of 24.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
COST and PM have a correlation of 0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PM has higher volatility (7.76%) compared to COST (7.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, COST dropped -53.39% vs PM's -42.87%.
PM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.13 vs -0.08), 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.
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