GIS vs. COST
GIS (General Mills, Inc.) and COST (Costco Wholesale Corporation) are both stocks. Both are in the Consumer Defensive sector — GIS in Packaged Foods, COST in Discount Stores. Over the past 10 years, GIS returned -2.63%/yr vs 22.27%/yr for COST. At a 0.23 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
GIS vs. COST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GIS achieves a -23.47% return, which is significantly lower than COST's 14.24% return. Over the past 10 years, GIS has underperformed COST with an annualized return of -2.63%, while COST has yielded a comparatively higher 22.27% annualized return.
GIS
- 1D
- 2.04%
- 1M
- 2.68%
- YTD
- -23.47%
- 6M
- -23.78%
- 1Y
- -33.38%
- 3Y*
- -21.38%
- 5Y*
- -7.83%
- 10Y*
- -2.63%
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%
GIS vs. COST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GIS General Mills, Inc. | -23.47% | -23.75% | 1.45% | -19.97% | 28.09% | 18.53% | 13.60% | 43.13% | -31.57% | -0.65% |
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 GIS and COST is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 22, 1993 | 0.23 |
The correlation between GIS and COST shifts across timeframes, from 0.07 (3 years) to 0.23 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
GIS:
$4.08
COST:
$26.51
GIS:
8.45
COST:
37.06
GIS:
3.64
COST:
2.90
GIS:
1.02
COST:
1.12
GIS:
$18.37B
COST:
$293.59B
GIS:
$4.70B
COST:
$11.12B
GIS:
$3.03B
COST:
$12.48B
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Return for Risk
GIS vs. COST — Risk / Return Rank
GIS
COST
GIS vs. COST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for General Mills, Inc. (GIS) 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.
| GIS | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.32 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.04 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.77 | 1.00 | -0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.91 | -0.10 | -0.81 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.86 | -0.22 | -1.64 |
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Drawdowns
GIS vs. COST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GIS drawdown since its inception was -59.63%, which is greater than COST's maximum drawdown of -53.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GIS and COST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GIS | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.63% | -53.39% | -6.24% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -36.85% | -15.14% | -21.71% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -55.32% | -20.74% | -34.58% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -59.63% | -31.40% | -28.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -59.63% | -31.40% | -28.23% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -56.70% | -10.23% | -46.47% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.28% | -13.36% | +3.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 19.06% | 6.67% | +12.39% |
Volatility
GIS vs. COST - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for General Mills, Inc. (GIS) is 6.25%, while Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) has a volatility of 7.44%. This indicates that GIS 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.
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Volatility by Period
| GIS | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.25% | 7.44% | -1.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.81% | 14.53% | +4.28% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.96% | 18.80% | +5.16% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.14% | 22.72% | -1.58% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.10% | 21.95% | +0.15% |
Dividends
GIS vs. COST - Dividend Comparison
GIS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.07%, more than COST's 0.55% 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% |
GIS General Mills, Inc. | 7.07% | 5.20% | 3.73% | 3.47% | 2.50% | 3.03% | 3.37% | 3.66% | 5.03% | 3.27% | 3.01% | 3.00% |
Financials
GIS vs. COST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between General Mills, Inc. 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
GIS vs. COST - Profitability Comparison
GIS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, General Mills, Inc. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 4.44B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
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%.
GIS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, General Mills, Inc. reported an operating income of 524.60M and revenue of 4.44B, resulting in an operating margin of 11.8%.
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%.
GIS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, General Mills, Inc. reported a net income of 303.10M and revenue of 4.44B, resulting in a net margin of 6.8%.
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
GIS and COST have a correlation of 0.13, 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 GIS (6.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GIS dropped -59.63% vs COST's -53.39%.
COST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.08 vs -1.40), 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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