KALU vs. COST
KALU (Kaiser Aluminum Corporation) and COST (Costco Wholesale Corporation) are both stocks. KALU operates in Aluminum (Basic Materials), while COST operates in Discount Stores (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, KALU returned 10.28%/yr vs 21.05%/yr for COST. Their 0.25 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
KALU vs. COST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, KALU achieves a 44.81% return, which is significantly higher than COST's 11.13% return. Over the past 10 years, KALU has underperformed COST with an annualized return of 10.28%, while COST has yielded a comparatively higher 21.05% annualized return.
KALU
- 1D
- 2.63%
- 1M
- -6.63%
- 6M
- 25.39%
- YTD
- 44.81%
- 1Y
- 127.11%
- 3Y*
- 32.19%
- 5Y*
- 10.41%
- 10Y*
- 10.28%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.36%
COST
- 1D
- 0.23%
- 1M
- 0.41%
- 6M
- -1.17%
- YTD
- 11.13%
- 1Y
- 0.75%
- 3Y*
- 21.68%
- 5Y*
- 18.27%
- 10Y*
- 21.05%
- ALL TIME*
- 16.99%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1.88B | $2.07B | $2.36B | |
| $51.64M | $44.69M | $47.06M |
KALU vs. COST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KALU Kaiser Aluminum Corporation | 44.81% | 70.14% | 2.75% | -2.14% | -16.17% | -2.44% | -7.57% | 27.24% | -14.68% | 40.65% |
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation | 11.13% | -5.39% | 39.62% | 49.00% | -19.05% | 51.82% | 32.67% | 45.70% | 10.60% | 22.37% |
Correlation
The correlation between KALU and COST is -0.13, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | -0.13 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.06 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.12 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 7, 2006 | 0.25 |
The correlation between KALU and COST shifts across timeframes, from -0.13 (1 year) to 0.25 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
KALU:
$2.68B
COST:
$423.11B
KALU:
$13.53
COST:
$26.51
KALU:
12.11
COST:
35.99
KALU:
0.33
COST:
2.81
KALU:
0.66
COST:
1.08
KALU:
$4.14B
COST:
$293.59B
KALU:
$477.50M
COST:
$11.12B
KALU:
$472.10M
COST:
$12.48B
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Return for Risk
KALU vs. COST — Risk / Return Rank
KALU
COST
KALU vs. COST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU) 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.
| KALU | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.58 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.14 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.02 | +0.38 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.91 | 0.05 | +4.87 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.88 | 0.10 | +15.79 |
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Drawdowns
KALU vs. COST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum KALU drawdown since its inception was -82.08%, which is greater than COST's maximum drawdown of -53.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KALU and COST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| KALU | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -82.08% | -53.39% | -28.69% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.03% | -16.57% | -9.46% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -48.85% | -20.74% | -28.11% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -55.76% | -31.40% | -24.36% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -58.48% | -31.40% | -27.08% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -15.87% | -12.68% | -3.19% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -25.47% | -13.36% | -12.11% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.03% | 7.85% | +0.18% |
Volatility
KALU vs. COST - Volatility Comparison
Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU) has a higher volatility of 18.82% compared to Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) at 6.76%. This indicates that KALU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| KALU | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 18.82% | 6.76% | +12.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 38.20% | 15.08% | +23.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 48.90% | 19.91% | +28.99% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 44.98% | 22.93% | +22.05% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 42.49% | 22.04% | +20.45% |
Dividends
KALU vs. COST - Dividend Comparison
KALU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.88%, more than COST's 0.58% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation | 0.58% | 0.59% | 0.49% | 2.87% | 0.76% | 0.54% | 3.38% | 0.86% | 1.08% | 4.81% | 1.09% | 4.06% |
KALU Kaiser Aluminum Corporation | 1.88% | 2.68% | 4.38% | 4.33% | 4.05% | 3.07% | 2.71% | 2.16% | 2.46% | 1.87% | 2.32% | 1.91% |
Financials
KALU vs. COST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Kaiser Aluminum Corporation 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
KALU vs. COST - Profitability Comparison
KALU - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation reported a gross profit of 169.10M and revenue of 1.26B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 13.5%.
COST - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 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%.
KALU - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation reported an operating income of 133.70M and revenue of 1.26B, resulting in an operating margin of 10.6%.
COST - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Costco Wholesale Corporation reported an operating income of 2.82B and revenue of 70.53B, resulting in an operating margin of 4.0%.
KALU - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation reported a net income of 96.80M and revenue of 1.26B, resulting in a net margin of 7.7%.
COST - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 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
KALU 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.
KALU has higher volatility (18.82%) compared to COST (6.76%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KALU dropped -82.08% vs COST's -53.39%.
KALU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.62 vs 0.04), 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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