LOW vs. COST

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

LOW (Lowe's Companies, Inc.) and COST (Costco Wholesale Corporation) are both stocks. LOW operates in Home Improvement Retail (Consumer Cyclical), while COST operates in Discount Stores (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, LOW returned 12.01%/yr vs 22.25%/yr for COST. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

LOW vs. COST - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, LOW achieves a -13.52% return, which is significantly lower than COST's 10.97% return. Over the past 10 years, LOW has underperformed COST with an annualized return of 12.01%, while COST has yielded a comparatively higher 22.25% annualized return.

LOW

• 1D: -0.51%
• 1M: -11.44%
• YTD: -13.52%
• 6M: -14.23%
• 1Y: -6.57%
• 3Y*: 1.45%
• 5Y*: 3.61%
• 10Y*: 12.01%

COST

• 1D: 0.86%
• 1M: -5.68%
• YTD: 10.97%
• 6M: 3.79%
• 1Y: -9.20%
• 3Y*: 24.67%
• 5Y*: 21.28%
• 10Y*: 22.25%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

LOW vs. COST - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
LOW Lowe's Companies, Inc.	-13.52%	-0.33%	13.01%	14.03%	-21.49%	63.34%	36.40%	32.23%	1.22%	33.29%
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation	10.97%	-5.39%	39.62%	49.00%	-19.05%	51.82%	32.67%	45.70%	10.60%	22.37%

Correlation

The correlation between LOW and COST is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.23
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.29
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.40
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.39
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 23, 1993	0.41

The correlation between LOW and COST shifts across timeframes, from 0.23 (1 year) to 0.41 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

EPS LOW : $11.86 COST : $26.51
PE Ratio LOW : 17.42 COST : 36.00
PEG Ratio LOW : 19.04 COST : 2.81
PS Ratio LOW : 1.31 COST : 1.08
Total Revenue (TTM) LOW : $88.43B COST : $293.59B
Gross Profit (TTM) LOW : $29.89B COST : $11.12B
EBITDA (TTM) LOW : $11.50B COST : $12.48B

Return for Risk

LOW vs. COST — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

LOW

LOW Risk / Return Rank: 28
LOW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 30
LOW Sortino Ratio Rank: 25
LOW Omega Ratio Rank: 26
LOW Calmar Ratio Rank: 32
LOW Martin Ratio Rank: 30

COST

COST Risk / Return Rank: 22
COST Sharpe Ratio Rank: 19
COST Sortino Ratio Rank: 18
COST Omega Ratio Rank: 19
COST Calmar Ratio Rank: 27
COST Martin Ratio Rank: 25

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

LOW vs. COST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) 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.

	LOW	COST	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.26	-0.48	+0.23
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.20	-0.56	+0.36
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.98	0.93	+0.04
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.24	-0.40	+0.16
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.58	-0.78	+0.20
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

LOW vs. COST - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current LOW Sharpe Ratio is -0.26, which is higher than the COST Sharpe Ratio of -0.48. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of LOW and COST, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	LOW	COST	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.26	-0.48	+0.23
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.14	0.94	-0.80
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.41	1.02	-0.60
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.46	0.58	-0.12

Drawdowns

LOW vs. COST - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum LOW drawdown since its inception was -62.52%, which is greater than COST's maximum drawdown of -53.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LOW and COST.

Drawdown Indicators

	LOW	COST	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-62.52%	-53.39%	-9.13%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-27.75%	-19.25%	-8.50%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-27.75%	-20.74%	-7.01%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.86%	-31.40%	-2.46%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-48.63%	-31.40%	-17.23%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-27.75%	-12.80%	-14.95%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-16.59%	-13.36%	-3.23%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	11.49%	9.92%	+1.57%

Volatility

LOW vs. COST - Volatility Comparison

Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) have volatilities of 8.21% and 7.99%, 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.

Volatility by Period

	LOW	COST	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.21%	7.99%	+0.22%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.95%	14.81%	+5.14%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	25.70%	19.17%	+6.53%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.14%	22.73%	+3.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	29.14%	21.95%	+7.19%

Dividends

LOW vs. COST - Dividend Comparison

LOW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.32%, more than COST's 0.56% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation	0.56%	0.59%	0.49%	2.87%	0.76%	0.54%	3.38%	0.86%	1.08%	4.81%	1.09%	4.06%
LOW Lowe's Companies, Inc.	2.32%	1.95%	1.82%	1.93%	1.86%	1.08%	1.40%	1.72%	1.93%	1.64%	1.77%	1.34%

Financials

LOW vs. COST - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Lowe's Companies, Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corporation over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

LOW - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lowe's Companies, Inc. reported a gross profit of 7.54B and revenue of 23.08B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 32.7%.

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%.

LOW - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lowe's Companies, Inc. reported an operating income of 2.55B and revenue of 23.08B, resulting in an operating margin of 11.1%.

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%.

LOW - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lowe's Companies, Inc. reported a net income of 1.63B and revenue of 23.08B, resulting in a net margin of 7.1%.

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

Can I hold both LOW and COST in my portfolio?

LOW and COST have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, LOW or COST?

LOW has higher volatility (8.21%) compared to COST (7.99%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LOW dropped -62.52% vs COST's -53.39%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

LOW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.26 vs -0.48), 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.