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BUD or COST or KMB
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) vs. Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Kimberly-Clark (KMB) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- BUD has delivered strong YTD gains of around 13%, fueled by Q4 earnings beats and 2026 growth outlook of 4-8% EBITDA.
- COST leads with 17% YTD return, supported by robust Q2 sales growth of 9.1% and resilient membership model amid retail pressures.
- KMB lags with flat to negative YTD performance near -1%, pressured by revenue declines and margin challenges in personal care.
- COST trades at premium valuations with P/E around 48x, while BUD and KMB offer value at 21x and 20x respectively.
- KMB provides the highest dividend yield at over 5%, appealing for income-focused investors in consumer staples.
- Recent momentum favors COST and BUD amid sector rotation, with lower beta stocks like KMB (0.23) offering stability.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines BUD, COST, and KMB, three consumer-oriented giants spanning beverages, wholesale retail, and personal care products. These defensive plays attract investors seeking resilience in volatile markets, with exposure to everyday essentials. Traders may eye relative momentum and valuation shifts, while long-term holders value dividend reliability and growth potential. Recent earnings and macroeconomic pressures like tariffs and consumer spending trends highlight key contrasts in performance and positioning.
BUD Overview and Recent Performance
Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), the world's largest brewer, produces over 500 brands including Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois, operating in more than 50 countries. In recent market activity, BUD shares have shown upward momentum, gaining around 13% YTD and trading near $72 with a market cap over $140B. Q4 results exceeded profit and revenue expectations, with smaller volume drops and confirmation of 4-8% EBITDA growth for 2026. Premiumization trends, marketing investments, and events like the Super Bowl bolstered sentiment, though challenges in China and FX headwinds persist. Beta around 0.74 reflects moderate volatility.
COST Overview and Recent Performance
Costco Wholesale (COST) operates membership warehouses globally, offering bulk goods from groceries to electronics, with nearly 900 locations. Recent performance shines, with shares up 17% YTD around $1,000 and a $445B market cap. Fiscal Q2 sales rose 9.1% to $68B, net income up 11%, driven by 7.4% comparable sales and 22% e-commerce growth. Membership fees hit $1.35B, underscoring loyalty. Gas pricing edges and international expansion support resilience, despite tariff risks and Middle East tensions potentially raising costs. Beta near 1 aligns with market moves.
KMB Overview and Recent Performance
Kimberly-Clark (KMB) manufactures essential hygiene products like Huggies, Kleenex, and Depend, serving over 175 countries with a focus on innovation. Shares hover near $99 with a $33B market cap, but YTD returns are flat to down 1%, reflecting broader underperformance with 26-29% declines over the past year. Recent quarters showed organic sales growth offset by margin pressures and revenue misses, amid competition and slowing demand. Dividend yield exceeds 5%, with low beta of 0.23 providing downside protection. Leadership changes and product launches aim to revive momentum.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
BUD, COST, and KMB operate in consumer staples but diverge in models: BUD's premium beverages face volume risks but gain from events; COST's warehouse membership drives recurring fees (low-risk growth); KMB's hygiene essentials offer stability yet suffer pricing pressures. Growth favors COST (9% sales) over BUD (earnings beats) and KMB (declines). Momentum tilts to COST and BUD YTD. Risks include tariffs for all, but KMB lowest beta suits defense. Valuations: COST premium P/E 48x vs. peers' 20-21x; KMB tops yields at 5%+. Sentiment boosts COST resilience.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors COST for its superior trend consistency, sales catalysts, and membership stability amid consumer shifts. Strong comparable growth and e-commerce edge position it ahead probabilistically, though premium valuation warrants caution. BUD shows promise via earnings momentum; KMB suits yield plays.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
BUD’s FA Score shows that 0 FA rating(s) are green whileCOST’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s), and KMB’s FA Score reflects 2 green FA rating(s).
- BUD’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- COST’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- KMB’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
BUD’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while COST’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s), and KMB’s TA Score reflects 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- BUD’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- COST’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- KMB’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
BUD (@Food: Meat/Fish/Dairy) experienced а +0.04% price change this week, while COST (@Discount Stores) price change was +0.14% , and KMB (@Household/Personal Care) price fluctuated +2.01% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food: Meat/Fish/Dairy industry was +0.01%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +5.64%, and the average quarterly price growth was +5.43%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Discount Stores industry was +2.91%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +4.54%, and the average quarterly price growth was +9.51%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Household/Personal Care industry was +1.15%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +5.23%, and the average quarterly price growth was -9.00%.
Reported Earning Dates
BUD is expected to report earnings on May 05, 2026.
COST is expected to report earnings on Jul 29, 2026.
KMB is expected to report earnings on Apr 28, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Food: Meat/Fish/Dairy (+0.01% weekly)The meat, fish, and dairy food industry processes livestock, fish and milk products for consumer consumption. Some companies also process dairy byproducts. Tyson Foods, Inc., Hormel Foods Corporation and Pilgrims Pride Corp. are some of the biggest producers in this industry. Many of these companies are recipients of American farm subsidies. On the other hand, new-age food innovation like plant-based meat substitutes (which are designed to simulate chicken, beef, and pork sausage) could potentially augur disruptions and/or create new competition in this space.
@Discount Stores (+2.91% weekly)Companies in the discount stores industry specialize in offering substantial discounts on a vast array of retail products. Some companies in this industry also operate general merchandise warehouse clubs. Products sold at discount stores are typically similar to those of any department store, but the pricing of the goods is generally much lower (and hence the name “discount”). Think Dollar General Corporation, Dollar Tree, Inc. and Five Below, Inc. Many discount stores target low-income households and/or price-sensitive consumers as their potential market. Discount stores’ profitability could hinge on factors like competitive pricing, sufficient locations, healthy revenue per square foot, and effective advertisement. These store operators could have an edge over other retailers during financial crises or recessions, when many consumers could be looking for less expensive alternatives.
@Household/Personal Care (+1.15% weekly)Household/Personal Care companies sell products for home cleaning and/or personal hygiene and grooming purposes. Products of this industry include detergents, shampoos, soaps, cosmetics, fabric conditioners and infant care fragrances. Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Estee Lauder and Colgate-Palmolive are some of the biggest names in the business. A lot of the products become a necessary part of people’s daily routine, and therefore the industry is relatively less vulnerable to macroeconomic downturns. At the same time, product quality, consumer safety, and ease of use are extremely critical factors for a company to survive competition and earn recognition in this industry.
| BUD | COST | KMB | |
| Capitalization | 147B | 443B | 32.7B |
| EBITDA | 21B | 14.1B | 3.11B |
| Gain YTD | 18.301 | 16.109 | -1.123 |
| P/E Ratio | 22.14 | 51.89 | 20.28 |
| Revenue | 59.3B | 286B | 16.4B |
| Total Cash | 11.8B | 18.2B | 774M |
| Total Debt | 73B | 8.17B | 7.3B |
BUD | COST | KMB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 50 | 50 | 50 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 50 Fair valued | 94 Overvalued | 15 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 69 | 11 | 100 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 75 | 32 | 11 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 46 | 35 | 62 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 65 | 73 | 54 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 32 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
KMB's Valuation (15) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is somewhat better than the same rating for BUD (50) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for COST (94) in the Specialty Stores industry. This means that KMB's stock grew somewhat faster than BUD’s and significantly faster than COST’s over the last 12 months.
COST's Profit vs Risk Rating (11) in the Specialty Stores industry is somewhat better than the same rating for BUD (69) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for KMB (100) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that COST's stock grew somewhat faster than BUD’s and significantly faster than KMB’s over the last 12 months.
KMB's SMR Rating (11) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is in the same range as COST (32) in the Specialty Stores industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for BUD (75) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry. This means that KMB's stock grew similarly to COST’s and somewhat faster than BUD’s over the last 12 months.
COST's Price Growth Rating (35) in the Specialty Stores industry is in the same range as BUD (46) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry, and is in the same range as KMB (62) in the Household Or Personal Care industry. This means that COST's stock grew similarly to BUD’s and similarly to KMB’s over the last 12 months.
KMB's P/E Growth Rating (54) in the Household Or Personal Care industry is in the same range as BUD (65) in the Beverages Alcoholic industry, and is in the same range as COST (73) in the Specialty Stores industry. This means that KMB's stock grew similarly to BUD’s and similarly to COST’s over the last 12 months.
| BUD | COST | KMB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 67% | 4 days ago 40% | 4 days ago 43% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 44% | 4 days ago 68% | 4 days ago 40% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 60% | 4 days ago 47% | 4 days ago 47% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 58% | 4 days ago 56% | 4 days ago 54% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 55% | 4 days ago 65% | 4 days ago 43% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 52% | 4 days ago 62% | 4 days ago 46% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 54% | 4 days ago 63% | 4 days ago 42% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 56% | 7 days ago 38% | 8 days ago 48% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 50% | 4 days ago 43% | 4 days ago 48% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 48% | 4 days ago 51% | 4 days ago 45% |
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BUD and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, BUD has been loosely correlated with BUDFF. These tickers have moved in lockstep 62% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if BUD jumps, then BUDFF could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To BUD | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUD | 100% | +0.46% | ||
| BUDFF - BUD | 62% Loosely correlated | N/A | ||
| DEO - BUD | 56% Loosely correlated | +3.33% | ||
| ABEV - BUD | 52% Loosely correlated | N/A | ||
| HKHHY - BUD | 50% Loosely correlated | +1.22% | ||
| HEINY - BUD | 49% Loosely correlated | +1.08% | ||
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COST and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, COST has been loosely correlated with WMT. These tickers have moved in lockstep 57% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if COST jumps, then WMT could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To COST | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COST | 100% | +1.28% | ||
| WMT - COST | 57% Loosely correlated | +2.15% | ||
| BJ - COST | 46% Loosely correlated | -0.18% | ||
| PSMT - COST | 30% Poorly correlated | +3.26% | ||
| OLLI - COST | 26% Poorly correlated | +0.30% | ||
| TGT - COST | 23% Poorly correlated | +3.17% | ||
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