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COST or MO or SYY
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. Altria Group (MO) vs. Sysco Corporation (SYY) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- COST shares have shown resilience with YTD gains around 15-16%, bolstered by strong quarterly revenue growth of 9.2% and membership expansions in recent market activity.
- MO offers a compelling dividend yield near 6%, with YTD returns of about 15% and growth in oral nicotine products offsetting declines in traditional cigarette volumes.
- SYY has delivered solid YTD performance of roughly 16%, driven by volume gains and positive sales trends in foodservice distribution amid sector recovery.
- All three stocks exhibit relative stability in consumer staples and defensive sectors, with COST leading in growth momentum, MO in yield, and SYY in operational efficiency.
- Recent weeks highlight tariff-related opportunities for COST, regulatory navigation for MO, and volume-driven upside for SYY.
- Comparative valuations position MO attractively on P/E relative to peers, while COST trades at a premium due to consistent execution.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines COST, MO, and SYY, three stalwarts in consumer defensive sectors—retail warehousing, tobacco, and food distribution. These stocks appeal to investors seeking stability amid market volatility, offering exposure to essential goods with recurring demand. Traders may value their relative performance in recent weeks, where defensive positioning has provided buffers against broader swings. This analysis highlights key metrics, recent developments, and contrasts to inform stock comparison decisions in the current environment.
COST Overview and Recent Performance
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) operates a global chain of membership warehouses, offering bulk goods from groceries to electronics. Its membership model drives loyalty and high renewal rates, supporting steady revenue. In recent market activity, COST reported Q1 CY2026 revenue of $69.6 billion, up 9.2% year-over-year and beating estimates, fueled by comparable sales growth and new warehouse openings. Shares have gained about 15-16% YTD, reflecting resilience despite minor pullbacks, with analysts citing potential tariff refunds as a catalyst for price cuts and enhanced member value. Sentiment remains positive, underpinned by digital investments and operational efficiencies, though competition in retail weighs on margins.
MO Overview and Recent Performance
Altria Group, Inc. (MO) is a leading U.S. tobacco company, producing cigarettes like Marlboro, smokeless products, and oral nicotine pouches via subsidiaries such as Philip Morris USA and Helix Innovations. It navigates declining cigarette volumes through diversification into smoke-free alternatives. Recent performance shows YTD returns near 15%, with shares around $66 amid a 6% dividend yield attracting income investors. Growth in oral nicotine, where on! pouches gained market share despite discounting, has offset combustibles weakness. Analyst views mix caution on volumes with optimism for reduced-risk products, supporting relative stability in recent weeks.
SYY Overview and Recent Performance
Sysco Corporation (SYY) is the world's largest foodservice distributor, supplying restaurants, healthcare, and institutions with food products, equipment, and supplies across U.S., Canada, and Europe. Its scale enables efficient distribution amid food-away-from-home demand. Shares have advanced about 16% YTD, trading near $85, with recent positive sales performance lifting sentiment through improved volumes. Operational enhancements, including AI initiatives and volume gains, have driven outperformance versus peers in recent market conditions. While sensitive to hospitality cycles, steady demand from essentials bolsters positioning.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
COST, MO, and SYY span consumer defensive realms but diverge in models: COST's high-volume membership retail contrasts MO's branded tobacco focus and SYY's B2B distribution scale. Growth drivers include COST's international expansion (9%+ sales growth), MO's nicotine pouch shift (10%+ volume rise), and SYY's volume recovery. Recent momentum favors SYY (16% YTD), edging COST and MO (15%). Risks: retail competition for COST, regulation for MO, cyclicality for SYY. Valuations show MO cheapest (P/E ~16x), COST premium; sentiment tilts toward stability across all.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI leans toward COST in the current environment, citing superior trend consistency from revenue beats and membership catalysts, alongside defensive positioning with lower relative volatility. Its outperformance in growth metrics versus MO's yield focus and SYY's volumes suggests higher probability of near-term upside, though all warrant monitoring for sector rotations.
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).
COST’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileMO’s FA Score has 4 green FA rating(s), and SYY’s FA Score reflects 1 green FA rating(s).
- COST’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- MO’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
- SYY’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 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.
COST’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while MO’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s), and SYY’s TA Score reflects 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- COST’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- MO’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 5 bearish.
- SYY’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
COST (@Discount Stores) experienced а +1.73% price change this week, while MO (@Tobacco) price change was -3.29% , and SYY (@Food Distributors) price fluctuated +3.95% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Discount Stores industry was +3.19%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +4.76%, and the average quarterly price growth was +9.83%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Tobacco industry was +0.37%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +0.91%, and the average quarterly price growth was -9.37%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food Distributors industry was -1.49%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +2.06%, and the average quarterly price growth was -0.11%.
Reported Earning Dates
COST is expected to report earnings on Jul 29, 2026.
MO is expected to report earnings on Apr 30, 2026.
SYY is expected to report earnings on Apr 28, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Discount Stores (+3.19% 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.
@Tobacco (+0.37% weekly)The industry is engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products like cigarettes. In 2017, tobacco companies spent an estimated $9.36 billion marketing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the U.S. – an amount that translates to more than $25 million each day (according to a CDC report). Philip Morris International Inc., Altria Group Inc., and British American Tobacco plc are some major cigar makers. In recent times, vaping or the use of e-cigarette (does not burn tobacco) is gaining momentum – several established cigarette makers are trying to expand their footprint in this new market.
@Food Distributors (-1.49% weekly)Food distributors function as intermediaries between food manufacturers and food service operators (such as chefs, restaurants, beverage managers, cafeterias, industrial caterers, hospitals and nursing homes). Food distribution companies buy, store and then supply food items to the food service operators, thereby allowing the latter to have access to a wide range of food items from various manufacturers. Sysco Corporation, US Foods Holding Corp. and Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. are some of the biggest (by market cap) U.S. companies in this segment. Most food service operators buy from local, specialty, and/or broad line food service distributors on a daily or weekly basis. With the rise in e-commerce, consumers are increasingly expecting lower prices, faster service, and higher quality – something that potentially creates the impetus on distribution networks to raise their game.
| COST | MO | SYY | |
| Capitalization | 443B | 108B | 36.5B |
| EBITDA | 14.1B | 10.8B | 4.1B |
| Gain YTD | 15.871 | 13.931 | 5.037 |
| P/E Ratio | 51.89 | 15.68 | 20.56 |
| Revenue | 286B | 20.1B | 82.6B |
| Total Cash | 18.2B | N/A | 169M |
| Total Debt | 8.17B | 25.7B | 15B |
COST | MO | SYY | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 17 | 56 | 15 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 94 Overvalued | 8 Undervalued | 50 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 11 | 13 | 75 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 32 | 9 | 14 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 35 | 34 | 60 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 71 | 16 | 51 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 | 65 |
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.
MO's Valuation (8) in the Tobacco industry is somewhat better than the same rating for SYY (50) in the Food Distributors industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for COST (94) in the Specialty Stores industry. This means that MO's stock grew somewhat faster than SYY’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 in the same range as MO (13) in the Tobacco industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for SYY (75) in the Food Distributors industry. This means that COST's stock grew similarly to MO’s and somewhat faster than SYY’s over the last 12 months.
MO's SMR Rating (9) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as SYY (14) in the Food Distributors industry, and is in the same range as COST (32) in the Specialty Stores industry. This means that MO's stock grew similarly to SYY’s and similarly to COST’s over the last 12 months.
MO's Price Growth Rating (34) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as COST (35) in the Specialty Stores industry, and is in the same range as SYY (60) in the Food Distributors industry. This means that MO's stock grew similarly to COST’s and similarly to SYY’s over the last 12 months.
MO's P/E Growth Rating (16) in the Tobacco industry is somewhat better than the same rating for SYY (51) in the Food Distributors industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for COST (71) in the Specialty Stores industry. This means that MO's stock grew somewhat faster than SYY’s and somewhat faster than COST’s over the last 12 months.
| COST | MO | SYY | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 43% | N/A | 1 day ago 50% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 64% | 1 day ago 56% | 1 day ago 64% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 52% | 1 day ago 37% | 1 day ago 51% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 40% | 1 day ago 45% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 65% | 1 day ago 40% | 1 day ago 48% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 62% | 1 day ago 47% | 1 day ago 53% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 63% | 13 days ago 53% | 7 days ago 49% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 8 days ago 38% | 7 days ago 37% | 12 days ago 53% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 47% | 1 day ago 48% | 1 day ago 51% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 50% | 1 day ago 22% | 1 day ago 63% |
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SYY and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, SYY has been loosely correlated with USFD. These tickers have moved in lockstep 41% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if SYY jumps, then USFD could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To SYY | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SYY | 100% | -0.01% | ||
| USFD - SYY | 41% Loosely correlated | -0.45% | ||
| PFGC - SYY | 41% Loosely correlated | -2.00% | ||
| UNFI - SYY | 30% Poorly correlated | -0.70% | ||
| ANDE - SYY | 26% Poorly correlated | +1.33% | ||
| CHEF - SYY | 25% Poorly correlated | -0.44% | ||
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