Advertisement
COST or PEP or PM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Costco Wholesale (COST) vs. PepsiCo (PEP) vs. Philip Morris International (PM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- COST leads YTD performance at approximately 13%, driven by robust membership growth and comparable sales amid resilient consumer spending.
- PEP offers a compelling 3.8% dividend yield with recent Q4 revenue beats, though shares have faced short-term pressure with a 7-11% monthly decline.
- PM provides stability via smoke-free product momentum and a 3.6% yield, with P/E around 22x reflecting balanced valuation in consumer staples.
- All three exhibit defensive qualities, but COST's growth trajectory outpaces peers in recent market activity.
- Recent earnings from PEP and PM highlight pricing power and segment shifts, supporting relative performance in volatile conditions.
- Valuations vary: COST trades at premium multiples due to consistent execution, while PEP and PM appear more attractive for yield-focused investors.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines COST, PEP, and PM, three stalwarts in consumer staples offering resilience amid economic shifts. COST represents warehouse retailing with membership-driven stability, PEP beverages and snacks via global branding, and PM tobacco through smoke-free innovation. Traders seeking momentum and investors prioritizing dividends or defensive positioning will find value in analyzing their relative performance, recent catalysts like earnings beats, and market sentiment in the current environment of moderated inflation and sector rotation.
COST Overview and Recent Performance
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) operates membership warehouses globally, emphasizing bulk sales and value. Recent market activity shows shares around $972, with YTD gains near 13% outperforming the S&P 500. Q2 fiscal 2026 earnings beat estimates, fueled by 6.4% comparable sales growth excluding gas and FX, robust e-commerce, and membership fees up over 5% to 81.4 million paid households. Sentiment benefits from pricing strategies and traffic resilience, though short-term fluctuations reflect broader retail dynamics. Analysts note upward revisions in FY estimates, underscoring operational strength.
PEP Overview and Recent Performance
PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) spans beverages like Pepsi and snacks under Frito-Lay, with a global footprint. Shares trade near $150, posting YTD returns around 5% amid recent 7% monthly dips. Q4 2025 revenue rose 5.6% to $29.34 billion, topping expectations, with core EPS up 11% on constant currency; FY guidance affirms 2-4% organic growth. Acquisitions like Alani Nu and sustainability milestones bolster positioning, though snacking softness tempers enthusiasm. Dividend hikes reinforce appeal for income strategies.
PM Overview and Recent Performance
Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) leads in smoke-free products like IQOS, transitioning from combustibles. Shares hover at $163, with YTD up modestly at 2-3% and 1-year gains near 11%. Recent quarters highlight smoke-free revenue growth, supporting overall momentum despite regulatory headwinds. Earnings reflect pricing discipline and market share in key regions. Sentiment centers on transformation progress, with steady dividends enhancing defensive traits.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots page showcases 25 top-performing AI trading bots selected from 351 total, curated by AI analysis for excellence in current market volatility across stocks, ETFs, and crypto. These bots, part of Tickeron’s broader suite of hundreds of AI agents trading thousands of tickers, feature diverse strategies, timeframes, and styles. Standouts include annualized returns up to +188%, win rates of 55-89%, and profit factors from 1.6 to 12.2, with top agents like the USAR/SMR/CIFR volatility bot at +188% and SOXL ETF at +100%. Explore these high-potential options tailored to today’s conditions for potential outperformance.
Head-to-Head Comparison
COST, PEP, and PM anchor consumer staples, blending growth and defense. Business models diverge: COST's fee-based warehouses yield high retention versus PEP's volume-driven snacks/beverages and PM's nicotine shift. Growth drivers include COST's traffic (YTD +13%), PM's smoke-free catalysts, and PEP's acquisitions. Recent momentum favors COST, with peers stable but softer monthly. Risks: retail competition for COST, snacking volumes for PEP, regulations for PM. Valuations show COST premium (P/E ~50x), PEP/ PM ~22-25x; yields cluster at 3-4%. Sentiment tilts growth to COST, income to others.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors COST based on superior trend consistency, YTD outperformance, and catalysts like membership expansion amid stable consumer demand. While PEP and PM offer yield stability, COST's relative positioning suggests higher probability of near-term upside in defensive 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 whilePEP’s FA Score has 3 green FA rating(s), and PM’s FA Score reflects 3 green FA rating(s).
- COST’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- PEP’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- PM’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 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 PEP’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s), and PM’s TA Score reflects 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- COST’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- PEP’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- PM’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
COST (@Discount Stores) experienced а +0.14% price change this week, while PEP (@Beverages: Non-Alcoholic) price change was +0.71% , and PM (@Tobacco) price fluctuated -3.20% for the same time period.
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 @Beverages: Non-Alcoholic industry was -1.29%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +0.30%, and the average quarterly price growth was +83822.82%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Tobacco industry was -1.34%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +1.03%, and the average quarterly price growth was -8.81%.
Reported Earning Dates
COST is expected to report earnings on Jul 29, 2026.
PEP is expected to report earnings on Jul 14, 2026.
PM is expected to report earnings on Apr 22, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@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.
@Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (-1.29% weekly)Non-alcoholic drinks include traces of alcohol or low alcohol content or without alcohol or alcohol removed. Functional Beverages, Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSDs), Sports Drinks, Fruit Beverages, and Bottled Water are some common types of non-alcoholic beverages. The largest segment in this market is soft drinks (think Pepsi and Coke). Many established companies in this space have also been stepping up production of low to zero-calorie varieties in recent years, to cater to a rising number of health-conscious consumers. Coca-Cola Company, Pepsico Inc, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. and Monster Beverage Corporation are some major non-alcoholic beverage makers.
@Tobacco (-1.34% 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.
| COST | PEP | PM | |
| Capitalization | 443B | 215B | 246B |
| EBITDA | 14.1B | 15.5B | 17.5B |
| Gain YTD | 16.109 | 10.362 | -0.900 |
| P/E Ratio | 51.89 | 24.65 | 21.69 |
| Revenue | 286B | 93.9B | 40.6B |
| Total Cash | 18.2B | 9.53B | N/A |
| Total Debt | 8.17B | 49.9B | 48.8B |
COST | PEP | PM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 50 | 54 | 67 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 94 Overvalued | 26 Undervalued | 22 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 11 | 61 | 19 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 32 | 21 | 3 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 35 | 32 | 60 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 73 | 43 | 83 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 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.
PM's Valuation (22) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as PEP (26) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for COST (94) in the Specialty Stores industry. This means that PM's stock grew similarly to PEP’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 PM (19) in the Tobacco industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for PEP (61) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry. This means that COST's stock grew similarly to PM’s and somewhat faster than PEP’s over the last 12 months.
PM's SMR Rating (3) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as PEP (21) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry, and is in the same range as COST (32) in the Specialty Stores industry. This means that PM's stock grew similarly to PEP’s and similarly to COST’s over the last 12 months.
PEP's Price Growth Rating (32) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is in the same range as COST (35) in the Specialty Stores industry, and is in the same range as PM (60) in the Tobacco industry. This means that PEP's stock grew similarly to COST’s and similarly to PM’s over the last 12 months.
PEP's P/E Growth Rating (43) in the Beverages Non Alcoholic industry is in the same range as COST (73) in the Specialty Stores industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for PM (83) in the Tobacco industry. This means that PEP's stock grew similarly to COST’s and somewhat faster than PM’s over the last 12 months.
| COST | PEP | PM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 40% | 1 day ago 46% | 1 day ago 73% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 68% | 1 day ago 35% | 1 day ago 54% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 47% | 1 day ago 51% | 1 day ago 49% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 56% | 1 day ago 43% | 1 day ago 53% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 65% | 1 day ago 42% | 1 day ago 50% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 62% | 1 day ago 44% | 1 day ago 51% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 63% | 12 days ago 39% | 12 days ago 57% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 38% | 1 day ago 44% | 5 days ago 48% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 43% | 1 day ago 40% | N/A |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 51% | 1 day ago 33% | 1 day ago 32% |
Advertisement
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% | ||
More | ||||