COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW vs DOLLAR GENERAL CORP, two Discount Stores stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Where COST and DG diverge most: on p/b, COST reads 11.75 and DG reads 3.03; on altman z (solvency), COST reads 8.77 and DG reads 2.45. The rest of the comparable metrics sit closer together. What COST's price implies is a demanding bet versus history and the cohort (whole-company basis). What DG's price implies is a bet that sits within the historical range (whole-company basis). The bull and bear cases for each are in their full reports below.
| Metric | COST | DG |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $946.73 | $127.21 |
| Market cap | $420.8B | $28.2B |
| Sector | Discount Stores | Discount Stores |
| Stage | Mature | Mature |
| Implied growth (priced in) | +27.0% | — |
| P/E | 45.6 | 16.5 |
| P/B | 11.75 | 3.03 |
| P/S | 1.39 | 0.65 |
| EV/EBITDA | 28.3 | 8.8 |
| Revenue growth | +10.1% | +4.8% |
| Gross margin | — | 32.6% |
| Operating margin | 4.0% | 6.8% |
| Net margin | 3.0% | 3.9% |
| Return on equity | 25.8% | 18.3% |
| Return on assets | 10.4% | 5.3% |
| Return on invested capital | 22.0% | 13.3% |
| FCF yield | 2.2% | 7.1% |
| Dividend yield | 0.6% | 1.9% |
| Debt / equity | 0.17 | 0.49 |
| Current ratio | 1.06 | 1.21 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 8.77 | 2.45 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 7 / 9 | 8 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.