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COST vs KMB

COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation
NEUTRAL
Price
$996.43
Market Cap
$442.28B
Sector
Consumer Defensive
AI Confidence
80%
KMB
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
NEUTRAL
Price
$104.02
Market Cap
$34.66B
Sector
Consumer Defensive
AI Confidence
72%

Valuation

P/E Ratio
COST
51.82
KMB
17.6
Forward P/E
COST
44.4
KMB
13.63
P/B Ratio
COST
13.78
KMB
25.91
P/S Ratio
COST
1.55
KMB
1.76
EV/EBITDA
COST
32.11
KMB
10.58

Profitability

Gross Margin
COST
12.93%
KMB
35.65%
Operating Margin
COST
3.74%
KMB
16.7%
Profit Margin
COST
2.99%
KMB
9.98%
ROE
COST
29.65%
KMB
136.88%
ROA
COST
8.72%
KMB
11.33%

Growth

Revenue Growth
COST
9.2%
KMB
0.1%
Earnings Growth
COST
13.9%
KMB
-50.2%

Financial Health

Debt/Equity
COST
0.26
KMB
5.0
Current Ratio
COST
1.06
KMB
0.77
Quick Ratio
COST
0.54
KMB
0.37

Dividends

Dividend Yield
COST
0.52%
KMB
4.85%
Payout Ratio
COST
27.04%
KMB
84.6%

AI Verdict

COST NEUTRAL

COST shows neutral fundamentals based on deterministic rules. Financial strength is stable (F-Score 4/9). Mixed signals with both opportunities and risks present.

Strengths
Low debt with D/E ratio of 0.26
Strong ROE of 29.7%
Risks
High valuation with P/E of 51.8
Premium vs Graham Number ($176.89)
Low profit margin of 3.0%
KMB NEUTRAL

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) trades at a significant discount to its 52-week high ($150.45) with a 1Y return of -18.0%, reflecting persistent macro and operational headwinds. While the stock offers a compelling 4.85% dividend yield and is attractively valued on forward P/E (13.63x vs sector avg 23.76x), near-term earnings growth is deeply negative (YoY EPS -50.2%), and profitability has eroded amid inflationary cost pressures. The company’s high leverage (Debt/Equity: 5.00) and weak liquidity (Current Ratio: 0.77) raise structural concerns, though recent quarterly earnings surprises have trended positive. Analysts maintain a 'hold' rating with a $128.62 target, implying ~23.6% upside, but insider selling and stagnant revenue growth temper conviction.

Strengths
Attractive forward valuation: Forward P/E of 13.63x significantly below sector average of 23.76x
High and stable dividend yield of 4.85%, well above sector and peer levels
Recent earnings momentum: 3 of last 4 quarters beat estimates, including +22.5% surprise in Q1 2024
Risks
Severe earnings contraction: YoY earnings growth of -50.2% signals deep profitability pressure
Aggressive leverage: Debt/Equity ratio of 5.00, well above sector average of 2.71 and peer CL (6.80)
Stagnant revenue growth: YoY revenue up only 0.10%, indicating pricing power exhaustion or volume decline

Compare Another Pair

COST vs KMB: Head-to-Head Comparison

This page compares Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) and Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) across key fundamental metrics including valuation ratios, profitability margins, growth rates, financial health indicators, and dividend metrics. Each metric highlights the better-performing stock so you can quickly identify relative strengths and weaknesses.

Our AI engine independently analyzes each company's financials, competitive position, and market conditions to produce a verdict (Bullish, Neutral, or Bearish) along with key strengths and risks. Use this comparison alongside your own research to make informed investment decisions.

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