COST vs ISRG: Which Is the Better Buy?
Side-by-side comparison of Costco Wholesale Corporation and Intuitive Surgical, Inc. — fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals.
Updated 2026-09-25.
Costco Wholesale Corporation · Consumer Defensive
$896.48
+24.7% upside to fair value
Med Conviction
Grade B
High Quality
VS
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. · Healthcare
$399.52
+22.4% upside to fair value
Med Conviction
Grade B
High Quality
QuantHub Verdict
COST has more upside to fair value
(+24.7%).
These are model outputs — not personalized investment advice.
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Valuation & Fundamentals
| Metric |
COST |
ISRG |
| Current Price |
$896.48 |
$399.52 |
| Fair Value Estimate |
$1,117.50 |
$488.97 |
| Upside to Fair Value |
+24.7%
|
+22.4%
|
| Market Cap |
$397.6B |
$141.1B |
| Forward P/E |
—
|
—
|
| EV / EBITDA |
32.7x
|
30.7x
|
| Price / Sales |
1.3x
|
12.8x
|
| Price / FCF |
42.4x
|
44.0x
|
| Revenue Growth YoY |
+11.1%
|
+18.5%
|
| Gross Margin |
17.5%
|
66.7%
|
| Operating Margin |
3.9%
|
31.3%
|
| Return on Equity |
28.0%
|
17.8%
|
| Dividend Yield |
0.62% |
0% |
| FCF Yield |
2.36%
|
2.28%
|
| Analyst Consensus |
Strong Buy
|
Strong Buy
|
Investment Thesis
Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global network of membership-based warehouse clubs, selling branded and private-label merchandise across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Spain, France, Iceland, and China, supplemented by pharmacies, optical centers, food courts, hearing aid centers, tire installation, 636 gas stations, and e-com…
Intuitive Surgical develops, produces, and commercializes the da Vinci surgical system and the Ion endoluminal system, along with instruments, accessories, training, and digital solutions that drive a large installed-base and recurring-revenue model. Business quality is high: TTM gross margin of 66.7%, operating margin of 31.3%, net margin of 28.4%, ROE of 17.8%, and revenue growth of 18.5% with …
Accumulation Zones
| Metric |
COST |
ISRG |
| Zone Low |
$838.12 |
$366.73 |
| Zone High |
$949.88 |
$415.62 |
| In Buy Zone? |
Yes
|
Yes
|