COST vs MAR: Which Is the Better Buy?
Side-by-side comparison of Costco Wholesale Corporation and Marriott International, Inc. — fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals.
Updated 2026-05-07.
Costco Wholesale Corporation · Consumer Defensive
$999.89
-20.7% upside to fair value
Grade D
High Quality
VS
Marriott International, Inc. · Consumer Cyclical
$359.06
-45.0% upside to fair value
Grade D
QuantHub Verdict
COST has more upside to fair value
(-20.7%).
MAR trades at a lower forward P/E
(37.7x).
These are model outputs — not personalized investment advice.
See all research →
Valuation & Fundamentals
| Metric |
COST |
MAR |
| Current Price |
$999.89 |
$359.06 |
| Fair Value Estimate |
$793.02 |
$197.48 |
| Upside to Fair Value |
-20.7%
|
-45.0%
|
| Market Cap |
$443.6B |
$95.2B |
| Forward P/E |
51.9x
|
37.7x
|
| EV / EBITDA |
30.9x
|
29.5x
|
| Price / Sales |
1.6x
|
4.4x
|
| Price / FCF |
48.8x
|
29.3x
|
| Revenue Growth YoY |
+9.2%
|
-71.1%
|
| Gross Margin |
12.9%
|
6.0%
|
| Operating Margin |
3.8%
|
19.6%
|
| Return on Equity |
28.8%
|
-78.5%
|
| Dividend Yield |
0% |
0% |
| FCF Yield |
2.05%
|
3.41%
|
| Analyst Consensus |
Buy
|
Hold
|
Investment Thesis
Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global membership-based warehouse club model that leverages scale, low costs, and superior employee retention to deliver consistent revenue and earnings growth. The company reported $269.9 billion in net sales for fiscal 2025 with an 8% year-over-year increase, driven by strong segments in Foods and Sundries and membership fees exceeding $5.65 billion in th…
Marriott International operates a global fee-driven, asset-light hotel business with a portfolio of over 30 brands and a strong competitive position in the travel lodging industry. The company benefits from a durable competitive moat supported by its brand strength, extensive network, and recurring franchise and management fees. However, recent financials show significant headwinds with a 71.1% y…
Accumulation Zones
| Metric |
COST |
MAR |
| Zone Low |
$594.76 |
$148.11 |
| Zone High |
$674.07 |
$167.86 |
| In Buy Zone? |
No
|
No
|