COST vs QCOM: Which Is the Better Buy?
Side-by-side comparison of Costco Wholesale Corporation and QUALCOMM Incorporated — fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals.
Updated 2026-09-26.
Costco Wholesale Corporation · Consumer Defensive
$896.48
+24.7% upside to fair value
Med Conviction
Grade B
High Quality
VS
QUALCOMM Incorporated · Technology
$201.97
-21.1% upside to fair value
Med Conviction
Grade D
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 |
QCOM |
| Current Price |
$896.48 |
$201.97 |
| Fair Value Estimate |
$1,117.50 |
$159.42 |
| Upside to Fair Value |
+24.7%
|
-21.1%
|
| Market Cap |
$397.6B |
$212.1B |
| Forward P/E |
—
|
—
|
| EV / EBITDA |
32.7x
|
16.5x
|
| Price / Sales |
1.3x
|
4.8x
|
| Price / FCF |
42.4x
|
20.5x
|
| Revenue Growth YoY |
+11.1%
|
-4.0%
|
| Gross Margin |
17.5%
|
54.2%
|
| Operating Margin |
3.9%
|
23.2%
|
| Return on Equity |
28.0%
|
37.3%
|
| Dividend Yield |
0.62% |
1.79% |
| FCF Yield |
2.36%
|
4.88%
|
| Analyst Consensus |
Strong Buy
|
Hold
|
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…
Qualcomm develops foundational wireless technologies and monetizes them through two main engines: QCT, which supplies Snapdragon application processors and modems, and QTL, which licenses a standards-essential patent portfolio covering CDMA2000, WCDMA, LTE and 5G. The licensing arm and the company's entrenched position in premium Android handsets give it a genuinely high-quality business, evidenc…
Accumulation Zones
| Metric |
COST |
QCOM |
| Zone Low |
$838.12 |
$119.56 |
| Zone High |
$949.88 |
$135.51 |
| In Buy Zone? |
Yes
|
No
|