COST vs XOM: Which Is the Better Buy?
Side-by-side comparison of Costco Wholesale Corporation and Exxon Mobil Corporation — 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
Exxon Mobil Corporation · Energy
$163.18
+10.3% 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.
See all research →
Valuation & Fundamentals
| Metric |
COST |
XOM |
| Current Price |
$896.48 |
$163.18 |
| Fair Value Estimate |
$1,117.50 |
$179.98 |
| Upside to Fair Value |
+24.7%
|
+10.3%
|
| Market Cap |
$397.6B |
$676.3B |
| Forward P/E |
—
|
—
|
| EV / EBITDA |
32.7x
|
9.9x
|
| Price / Sales |
1.3x
|
1.9x
|
| Price / FCF |
42.4x
|
22.3x
|
| Revenue Growth YoY |
+11.1%
|
+44.1%
|
| Gross Margin |
17.5%
|
25.1%
|
| Operating Margin |
3.9%
|
10.7%
|
| Return on Equity |
28.0%
|
12.7%
|
| Dividend Yield |
0.62% |
2.52% |
| FCF Yield |
2.36%
|
4.49%
|
| 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…
Exxon Mobil is the largest integrated oil and gas major in the United States, operating across Upstream exploration and production, Downstream refining and fuels marketing, and Chemical manufacturing, with roughly 57,900 employees and a portfolio that spans conventional crude and natural gas, LNG, petrochemicals, and early-stage carbon capture, hydrogen, and biofuels ventures. The business qualit…
Accumulation Zones
| Metric |
COST |
XOM |
| Zone Low |
$838.12 |
$134.98 |
| Zone High |
$949.88 |
$152.98 |
| In Buy Zone? |
Yes
|
No
|