COST vs ACI

For growth investors, Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) is the stronger pick with 8.

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 5% for Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI). Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) offers the better valuation at 9. 9x trailing P/E (7. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) a "Buy" — based on 58 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Albertsons Companies, Inc.

(ACI) is the cheapest at 9. 9x versus Costco Wholesale Corporation at 55. 6x. On forward P/E, Albertsons Companies, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 1x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Albertsons Companies, Inc. wins at 0. 46x versus Costco Wholesale Corporation's 3. 28x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) delivered a total return of +172.

8%, compared to +33. 5% for Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COST returned +625. 0% versus ACI's +67. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Albertsons Companies, Inc.

(ACI) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 33β versus Costco Wholesale Corporation's 0. 13β — meaning COST is approximately -138% more volatile than ACI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 28% versus 4% for Albertsons Companies, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) is pulling ahead at 8.

2% versus 1. 5% for Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Costco Wholesale Corporation grew EPS 10. 0% year-over-year, compared to -26. 5% for Albertsons Companies, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, COST leads at 6. 6% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) is the more profitable company, earning 2.

9% net margin versus 1. 2% for Albertsons Companies, Inc. — meaning it keeps 2. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: COST leads at 3. 8% versus 1. 9% for ACI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ACI leads at 27. 7%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 46x versus Costco Wholesale Corporation's 3. 28x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) trades at 7. 1x forward P/E versus 49. 5x for Costco Wholesale Corporation — 42. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ACI: 21. 3% to $19. 63.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) offers the highest yield at 3. 1%, versus 0. 5% for Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Albertsons Companies, Inc.

(ACI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 33), 3. 1% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ACI: +67. 7%, COST: +625. 0%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: COST is a large-cap quality compounder stock; ACI is a small-cap deep-value stock. ACI pays a dividend while COST does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.