Costco Wholesale Corp (COST)vsUnited Natural Foods Inc (UNFI)
COST
Costco Wholesale Corp
$998.67
+1.59%
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · Cap: $450.10B
UNFI
United Natural Foods Inc
$48.92
+1.79%
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · Cap: $2.98B
Smart Verdict
WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison
Costco Wholesale Corp generates 808% more annual revenue ($286.27B vs $31.54B). COST leads profitability with a 3.0% profit margin vs -0.3%. UNFI appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.09. COST earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 61/100 (C+).
COST
Buy61
out of 100
Grade: C+
UNFI
Hold44
out of 100
Grade: D
Key Strengths & Concerns
Side-by-side fundamental analysis
Key Strengths
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk
Every $100 of equity generates 30 in profit
Conservative balance sheet, low leverage
Revenue surging 21.5% year-over-year
Earnings expanding 45.5% YoY
Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk
Reasonable price relative to book value
Areas to Watch
3.0% margin — thin
Operating margin of 3.7%
Expensive relative to growth rate
Premium valuation, high expectations priced in
Operating margin of 1.1%
Weak financial health signals
ROE of -4.8% — below average capital efficiency
Revenue declined 2.6%
Comparative Analysis Report
WallStSmart ResearchBull Case : COST
The strongest argument for COST centers on Market Cap, Altman Z-Score, Return on Equity. Revenue growth of 21.5% demonstrates continued momentum.
Bull Case : UNFI
The strongest argument for UNFI centers on Altman Z-Score, Price/Book. PEG of 1.09 suggests the stock is reasonably priced for its growth.
Bear Case : COST
The primary concerns for COST are Profit Margin, Operating Margin, PEG Ratio. A P/E of 52.6x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 3.0% margins leave little buffer for downturns.
Bear Case : UNFI
The primary concerns for UNFI are Operating Margin, Piotroski F-Score, Return on Equity.
Key Dynamics to Monitor
COST profiles as a growth stock while UNFI is a turnaround play — different risk/reward profiles.
COST carries more volatility with a beta of 0.98 — expect wider price swings.
COST is growing revenue faster at 21.5% — sustainability is the question.
COST generates stronger free cash flow (1.7B), providing more financial flexibility.
Bottom Line
COST scores higher overall (61/100 vs 44/100) and 21.5% revenue growth. Both earn "Buy" and "Hold" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.
This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.
Costco Wholesale Corp
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · DISCOUNT STORES · USA
Costco Wholesale Corporation (doing business as Costco Wholesale and also known simply as Costco) is an American multinational corporation which operates a chain of membership-only (needing a membership to shop there) big-box retail stores. As of 2020, Costco was the fifth largest retailer in the world, and the world's largest retailer of choice and prime beef, organic foods, rotisserie chicken, and wine as of 2016.
Visit Website →United Natural Foods Inc
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · FOOD DISTRIBUTION · USA
United Natural Foods, Inc. distributes natural, organic, specialty, agricultural and conventional, edible and non-food products in the United States and Canada. The company is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island.
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