Peers · Consumer Defensive
COST Alternatives
The closest COST alternative is WMT (0.82% yield, 8.8/10 safety), followed by KO and TGT. All 6 sit in the same consumer defensive sector as COST (0.56% yield, 8.3/10 safety) and are ranked below on how closely they match it.
The closest alternative to COST in our universe is WMT — nearly identical yield (0.82% vs 0.56% for COST) and a 8.8/10 safety score compared to COST's 8.3/10. Across all 6 peers, yields range from 0.82% to 6.03% and safety scores range from 5.6 to 8.8/10.
Switching from COST to a peer is not always straightforward — a higher yield peer often carries a lower safety score, and vice versa. Tax treatment can diverge too: check whether COST dividends are qualified before assuming a peer's headline yield is comparable after tax. The table below ranks each alternative by how closely it matches COST on both dimensions simultaneously, so you can see the full yield-vs-safety tradeoff at a glance.
Closest matches
| Ticker | Yield | Safety | How it differs from COST |
|---|---|---|---|
| WMT · Walmart Inc. | 0.82% | 8.8/10 · Strong | 0.5 safety-score gap (safer) |
| KO · The Coca-Cola Company | 2.29% | 8.0/10 · Strong | 1.73% yield gap (higher) |
| TGT · Target Corp. | 3.12% | 8.3/10 · Strong | 2.56% yield gap (higher) |
| PG · The Procter & Gamble Company | 2.72% | 7.5/10 · Solid | 2.16% yield gap (higher) |
| PEP · PepsiCo, Inc. | 4.37% | 5.6/10 · Mixed | 3.81% yield gap (higher) |
| MO · Altria Group, Inc. | 6.03% | 5.7/10 · Mixed | 5.47% yield gap (higher) |
Frequently asked questions
What are the best COST alternatives?
The closest COST alternatives are WMT, KO, TGT — all in the same consumer defensive sector with comparable yield and dividend safety. WMT is the single closest match at 0.82% yield and 8.8/10 safety, versus 0.56% and 8.3/10 for COST.
Is there a higher-yielding alternative to COST?
Yes — MO yields 6.03% versus COST's 0.56%. Its safety score is 5.7/10 against COST's 8.3/10, so check whether the extra income compensates for the difference in payout durability.
What stocks are similar to COST?
We rank 6 similar stocks for COST: WMT, KO, TGT, PG, PEP, MO. Each is matched on sector, yield zone, and a 0-10 dividend safety score, then ranked by how closely it tracks COST on both dimensions at once.
Which of these do you already own?
Connect your brokerage in 60 seconds — Infnits flags which of these peer tickers duplicate exposure you already have, and which would actually diversify COST.