Core Insights - Walmart and Costco have both outperformed the S&P 500 over the past five years, but Walmart is identified as the better long-term investment option today [1][3][10] Company Overview - Walmart operates 10,750 retail stores and 600 Sam's Club locations, while Costco has 914 membership warehouse locations [2] - Both companies leverage their scale to provide affordable prices on essential products, including groceries [2] Financial Performance - Costco achieved 8% year-over-year revenue growth in its fourth quarter, surpassing Walmart's 4.8% growth rate [10] - Walmart's net income increased by 56% year-over-year in the second quarter, significantly higher than Costco's 10.9% improvement [12] - Walmart's advertising business grew by 46% year-over-year in the second quarter, contributing $4.4 billion to its total revenue of $681 billion for fiscal 2024 [6][12] Growth Metrics - Costco reported 5.7% same-store sales growth in Q4 FY25, while Walmart's comparable sales growth was 4.3% year-over-year in the second quarter [8][10] - Costco's e-commerce segment grew by 15.6% compared to the previous year, indicating strong digital sales performance [9] Valuation and Investment Considerations - Walmart has a P/E ratio of 40, compared to Costco's 51, suggesting Walmart is more attractively valued [12] - Despite Costco's higher revenue growth, Walmart's faster profit growth and lower valuation make it a more appealing investment option at this time [11][13]