COST vs CTAS: Correlation
Costco (COST) and Cintas (CTAS) show a moderate relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is 0.43.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are COST and CTAS?
Over the past 3 years, COST and CTAS moved with a correlation of 0.43, which is moderate. The link has loosened recently: the 1-year correlation (0.26) runs below the 3-year figure (0.43). Over 5 years the correlation is 0.55, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 195.0 %².
CTAS is one of the assets that tracks COST most closely: it ranks #3 out of the 33 assets we track against COST. Neither side won the trailing year by much: -1.0% against -3.3%. Across three years, the rolling one-year figure varied moderately, from 0.24 to 0.64.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
COST vs CTAS: side by side
| COST (Costco) | CTAS (Cintas) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | -1.0% | -3.3% |
| 5-year return | +116.3% | +117.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 19.8% | 23.2% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.45 | 0.71 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -20.7% | -27.7% |
| Market cap | $414.5B | $81.7B |
| P/E (trailing) | 48.1 | 41.8 |
| Dividend yield | 0.56% | 0.87% |
| Sector / category | Consumer Staples | Industrials |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | COST | CTAS |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -19.0% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | +49.0% | +34.8% |
| 2024 | +39.6% | +22.2% |
| 2025 | -5.4% | +3.8% |
| 2026 | +8.9% | +9.4% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are COST and CTAS good diversifiers for each other?
A fair diversifier. At 0.43, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.
FAQ
What is the correlation between COST and CTAS?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between COST and CTAS is 0.43 over 3 years, 0.26 over 1 year and 0.55 over 5 years.
Is CTAS a good diversifier for COST?
A fair diversifier. At 0.43, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.
What does a correlation of 0.43 mean?
Correlation ranges from −1 to +1. Values near +1 mean two assets move together, near 0 that they move independently, and negative values that they tend to move in opposite directions. It measures co-movement, not performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/cost-vs-ctas.json
Embed this badge (it refreshes with the data), with attribution:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/cost-vs-ctas/)
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Related comparisons
Hubs: COST correlations · CTAS correlations
