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Costco Wholesale CorporationCOSTCOMMENTJul 04, 2017Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Jun 18, 2026. Market Open.
Both great companies, but both very expensive. COST is over 50x PE, and WMT's in the 40s. Fairly low-margin model. Reliant on the consumer, and everyone's affected when that consumer is struggling.
WMT reported today. Earnings were OK, but projections on future quarters were tough. High fuel prices were highlighted.
No valuation concerns, as it's been expensive every day he's looked at it over 30 years. Compounded shareholder total return of 17.5% since its IPO. Third-largest retailer in the world. Procurement clout and supply-chain efficiencies produce gross margins of 11%. Still expanding store count. Periodically increases membership fees. Superior same-store sales performance driven by traffic and basket size.
Lots of ways to win. Yield is 0.59%.
A good name to hold in consumer staples when people panic about market volatility, recession, or the like. Defensive plus steady growth. Runup since January, now trending sideways. Business model is what makes it stand out.
Sees ~11-12% upside from here. Of course, that could change. Ranks 10/10 for her.
Can this compete with Amazon (AMZN-Q)? If there is one name that can compete with them, it is this one. They are able to cross sell products. It is one of the few retailers that has done exceptionally well. Trading at around 28X PE, which is expensive, but continues to set new highs and go higher. Dividend yield of about 1.25%. A tough place to be if the stock goes sideways. About 25% of revenue comes from membership fees, which is a little bit of concern, because with 80 million members, how much more can they grow in this area.