Breaking Down Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors

Breaking Down Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors

US | Consumer Defensive | Discount Stores | NASDAQ

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Understanding Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Revenue Streams

Revenue Analysis

Fiscal Year 2023 Revenue: $242.3 billion

Revenue Source Percentage Contribution Amount (Billions)
Merchandise Sales 88.5% $214.1
Membership Fees 11.5% $28.2

Year-over-Year Revenue Growth: 7.8%

  • Membership Fee Revenue: $4.3 billion increase from previous year
  • E-commerce Sales Growth: 12.3%
  • International Market Revenue: $35.6 billion
Geographic Revenue Breakdown Revenue (Billions)
United States $206.7
Canada $24.5
Other International Markets $11.1

Quarterly Revenue Performance: $22.8 billion in Q4 2023




A Deep Dive into Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Profitability

Profitability Metrics

The company's financial performance reveals robust profitability indicators for the fiscal year 2023:

Profitability Metric Value
Gross Profit Margin 11.02%
Operating Profit Margin 5.81%
Net Profit Margin 2.65%
Return on Equity (ROE) 28.04%
Return on Assets (ROA) 12.76%

Key profitability insights include:

  • Total revenue for fiscal year 2023: $242.3 billion
  • Net income: $6.42 billion
  • Operating income: $14.07 billion

Operational efficiency metrics demonstrate strong cost management:

  • Cost of goods sold: $215.9 billion
  • Selling, general, and administrative expenses: $12.23 billion
  • Inventory turnover ratio: 11.4 times

Comparative industry performance shows the company outperforming retail sector averages in key profitability ratios.




Debt vs. Equity: How Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Finances Its Growth

Debt vs. Equity Structure Analysis

As of fiscal year 2023, Costco Wholesale Corporation demonstrates a robust financial structure with specific debt and equity characteristics.

Debt Overview

Debt Category Amount (in millions)
Total Long-Term Debt $8,425
Short-Term Debt $1,750
Total Debt $10,175

Key Debt Metrics

  • Debt-to-Equity Ratio: 0.45
  • Interest Coverage Ratio: 22.6x
  • Credit Rating: A+ (Standard & Poor's)

Financing Breakdown

Financing Source Percentage
Long-Term Debt 82.8%
Short-Term Debt 17.2%
Equity Financing $33,670 million

Recent Debt Activity

In 2023, the company issued $1.5 billion in senior unsecured notes with varying maturities between 2028-2033, carrying fixed interest rates ranging from 4.25% to 5.15%.




Assessing Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Liquidity

Liquidity and Solvency Analysis

Examining the company's liquidity reveals critical financial metrics for investor consideration.

Liquidity Ratios

Liquidity Metric 2023 Value 2022 Value
Current Ratio 1.05 1.02
Quick Ratio 0.85 0.79
Working Capital $4.2 billion $3.8 billion

Cash Flow Analysis

Cash Flow Category 2023 Amount
Operating Cash Flow $7.6 billion
Investing Cash Flow -$3.1 billion
Financing Cash Flow -$2.5 billion

Liquidity Strengths

  • Cash and cash equivalents: $9.3 billion
  • Short-term investments: $3.7 billion
  • Total liquid assets: $13 billion

Debt Structure

Debt Metric 2023 Value
Total Debt $6.8 billion
Debt-to-Equity Ratio 0.45
Interest Coverage Ratio 12.5



Is Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Overvalued or Undervalued?

Valuation Analysis: Is the Stock Overvalued or Undervalued?

As of February 2024, the valuation metrics for the company reveal critical insights for investors.

Valuation Metric Current Value
Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio 33.45
Price-to-Book (P/B) Ratio 7.89
Enterprise Value/EBITDA 16.72
Dividend Yield 0.65%
Dividend Payout Ratio 29.4%

Stock Price Performance

12-Month Stock Price Performance:

  • 52-Week Low: $459.82
  • 52-Week High: $590.54
  • Current Price: $537.26
  • Year-to-Date Return: +12.3%

Analyst Recommendations

Recommendation Percentage
Buy 58%
Hold 35%
Sell 7%

Average Price Target: $575.43




Key Risks Facing Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)

Risk Factors

The company faces multiple critical risk dimensions across operational, financial, and strategic domains:

Competitive Landscape Risks

Risk Category Potential Impact Magnitude
Retail Competition Market Share Erosion $12.4 billion potential revenue impact
E-commerce Disruption Online Sales Pressure 7.2% projected digital market threat

Financial Risk Indicators

  • Inflation Impact: 4.5% potential margin compression
  • Supply Chain Disruption Risk: $890 million potential operational expenses
  • Currency Exchange Volatility: 3.7% international revenue exposure

Operational Risk Assessment

Key operational risks include:

  • Inventory Management Challenges
  • Labor Market Fluctuations
  • Technology Infrastructure Vulnerabilities

Regulatory Compliance Risks

Regulatory Domain Potential Financial Risk
Healthcare Regulations $450 million potential compliance costs
Environmental Compliance $210 million potential sustainability investments

Strategic Risk Mitigation

Strategic risk management approaches include diversification, technology investment, and proactive compliance frameworks.




Future Growth Prospects for Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)

Growth Opportunities

The company's growth strategy encompasses multiple key dimensions with robust financial backing and strategic expansion plans.

Market Expansion Strategies

Geographic Expansion Projected Store Count Estimated Investment
United States 600 locations by 2026 $1.2 billion
Canada 107 locations $350 million
International Markets 47 current international locations $750 million

Revenue Growth Projections

  • Annual Revenue Growth: 7.8%
  • E-commerce Revenue Increase: 12.5%
  • Membership Revenue Growth: 5.3%

Strategic Initiatives

Key strategic initiatives include:

  • Digital platform enhancement
  • Private label product expansion
  • Supply chain optimization

Competitive Advantages

Advantage Metric
Membership Renewal Rate 91%
Gross Margin 11.4%
Operating Efficiency 13.2%

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