This is a step-by-step stock review to answer the question, is Costco (COST) stock a good buy?
This article will teach you how to use the 4Ms of investing. This will be a detailed walkthrough to show you how the 4Ms work and why they are important. If you are interested, you can log into Tykr to use the 4M Confidence Booster (Powered by OpenAI) which will allow you to complete a 4M Analysis in less than 60 seconds.
What are the 4Ms?
- MOS (Margin of Safety) – The MOS is the math part of investing which includes the Summary, Score, and MOS (Margin of Safety).
- Meaning – The meaning is the business model and how scalable the revenue streams are.
- Moat – The moat is how the business compares to other companies in the same Sector and Industry.
- Management – The management is the track record of the CEO.
What 4M score are we going for?
- 80-100 = High confidence – Yay! You should have high confidence buying this stock. It passes all 4M!
- 60-79 = Moderate confidence – Alert! There may be better stocks in the market. Only buy this stock if you truly believe the company will improve!
- 0-59 = Low confidence – Warning! There are better stocks in the market. Due to the low score, you should consider looking at other stocks.
Table of Contents
The following links will direct you to key topics to help answer the question, is Costco (COST) stock a good buy?
- Costco Company History
- MOS (Margin of Safety)
- Meaning
- Moat
- Management
- 4M Score
- Is Costco (COST) stock a good buy
1. Costco Company History
When investing in stocks, it’s important to know the company’s history. This helps us understand the various revenue streams, if they acquired other companies, how they grew through difficult times, and how they separated themselves from the competition.
- Founded: Costco Wholesale Corporation started in 1976 as Price Club in San Diego, California.
- Founders: Sol Price and Robert Price initially launched the first Price Club warehouse.
- Transformation: In 1983, the first Costco warehouse opened in Seattle by James Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman.
- Merger: In 1993, Price Club and Costco merged, forming PriceCostco.
- Rebranding: By 1997, the company adopted the name Costco Wholesale Corporation.
- Growth: Rapid expansion throughout the United States, with international warehouses in Canada, Mexico, the UK, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
- Unique Model: Pioneered the membership-only warehouse club, offering bulk products at lower prices.
- Diverse Products: Known for a wide range of products, from groceries to electronics and home goods.
- Private Label: Kirkland Signature, Costco’s private label, introduced in 1995, known for high quality at low prices.
- Innovations: Introduced services like gas stations, pharmacies, and travel packages, enhancing member value.
- Financial Success: As of recent years, Costco has over 800 warehouses globally and millions of loyal members.
- Mission: Committed to offering high-quality products at the lowest possible prices, focusing on member satisfaction.
- Employee Focus: Known for excellent employee benefits and a positive workplace culture, contributing to its long-term success.
2. MOS (Margin of Safety)
When investing in a company, the first step is to look at the financials. Fortunately, Tykr does this for us automatically. The higher the score, the stronger the financials and the safer the investment. The higher the MOS, the higher the potential returns you can make.
- Summary: Watch
- Score: 67
- MOS: 1%
To see the most up-to-date Summary, Score, and MOS, please log into Tykr.
3. Meaning
When investing in a company, it’s important to know how a company makes money. A mature business model has multiple streams of revenue which allow the company to weather downturns in the economy.
Here is how Costco (COST) makes money:
- Membership Fees: Collects annual fees from millions of members for access to its stores.
- Product Sales: Sells a wide range of products, including groceries, electronics, clothing, and more, often in bulk.
- Private Label Products: Earns higher margins on its Kirkland Signature brand products, which are exclusive to Costco.
- Gas Stations: Operates gas stations at many locations, providing fuel to members at competitive prices.
- Food Courts: Generates revenue from in-store food courts offering affordable meals and snacks.
- Pharmacy Services: Provides prescription medications and over-the-counter health products.
- Optical and Hearing Services: Offers eyeglasses, contact lenses, and hearing aids at competitive prices.
- Online Sales: Sells products through its website, expanding reach beyond physical stores.
- Travel Services: Provides travel packages, car rentals, and vacation deals to members.
- Business Services: Offers services like payment processing, business checks, and insurance to small businesses.
Here are a few of the other companies that Costco has acquired over the years. This is important because a company will use a “Buy before build” philosophy to go to market faster and add additional streams of revenue. A company with more revenue streams has a more stable business model. Keep in mind, that most companies don’t build new software because it takes too long to go to market and generate revenue.
- Price Club
- Costco Wholesale Japan
- Costco Mexico
- Costco Canada
- Costco UK
- Costco Korea
- Costco Taiwan
- Costco Australia
4. Moat
When investing in a company, it’s important to understand how a company ranks against other companies in the same sector and industry. Based on the Score, here is how Costco stacks up against other companies.
- Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. (OLLI) – 78
- PriceSmart, Inc. (PSMT) – 78
- Costco Wholesale Corporation. (COST) – 67
- Dollar Tree, Inc.(DLTR). – 67
To see the most up-to-date Summary, Score, and MOS on each stock, please log into Tykr.
5. Management
When investing in a company, it’s important to understand who the CEO is, what they have accomplished in the past, and how they have helped this company grow. Good leaders typically have stronger cultures, less turnover, and better returns in the stock market.
These achievements highlight Ron Vachris’s role in driving Costco’s growth and strengthening its position in the global fintech market.
6. 4M Score
All of our homework on this company leads up to the 4M Score. A lot of investors only look at the numbers. Yes, it’s important to look at the first M (MOS) which is the math part of investing but it’s also important to look past the numbers and also look at the Meaning, Moat, and Management. If all 4Ms pass, we should have high confidence in buying this stock.
What 4M score are we going for?
- 80-100 = High confidence – Yay! You should have high confidence buying this stock. It passes all 4M!
- 60-79 = Moderate confidence – Alert! There may be better stocks in the market. Only buy this stock if you truly believe the company will improve!
- 0-59 = Low confidence – Warning! There are better stocks in the market. Due to the low score, you should consider looking at other stocks.
👉 The 4M Score of Costco is 72/100.
To see the most up-to-date 4M Score, please log into Tykr.
7. Is Costco (COST) stock a good buy?
Some of the top questions investors can have is Costco (COST) stock a good buy or should I buy Costco (COST) stock?
Costco is a solid investment choice due to its strong financial performance, steady growth, and loyal customer base. With a successful business model focused on offering quality products at competitive prices, Costco consistently generates robust revenues and profits. Its membership-based approach fosters customer loyalty, ensuring recurring revenue streams. Additionally, Costco’s efficient operations and bulk purchasing power provide cost advantages, enhancing its competitive position in the market. Moreover, the company demonstrates resilience during economic downturns, making it a reliable long-term investment option. Overall, Costco’s proven track record, sound financials, and strategic advantages make it a compelling choice for investors seeking stability and growth in their portfolios.
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To truly know if Costco is a good stock to buy or sell, we recommend you log into Tykr. Within seconds you can see the Summary, Score, MOS, and 4M Score.
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