Report
John Brick, CFA
EUR 101.80 For Business Accounts Only

Transferring Coverage of Costco; Shares Modestly Overvalued

We are transferring coverage of wide-moat Costco to a new analyst. We still believe that Costco has amassed a wide economic moat stemming from a cost advantage and intangible brand assets. The company boasts a minimalist warehouse structure and an efficient distribution system that allows the company to sell merchandise at virtually zero economic profit—generating most of its operating income from its membership fees (about 73%). Many of the products are not touched by human hands, which removes...
Underlying
Costco Wholesale Corporation

Costco Wholesale and its subsidiaries are principally engaged in the operation of membership warehouses based on the concept of providing its members low prices on a selection of nationally branded and private-label products. The company's merchandise are: food and sundries, which include dry foods, packaged foods, and groceries, snack foods, candy, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, and cleaning supplies; hardlines, which include appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, and garden and patio; fresh food, which include meat, produce, deli, and bakery; softlines, which include apparel and small appliances; and ancillary, which include gas stations and pharmacy businesses.

Provider
Morningstar
Morningstar

Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offer an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, and retirement plan providers and sponsors.

Morningstar provides data on approximately 530,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 18 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries and had approximately $185 billion in assets under advisement and management as of June 30, 2016.

We have operations in 27 countries.

Analysts
John Brick, CFA

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