Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST), together with its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of membership warehouses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Australia, Spain, France, Iceland, China, and Taiwan. It offers branded and private-label products in a range of merchandise categories. The company offers sundries, dry groceries, candies, coolers, freezers, liquor, and tobacco and deli products; appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, garden and patio products, sporting goods, tires, toys and seasonal products, office supplies, automotive care products, postages, tickets, apparel, small appliances, furniture, domestics, housewares, special order kiosks, and jewelry; and meat, produce, service deli, and bakery products. It also operates pharmacies, opticals, food courts, hearing-aid centers, and tire installation centers, as well as 636 gas stations; and offers business delivery, travel, same-day grocery, and various other services online in various countries. As of August 29, 2021, the company operated 815 membership warehouses, including 564 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 105 in Canada, 39 in Mexico, 30 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 16 in South Korea, 14 in Taiwan, 12 in Australia, 3 in Spain, 1 in Iceland, 1 in France, and 1 in China. It also operates e-commerce websites in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia. The company was formerly known as Costco Companies, Inc. and changed its name to Costco Wholesale Corporation in August 1999. Costco Wholesale Corporation was founded in 1976 and is based in Issaquah, Washington.
Company Overview:
- 52-week price range: $371.12 – $612.27
- Market cap: $202.229 billion
- PE Ratio: 36.48
- EPS: 12.70
- Analysts Rating: 7 Strong Buy, 11 Buy, 11 Hold
Costco is a major retail chain that’s beloved by anyone who buys in bulk. Selling everything from groceries to vacation packages, people will likely keep shopping there regardless of changes in the market.
Costco’s most recent recent results from April show a major increase year over year. The net sales were $17.33 billion, which is an increase of 13.9% over April 2021. This growth is another sign that Costco is a solid defensive stock. Therefore, Costco is a great defensive stock for long term investment.