Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK-B)vsCostco Wholesale Corp (COST)
BRK-B
Berkshire Hathaway Inc
$479.33
-0.14%
FINANCIAL SERVICES · Cap: $1.04T
COST
Costco Wholesale Corp
$974.86
+0.11%
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · Cap: $432.25B
Smart Verdict
WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison
Berkshire Hathaway Inc generates 30% more annual revenue ($371.44B vs $286.27B). BRK-B leads profitability with a 18.0% profit margin vs 3.0%. COST appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 5.41. BRK-B earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 54/100 (C-).
BRK-B
Buy54
out of 100
Grade: C-
COST
Buy53
out of 100
Grade: C-
Intrinsic Value Comparison
Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula
Margin of Safety
-134.4%
Fair Value
$210.94
Current Price
$479.33
$268.39 premium
Margin of Safety
-74.7%
Fair Value
$558.15
Current Price
$974.86
$416.71 premium
Key Strengths & Concerns
Side-by-side fundamental analysis
Key Strengths
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Reasonable price relative to book value
Strong operational efficiency at 33.0%
Conservative balance sheet, low leverage
Attractively priced relative to earnings
Generating 5.0B in free cash flow
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk
Every $100 of equity generates 30 in profit
Conservative balance sheet, low leverage
Generating 1.7B in free cash flow
Areas to Watch
Expensive relative to growth rate
Revenue declined 0.7%
Earnings declined 2.5%
Trading at 13.5x book value
3.0% margin — thin
Operating margin of 3.7%
Expensive relative to growth rate
Comparative Analysis Report
WallStSmart ResearchBull Case : BRK-B
The strongest argument for BRK-B centers on Market Cap, Price/Book, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 18.0% and operating margin at 33.0%.
Bull Case : COST
The strongest argument for COST centers on Market Cap, Altman Z-Score, Return on Equity.
Bear Case : BRK-B
The primary concerns for BRK-B are PEG Ratio, Revenue Growth, EPS Growth.
Bear Case : COST
The primary concerns for COST are Price/Book, Profit Margin, Operating Margin. A P/E of 50.7x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 3.0% margins leave little buffer for downturns.
Key Dynamics to Monitor
BRK-B profiles as a declining stock while COST is a value play — different risk/reward profiles.
COST carries more volatility with a beta of 0.99 — expect wider price swings.
COST is growing revenue faster at 9.2% — sustainability is the question.
BRK-B generates stronger free cash flow (5.0B), providing more financial flexibility.
Bottom Line
BRK-B scores higher overall (54/100 vs 53/100), backed by strong 18.0% margins. Both earn "Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.
This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc
FINANCIAL SERVICES · INSURANCE - DIVERSIFIED · USA
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. The company wholly owns GEICO, Duracell, Dairy Queen, BNSF, Lubrizol, Fruit of the Loom, Helzberg Diamonds, Long & Foster, FlightSafety International, Pampered Chef, Forest River, and NetJets, and also owns 38.6% of Pilot Flying J; and significant minority holdings in public companies Kraft Heinz Company (26.7%), American Express (18.8%), The Coca-Cola Company (9.32%), Bank of America (11.9%), and Apple (6.3%).
Costco Wholesale Corp
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · DISCOUNT STORES · USA
Costco Wholesale Corporation (doing business as Costco Wholesale and also known simply as Costco) is an American multinational corporation which operates a chain of membership-only (needing a membership to shop there) big-box retail stores. As of 2020, Costco was the fifth largest retailer in the world, and the world's largest retailer of choice and prime beef, organic foods, rotisserie chicken, and wine as of 2016.
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