WallStSmart

Celestica Inc. (CLS)vsCostco Wholesale Corp (COST)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Costco Wholesale Corp generates 2210% more annual revenue ($286.27B vs $12.39B). CLS leads profitability with a 6.7% profit margin vs 3.0%. CLS appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.00. CLS earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 68/100 (B-).

CLS

Strong Buy

68

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 10.0Profit: 7.0Value: 8.7Quality: 5.0
Piotroski: 5/9

COST

Buy

53

out of 100

Grade: C-

Growth: 6.0Profit: 6.5Value: 2.0Quality: 7.5
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 4.84
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

CLSUndervalued (+11.6%)

Margin of Safety

+11.6%

Fair Value

$334.62

Current Price

$302.22

$32.40 discount

UndervaluedFair: $334.62Overvalued
COSTSignificantly Overvalued (-74.7%)

Margin of Safety

-74.7%

Fair Value

$558.15

Current Price

$974.86

$416.71 premium

UndervaluedFair: $558.15Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

CLS4 strengths · Avg: 9.5/10
Return on EquityProfitability
40.5%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 41 in profit

Revenue GrowthGrowth
43.6%10/10

Revenue surging 43.6% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
77.7%10/10

Earnings expanding 77.7% YoY

PEG RatioValuation
1.008/10

Growing faster than its price suggests

COST5 strengths · Avg: 9.2/10
Market CapQuality
$432.25B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
4.8410/10

Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk

Return on EquityProfitability
29.6%9/10

Every $100 of equity generates 30 in profit

Debt/EquityHealth
0.279/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.71B8/10

Generating 1.7B in free cash flow

Areas to Watch

CLS3 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
Price/BookValuation
15.7x4/10

Trading at 15.7x book value

Profit MarginProfitability
6.7%3/10

6.7% margin — thin

P/E RatioValuation
42.2x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

COST4 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
Price/BookValuation
13.5x4/10

Trading at 13.5x book value

Profit MarginProfitability
3.0%3/10

3.0% margin — thin

Operating MarginProfitability
3.7%3/10

Operating margin of 3.7%

PEG RatioValuation
5.412/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : CLS

The strongest argument for CLS centers on Return on Equity, Revenue Growth, EPS Growth. Revenue growth of 43.6% demonstrates continued momentum. PEG of 1.00 suggests the stock is reasonably priced for its growth.

Bull Case : COST

The strongest argument for COST centers on Market Cap, Altman Z-Score, Return on Equity.

Bear Case : CLS

The primary concerns for CLS are Price/Book, Profit Margin, P/E Ratio. A P/E of 42.2x leaves little room for execution misses.

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

CLS profiles as a hypergrowth stock while COST is a value play — different risk/reward profiles.

CLS carries more volatility with a beta of 1.38 — expect wider price swings.

CLS is growing revenue faster at 43.6% — sustainability is the question.

COST generates stronger free cash flow (1.7B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

CLS scores higher overall (68/100 vs 53/100) and 43.6% revenue growth. Both earn "Strong 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.

Celestica Inc.

TECHNOLOGY · ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS · USA

Celestica Inc. provides hardware platforms and supply chain solutions in North America, Europe, and Asia. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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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