WallStSmart

Costco Wholesale Corp (COST)vsSandisk Corp (SNDK)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Costco Wholesale Corp generates 2127% more annual revenue ($293.59B vs $13.18B). SNDK leads profitability with a 34.2% profit margin vs 3.0%. COST trades at a lower P/E of 49.3x. SNDK earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 70/100 (B).

COST

Buy

61

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 8.0Profit: 6.5Value: 3.7Quality: 6.3
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 4.84

SNDK

Strong Buy

70

out of 100

Grade: B

Growth: 7.3Profit: 10.0Value: 4.0Quality: 6.8
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 1.82

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

COST6 strengths · Avg: 8.8/10
Market CapQuality
$434.37B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
4.8410/10

Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk

Return on EquityProfitability
26.8%9/10

Every $100 of equity generates 27 in profit

Revenue GrowthGrowth
21.5%8/10

Revenue surging 21.5% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
45.5%8/10

Earnings expanding 45.5% YoY

Free Cash FlowQuality
$2.04B8/10

Generating 2.0B in free cash flow

SNDK6 strengths · Avg: 10.0/10
Market CapQuality
$278.63B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
32.7%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 33 in profit

Profit MarginProfitability
34.2%10/10

Keeps 34 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
70.0%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 70.0%

Revenue GrowthGrowth
251.0%10/10

Revenue surging 251.0% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
618.0%10/10

Earnings expanding 618.0% YoY

Areas to Watch

COST4 concerns · Avg: 2.5/10
Profit MarginProfitability
3.0%3/10

3.0% margin — thin

Operating MarginProfitability
3.7%3/10

Operating margin of 3.7%

PEG RatioValuation
4.802/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

P/E RatioValuation
49.3x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

SNDK3 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
Price/BookValuation
16.8x4/10

Trading at 16.8x book value

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
1.824/10

Grey zone — moderate risk

P/E RatioValuation
64.1x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : COST

The strongest argument for COST centers on Market Cap, Altman Z-Score, Return on Equity. Revenue growth of 21.5% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bull Case : SNDK

The strongest argument for SNDK centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Profit Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 34.2% and operating margin at 70.0%. Revenue growth of 251.0% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : COST

The primary concerns for COST are Profit Margin, Operating Margin, PEG Ratio. A P/E of 49.3x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 3.0% margins leave little buffer for downturns.

Bear Case : SNDK

The primary concerns for SNDK are Price/Book, Altman Z-Score, P/E Ratio. A P/E of 64.1x leaves little room for execution misses.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

SNDK is growing revenue faster at 251.0% — sustainability is the question.

SNDK generates stronger free cash flow (3.0B), providing more financial flexibility.

Monitor DISCOUNT STORES industry trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes.

Bottom Line

SNDK scores higher overall (70/100 vs 61/100), backed by strong 34.2% margins and 251.0% 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.

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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Sandisk Corp

TECHNOLOGY · COMPUTER HARDWARE · USA

Sandisk Corporation (Ticker: SNDK) is a U.S.-based technology company that develops, manufactures, and sells data storage products and solutions built on NAND flash memory technology, including solid-state drives (SSDs), embedded storage, memory cards, and USB flash drives for consumer, enterprise, and cloud computing markets.

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