Costco Wholesale Corp (COST)vsTesla Inc (TSLA)
COST
Costco Wholesale Corp
$974.86
+0.11%
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · Cap: $432.25B
TSLA
Tesla Inc
$385.95
+0.76%
CONSUMER CYCLICAL · Cap: $1.38T
Smart Verdict
WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison
Costco Wholesale Corp generates 202% more annual revenue ($286.27B vs $94.83B). TSLA leads profitability with a 4.0% profit margin vs 3.0%. TSLA appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 5.02. COST earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 53/100 (C-).
COST
Buy53
out of 100
Grade: C-
TSLA
Avoid23
out of 100
Grade: F
Intrinsic Value Comparison
Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula
Margin of Safety
-74.7%
Fair Value
$558.15
Current Price
$974.86
$416.71 premium
Margin of Safety
-5161.4%
Fair Value
$7.28
Current Price
$385.95
$378.67 premium
Key Strengths & Concerns
Side-by-side fundamental analysis
Key Strengths
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
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Conservative balance sheet, low leverage
Generating 1.4B in free cash flow
Areas to Watch
Trading at 13.5x book value
3.0% margin — thin
Operating margin of 3.7%
Expensive relative to growth rate
Trading at 17.6x book value
ROE of 4.9% — below average capital efficiency
4.0% margin — thin
Operating margin of 4.7%
Comparative Analysis Report
WallStSmart ResearchBull Case : COST
The strongest argument for COST centers on Market Cap, Altman Z-Score, Return on Equity.
Bull Case : TSLA
The strongest argument for TSLA centers on Market Cap, Debt/Equity, Free Cash Flow.
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.
Bear Case : TSLA
The primary concerns for TSLA are Price/Book, Return on Equity, Profit Margin. A P/E of 343.9x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 4.0% margins leave little buffer for downturns.
Key Dynamics to Monitor
TSLA carries more volatility with a beta of 1.93 — expect wider price swings.
COST is growing revenue faster at 9.2% — sustainability is the question.
COST generates stronger free cash flow (1.7B), providing more financial flexibility.
Monitor DISCOUNT STORES industry trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes.
Bottom Line
COST scores higher overall (53/100 vs 23/100). Both earn "Buy" and "Avoid" 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.
Visit Website →Tesla Inc
CONSUMER CYCLICAL · AUTO MANUFACTURERS · USA
Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company based in Palo Alto, California. Tesla's current products include electric cars, battery energy storage from home to grid-scale, solar panels and solar roof tiles, as well as other related products and services. In 2020, Tesla had the highest sales in the plug-in and battery electric passenger car segments, capturing 16% of the plug-in market (which includes plug-in hybrids) and 23% of the battery-electric (purely electric) market. Through its subsidiary Tesla Energy, the company develops and is a major installer of solar photovoltaic energy generation systems in the United States. Tesla Energy is also one of the largest global suppliers of battery energy storage systems, with 3 GWh of battery storage supplied in 2020.
Visit Website →Compare with Other DISCOUNT STORES Stocks
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