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Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST)
Analysis of Profitability Ratios
Difficulty: Beginner
Profitability ratios measure the company’s ability to generate profitable sales from its resources (assets).
Profitability Ratios (Summary)
Costco Wholesale Corp., profitability ratios
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-10-11), 10-K (filing date: 2018-10-26), 10-K (filing date: 2017-10-18), 10-K (filing date: 2016-10-12), 10-K (filing date: 2015-10-14), 10-K (filing date: 2014-10-15).
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Gross profit margin | Gross profit margin indicates the percentage of revenue available to cover operating and other expenditures. | Costco Wholesale Corp.’s gross profit margin ratio deteriorated from 2017 to 2018 and from 2018 to 2019. |
| Operating profit margin | A profitability ratio calculated as operating income divided by revenue. | Costco Wholesale Corp.’s operating profit margin ratio deteriorated from 2017 to 2018 and from 2018 to 2019. |
| Net profit margin | An indicator of profitability, calculated as net income divided by revenue. | Costco Wholesale Corp.’s net profit margin ratio improved from 2017 to 2018 and from 2018 to 2019. |
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| ROE | A profitability ratio calculated as net income divided by shareholders’ equity. | Costco Wholesale Corp.’s ROE deteriorated from 2017 to 2018 and from 2018 to 2019. |
| ROA | A profitability ratio calculated as net income divided by total assets. | Costco Wholesale Corp.’s ROA improved from 2017 to 2018 and from 2018 to 2019. |
Gross Profit Margin
Costco Wholesale Corp., gross profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Sep 1, 2019 | Sep 2, 2018 | Sep 3, 2017 | Aug 28, 2016 | Aug 30, 2015 | Aug 31, 2014 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | |||||||
| Gross margin | |
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| Net sales | |
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| Profitability Ratio | |||||||
| Gross profit margin1 | |
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| Benchmarks | |||||||
| Gross Profit Margin, Competitors2 | |||||||
| Amazon.com Inc. | |
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| eBay Inc. | |
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| Home Depot Inc. | |
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| Lowe’s Cos. Inc. | |
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| Netflix Inc. | |
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| Target Corp. | |
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| TJX Cos. Inc. | |
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| Walmart Inc. | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-10-11), 10-K (filing date: 2018-10-26), 10-K (filing date: 2017-10-18), 10-K (filing date: 2016-10-12), 10-K (filing date: 2015-10-14), 10-K (filing date: 2014-10-15).
1 2019 Calculation
Gross profit margin = 100 × Gross margin ÷ Net sales
= 100 × ÷ =
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Gross profit margin | Gross profit margin indicates the percentage of revenue available to cover operating and other expenditures. | Costco Wholesale Corp.’s gross profit margin ratio deteriorated from 2017 to 2018 and from 2018 to 2019. |
Operating Profit Margin
Costco Wholesale Corp., operating profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Sep 1, 2019 | Sep 2, 2018 | Sep 3, 2017 | Aug 28, 2016 | Aug 30, 2015 | Aug 31, 2014 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | |||||||
| Operating income | |
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| Net sales | |
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| Profitability Ratio | |||||||
| Operating profit margin1 | |
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| Benchmarks | |||||||
| Operating Profit Margin, Competitors2 | |||||||
| Amazon.com Inc. | |
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| eBay Inc. | |
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| Home Depot Inc. | |
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| Lowe’s Cos. Inc. | |
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| Netflix Inc. | |
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| Target Corp. | |
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| TJX Cos. Inc. | |
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| Walmart Inc. | |
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| Operating Profit Margin, Sector | |||||||
| General Retailers | |
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| Operating Profit Margin, Industry | |||||||
| Consumer Services | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-10-11), 10-K (filing date: 2018-10-26), 10-K (filing date: 2017-10-18), 10-K (filing date: 2016-10-12), 10-K (filing date: 2015-10-14), 10-K (filing date: 2014-10-15).
1 2019 Calculation
Operating profit margin = 100 × Operating income ÷ Net sales
= 100 × ÷ =
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Operating profit margin | A profitability ratio calculated as operating income divided by revenue. | Costco Wholesale Corp.’s operating profit margin ratio deteriorated from 2017 to 2018 and from 2018 to 2019. |
Net Profit Margin
Costco Wholesale Corp., net profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Sep 1, 2019 | Sep 2, 2018 | Sep 3, 2017 | Aug 28, 2016 | Aug 30, 2015 | Aug 31, 2014 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | |||||||
| Net income attributable to Costco | |
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| Net sales | |
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| Profitability Ratio | |||||||
| Net profit margin1 | |
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| Benchmarks | |||||||
| Net Profit Margin, Competitors2 | |||||||
| Amazon.com Inc. | |
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| eBay Inc. | |
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| Home Depot Inc. | |
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| Lowe’s Cos. Inc. | |
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| Netflix Inc. | |
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| Target Corp. | |
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| TJX Cos. Inc. | |
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| Walmart Inc. | |
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| Net Profit Margin, Sector | |||||||
| General Retailers | |
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| Net Profit Margin, Industry | |||||||
| Consumer Services | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-10-11), 10-K (filing date: 2018-10-26), 10-K (filing date: 2017-10-18), 10-K (filing date: 2016-10-12), 10-K (filing date: 2015-10-14), 10-K (filing date: 2014-10-15).
1 2019 Calculation
Net profit margin = 100 × Net income attributable to Costco ÷ Net sales
= 100 × ÷ =
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Net profit margin | An indicator of profitability, calculated as net income divided by revenue. | Costco Wholesale Corp.’s net profit margin ratio improved from 2017 to 2018 and from 2018 to 2019. |
Return on Equity (ROE)
Costco Wholesale Corp., ROE calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Sep 1, 2019 | Sep 2, 2018 | Sep 3, 2017 | Aug 28, 2016 | Aug 30, 2015 | Aug 31, 2014 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | |||||||
| Net income attributable to Costco | |
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| Total Costco stockholders’ equity | |
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| Profitability Ratio | |||||||
| ROE1 | |
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| Benchmarks | |||||||
| ROE, Competitors2 | |||||||
| Amazon.com Inc. | |
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| eBay Inc. | |
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| Home Depot Inc. | |
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| Lowe’s Cos. Inc. | |
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| Netflix Inc. | |
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| Target Corp. | |
|
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| TJX Cos. Inc. | |
|
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| Walmart Inc. | |
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| ROE, Sector | |||||||
| General Retailers | |
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| ROE, Industry | |||||||
| Consumer Services | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-10-11), 10-K (filing date: 2018-10-26), 10-K (filing date: 2017-10-18), 10-K (filing date: 2016-10-12), 10-K (filing date: 2015-10-14), 10-K (filing date: 2014-10-15).
1 2019 Calculation
ROE = 100 × Net income attributable to Costco ÷ Total Costco stockholders’ equity
= 100 × ÷ =
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| ROE | A profitability ratio calculated as net income divided by shareholders’ equity. | Costco Wholesale Corp.’s ROE deteriorated from 2017 to 2018 and from 2018 to 2019. |
Return on Assets (ROA)
Costco Wholesale Corp., ROA calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Sep 1, 2019 | Sep 2, 2018 | Sep 3, 2017 | Aug 28, 2016 | Aug 30, 2015 | Aug 31, 2014 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | |||||||
| Net income attributable to Costco | |
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| Total assets | |
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| Profitability Ratio | |||||||
| ROA1 | |
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| Benchmarks | |||||||
| ROA, Competitors2 | |||||||
| Amazon.com Inc. | |
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|
|
|
| eBay Inc. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Home Depot Inc. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lowe’s Cos. Inc. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Netflix Inc. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Target Corp. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| TJX Cos. Inc. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Walmart Inc. | |
|
|
|
|
|
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| ROA, Sector | |||||||
| General Retailers | |
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| ROA, Industry | |||||||
| Consumer Services | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-10-11), 10-K (filing date: 2018-10-26), 10-K (filing date: 2017-10-18), 10-K (filing date: 2016-10-12), 10-K (filing date: 2015-10-14), 10-K (filing date: 2014-10-15).
1 2019 Calculation
ROA = 100 × Net income attributable to Costco ÷ Total assets
= 100 × ÷ =
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| ROA | A profitability ratio calculated as net income divided by total assets. | Costco Wholesale Corp.’s ROA improved from 2017 to 2018 and from 2018 to 2019. |