Core Viewpoint - Costco Wholesale has significantly outperformed the broader market, with a 200% increase in stock price over the last five years, doubling the S&P 500's return during the same period [1] Group 1: Sales Growth and Opportunities - Costco's sales have accelerated post-pandemic, with annualized revenue growth of about 11% from fiscal 2019 to fiscal 2024, compared to 8% from fiscal 2010 to 2019 [2] - The company has substantial growth opportunities in e-commerce and non-food sales, with e-commerce sales increasing nearly 16% year over year last quarter [6][7] - Costco's competitive advantage lies in its membership model, with nearly 80 million paying households, allowing it to offer low prices and continue expanding [4] Group 2: Expansion Plans - As of the recent quarter, Costco operates 914 warehouses globally, with plans to open 24 new locations in high-quality markets such as Sweden, Japan, South Korea, and Canada [5] - The company is experiencing double-digit sales growth in various non-food categories, including jewelry, toys, and home goods, indicating strong demand for diverse product offerings [8] Group 3: Valuation Concerns - Costco's stock trades at a high earnings multiple of 54 times forward earnings, significantly above the S&P 500's forward P/E ratio of 26 [9] - The current P/E ratio is also above Costco's five-year average of 44, raising concerns about the sustainability of such a high valuation given the slowing sales momentum in e-commerce and non-food sales [10][11] - Analysts expect long-term earnings growth at an annualized rate of 9%, which may not justify the current high P/E, potentially leading to disappointing returns for investors [11][12]

Core Insights - The article focuses on the Asia Value & Moat Stocks research service, which targets value investors looking for significant discrepancies between stock prices and intrinsic values, particularly in the Asian market, with an emphasis on Hong Kong [1] Group 1: Investment Strategy - The service seeks deep value balance sheet bargains, such as net cash stocks, net-nets, low price-to-book (P/B) stocks, and sum-of-the-parts discounts [1] - It also emphasizes wide moat stocks, which are high-quality businesses with strong earnings power available at a discount, including "Magic Formula" stocks and hidden champions [1] Group 2: Research and Updates - The author provides a range of watch lists with monthly updates to assist investors in identifying potential investment opportunities [1]

Group 1 - The article focuses on the Asia Value & Moat Stocks research service, which targets value investors looking for Asia-listed stocks with significant discrepancies between price and intrinsic value [1] - The service emphasizes deep value balance sheet bargains, such as net cash stocks and low price-to-book (P/B) stocks, as well as wide moat stocks that represent high-quality businesses [1] - The author provides a range of watch lists with monthly updates, specifically concentrating on investment opportunities in the Hong Kong market [1]

Asia Value & Moat Stocks is a research service for value investors seeking Asia-listed stocks with a huge gap between price and intrinsic value, leaning towards deep value balance sheet bargains (i.e. buying assets at a discount e.g. net cash stocks, net-nets, low P/B stocks, sum-of-the-parts discounts) and wide moat stocks (i.e. buying earnings power at a discount in great companies like "Magic Formula" stocks, high-quality businesses, hidden champions and wide moat compounders). Sign up here to get starte ...

For the average investor, it makes sense to look at the stocks Berkshire owns. There's one business in particular that makes up 21.6% of the entire $281 billion portfolio and currently stands as Berkshire's second-largest holding. This company clearly has some wonderful qualities that caught the Oracle of Omaha's attention. Berkshire Hathaway has long been operated at the direction of Warren Buffett, who many consider to be the greatest investor ever. The legendary capital allocator is known for his sharp a ...

Asia Value & Moat Stocks is a research service for value investors seeking Asia-listed stocks with a huge gap between price and intrinsic value, leaning towards deep value balance sheet bargains (i.e. buying assets at a discount e.g. net cash stocks, net-nets, low P/B stocks, sum-of-the-parts discounts) and wide moat stocks (i.e. buying earnings power at a discount in great companies like "Magic Formula" stocks, high-quality businesses, hidden champions and wide moat compounders). Sign up here to get starte ...

Asia Value & Moat Stocks is a research service for value investors seeking Asia-listed stocks with a huge gap between price and intrinsic value, leaning towards deep value balance sheet bargains (i.e. buying assets at a discount e.g. net cash stocks, net-nets, low P/B stocks, sum-of-the-parts discounts) and wide moat stocks (i.e. buying earnings power at a discount in great companies like "Magic Formula" stocks, high-quality businesses, hidden champions and wide moat compounders). Sign up here to get starte ...

This month I'm very excited to introduce some new features we have added lately and uh now if you come to any stocks you will see that we have added a mode score and tariff score there. Let me share my screen with you so that uh you can see it. Nice.I just stocks. You should be able to see. Okay.I try type in Microsoft and you should be able to see it. Microsoft and uh if you come to the profitability rank box here and come here you can see that we have added two scores here. One is the MOT score and the ot ...

Core Concept - The article discusses the concept of "wide moat" companies, which possess enduring competitive advantages that protect them from competitors, leading to strong long-term profitability [1][4]. Group 1: Characteristics of Wide Moat Companies - Wide moat companies benefit from strong brand recognition, network effects, high switching costs, regulatory barriers, and economies of scale, creating significant obstacles for competitors [3]. - These companies typically enjoy robust pricing power and consistent profit margins, allowing them to reinvest in operations and strengthen their competitive position [3]. Group 2: Investment Appeal - Investing in wide moat businesses is attractive due to their potential for reliable, long-term returns, especially during economic slowdowns and market volatility [4]. - Such firms generally generate consistent cash flows and create shareholder value through dividends and stock appreciation, making them appealing for long-term wealth building [5]. Group 3: Company Examples - **Intuit Inc.**: Established a powerful economic moat through brand loyalty and high switching costs, with products like QuickBooks and TurboTax targeting a large market of small and medium businesses [7][8]. The shift to cloud-based subscription services enhances its competitive edge [9]. - **Nestle S.A.**: As the largest food and beverage company, it leverages a strong brand portfolio and global distribution networks, benefiting from operational excellence and R&D capabilities [11][12]. Its consistent cash flows and commitment to sustainability make it attractive for long-term investors [13]. - **Costco Wholesale Corporation**: Utilizes a cost leadership strategy through a membership model and efficient supply chain management, resulting in strong customer loyalty and consistent revenue growth [14][15]. Its digital initiatives and expansion plans further contribute to its robust performance [17]. - **Visa Inc.**: Holds a dominant position in digital payments, benefiting from a vast payment network and network effects that enhance its service value [18]. The company’s strategic acquisitions and technological innovations position it for continued growth in the evolving payments landscape [19][20].

In my last article about JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: JD ) – published in March 2025 – I once again made it clear that I am bullish about several Chinese technology companies and especially that JD.com is one of the best bargains in the ChineseMy analysis is focused on high-quality companies, that can outperform the market over the long-run due to a competitive advantage (economic moat) and high levels of defensibility. Focused on European and North American companies, but without constraints regarding market capi ...