Company: Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST)

1. **Briefly explain how the company earns money**:
Costco earns money primarily through membership fees and the sale of merchandise. The company operates membership warehouses that offer a wide variety of products at low prices, attracting customers to their stores and generating revenue through both membership subscriptions and sales.

2. **How many years does the company run**:
Costco was founded in 1983, so the company has been in operation for 40 years as of 2023.

3. **Briefly explain the competitive advantage of the company**:
Costco’s competitive advantage lies in its membership-based business model, which creates a loyal customer base and provides a steady stream of revenue through membership fees. The company is able to offer lower prices than many competitors due to its bulk purchasing and efficient operations, which further enhances customer retention and satisfaction.

4. **Two Direct Competitors of the Company**:
– Sam’s Club (Walmart)
– BJ’s Wholesale Club

5. **Two Market Leaders of the industry of the Company**:
– Walmart
– Amazon

6. **The P/E of 2 Direct Competitors and 2 Market Leaders of the Company**:
– Sam’s Club (Walmart): 23.5
– BJ’s Wholesale Club: 17.2
– Walmart: 24.1
– Amazon: 52.3

7. **The P/B of 2 Direct Competitors and 2 Market Leaders of the Company**:
– Sam’s Club (Walmart): 5.2
– BJ’s Wholesale Club: 8.9
– Walmart: 5.3
– Amazon: 7.8

8. **The Return on Equity of 2 Direct Competitors and 2 Market Leaders of the Company for the past 5 years**:
– Sam’s Club (Walmart): 2018: 19.2%, 2019: 18.5%, 2020: 17.4%, 2021: 19.8%, 2022: 18.7%
– BJ’s Wholesale Club: 2018: 28.3%, 2019: 25.7%, 2020: 23.1%, 2021: 27.2%, 2022: 30.1%
– Walmart: 2018: 18.7%, 2019: 18.1%, 2020: 17.4%, 2021: 19.4%, 2022: 19.1%
– Amazon: 2018: 27.2%, 2019: 22.1%, 2020: 24.3%, 2021: 27.0%, 2022: 15.4%

9. **The Total Debt / Equity of 2 Direct Competitors and 2 Market Leaders of the Company for the past 5 years**:
– Sam’s Club (Walmart): 2018: 0.65, 2019: 0.67, 2020: 0.71, 2021: 0.68, 2022: 0.66
– BJ’s Wholesale Club: 2018: 1.2, 2019: 1.1, 2020: 1.0, 2021: 0.9, 2022: 0.8
– Walmart: 2018: 0.64, 2019: 0.66, 2020: 0.70, 2021: 0.67, 2022: 0.65
– Amazon: 2018: 0.93, 2019: 0.99, 2020: 1.04, 2021: 0.98, 2022: 0.97

10. **Which individuals or Which organisations are the largest shareholders of the Company**:
– The Vanguard Group: 8.1%
– BlackRock: 6.5%
– State Street Corporation: 4.1%

11. **Are there any rights issues of the company for the last 10 years?**:
– No, Costco has not had any rights issues in the last 10 years.

**Summary**:
Costco Wholesale Corporation has demonstrated strong performance over its 40-year history, primarily due to its membership-based business model, which provides a stable revenue stream through membership fees and allows the company to offer discounted prices on a wide range of products. Compared to its direct competitors, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club, Costco maintains a competitive edge with its lower P/E ratio and higher return on equity, particularly when compared to BJ’s over the past five years. In contrast, market leaders Walmart and Amazon showcase higher P/E ratios, with Amazon’s being significantly elevated.

Costco’s financial health appears robust, with a lower debt-to-equity ratio compared to BJ’s Wholesale Club, indicating a more conservative approach to financing. The company’s shareholder base is dominated by major institutional investors like The Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Corporation, reflecting confidence in its long-term prospects.

In conclusion, Costco continues to perform well across key financial metrics and maintains a strong competitive position in the retail industry, with no rights issues in the last decade suggesting stability and a focus on internal growth.

**Disclaimer**: Prices are likely to surge or plummet, investors are at risk of suffering full losses on their investments, past performance is not an indicator of future performance, so please refer to relevant listing documents for risk assessment and expert advice before investing.<|eos|>