WallStSmart

Alico Inc (ALCO)vsCostco Wholesale Corp (COST)

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Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Costco Wholesale Corp generates 1775950% more annual revenue ($303.15B vs $17.07M). ALCO leads profitability with a 9.0% profit margin vs 3.0%. COST trades at a lower P/E of 47.6x. COST earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 55/100 (C-).

ALCO

Hold

43

out of 100

Grade: D

Growth: 6.0Profit: 4.5Value: 4.0Quality: 7.0
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: -1.06

COST

Buy

55

out of 100

Grade: C-

Growth: 6.7Profit: 6.5Value: 3.7Quality: 7.5
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 4.73

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

ALCO3 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
EPS GrowthGrowth
335.2%10/10

Earnings expanding 335.2% YoY

Debt/EquityHealth
0.0310/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Price/BookValuation
2.6x8/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

COST5 strengths · Avg: 9.2/10
Market CapQuality
$438.30B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
4.7310/10

Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk

Return on EquityProfitability
25.8%9/10

Every $100 of equity generates 26 in profit

Debt/EquityHealth
0.249/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Free Cash FlowQuality
$2.48B8/10

Generating 2.5B in free cash flow

Areas to Watch

ALCO4 concerns · Avg: 2.3/10
Market CapQuality
$275.38M3/10

Smaller company, higher risk/reward

P/E RatioValuation
176.8x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Return on EquityProfitability
-18.5%2/10

ROE of -18.5% — below average capital efficiency

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
-1.062/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

COST4 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
Price/BookValuation
12.3x4/10

Trading at 12.3x book value

Profit MarginProfitability
3.0%3/10

3.0% margin — thin

Operating MarginProfitability
3.8%3/10

Operating margin of 3.8%

PEG RatioValuation
4.432/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : ALCO

The strongest argument for ALCO centers on EPS Growth, Debt/Equity, Price/Book.

Bull Case : COST

The strongest argument for COST centers on Market Cap, Altman Z-Score, Return on Equity. Revenue growth of 11.1% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : ALCO

The primary concerns for ALCO are Market Cap, P/E Ratio, Return on Equity. A P/E of 176.8x leaves little room for execution misses.

Bear Case : COST

The primary concerns for COST are Price/Book, Profit Margin, Operating Margin. A P/E of 47.6x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 3.0% margins leave little buffer for downturns.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

ALCO carries more volatility with a beta of 0.93 — expect wider price swings.

COST is growing revenue faster at 11.1% — sustainability is the question.

COST generates stronger free cash flow (2.5B), providing more financial flexibility.

Monitor FARM PRODUCTS industry trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes.

Bottom Line

COST scores higher overall (55/100 vs 43/100) and 11.1% revenue growth. Both earn "Buy" and "Hold" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

Alico Inc

CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · FARM PRODUCTS · USA

Alico, Inc., is an agribusiness and land administration company in the United States. The company is headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida.

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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