WallStSmart

Costco Wholesale Corp (COST)vsIhuman Inc (IH)

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Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Costco Wholesale Corp generates 40642% more annual revenue ($303.15B vs $744.09M). IH leads profitability with a 3.1% profit margin vs 3.0%. IH trades at a lower P/E of 19.0x. COST earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 55/100 (C-).

COST

Buy

55

out of 100

Grade: C-

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

IH

Avoid

32

out of 100

Grade: F

Growth: 2.0Profit: 3.5Value: 7.0Quality: 8.5
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 3.31
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

Intrinsic value data unavailable for COST.

IHUndervalued (+78.0%)

Margin of Safety

+78.0%

Fair Value

$9.36

Current Price

$1.16

$8.20 discount

UndervaluedFair: $9.36Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

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

IH3 strengths · Avg: 10.0/10
Price/BookValuation
0.5x10/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Debt/EquityHealth
0.0110/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
3.3110/10

Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk

Areas to Watch

COST4 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
Price/BookValuation
12.2x4/10

Trading at 12.2x 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

IH4 concerns · Avg: 2.5/10
Market CapQuality
$58.27M3/10

Smaller company, higher risk/reward

Profit MarginProfitability
3.1%3/10

3.1% margin — thin

Revenue GrowthGrowth
-13.4%2/10

Revenue declined 13.4%

EPS GrowthGrowth
-82.3%2/10

Earnings declined 82.3%

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

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.

Bull Case : IH

The strongest argument for IH centers on Price/Book, Debt/Equity, Altman Z-Score.

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.

Bear Case : IH

The primary concerns for IH are Market Cap, Profit Margin, Revenue Growth. Thin 3.1% margins leave little buffer for downturns.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

COST carries more volatility with a beta of 0.87 — expect wider price swings.

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

Monitor DISCOUNT STORES industry trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes.

Bottom Line

COST scores higher overall (55/100 vs 32/100) and 11.1% revenue growth. IH offers better value entry with a 78.0% margin of safety. 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.

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Ihuman Inc

CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · EDUCATION & TRAINING SERVICES · China

iHuman Inc. provides children's entertainment products and services to individual users, educational organizations and distributors in the People's Republic of China. The company is headquartered in Beijing, the People's Republic of China.

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