case study: costco wholesale in 2008: mission, business model & strategy
DESCRIPTION
Case study from the book: Strategic Management, 18th edition, Thompson and SticklandTRANSCRIPT
Welcome to Our Presentation
In 2008: Mission, Business Model, & Strategy
Case 2
Our Presentation at a Glance
• About Costco Wholesale, Mission & Vision• Costco’s Business Model, Driving Forces,
KSFs• Costco’s Strategies & Objectives• Industry Analysis-SWOT, Porter’s 5 Forces,
Life Cycle• Competitive Analysis- Strategic Group Map• Financial Analysis• Recommendations
Presented By: Group -A
• Sunanda Sarker -161201
• Md. Iftekhar Alam -161202
• Nurul Afsar -161203
• Md. Foysal Ahmed -161204
• Md. Hasnat Khan Rezvi -161205
Purpose of this Case Study
To examine Costco’s business structure and strategy and how those relate to industry success
Case Summary
• End of 2008 – $71 Billion in Sales– 550 stores world-wide
• 54 million members- Avg yearly income $70,000
• Quality merchandise
• Low price
• Rapid inventory turnover
About Costco Wholesale
• Eighth Largest membership retailer in the world and Fourth largest retailer in the U.S
• CEO: James Sinegal• Headquarters: Issaquah, WA• Inception: Seattle, WA 1983• Founders: James Sinegal &
Jefferey Brotman
Vision & Mission of Costco Wholesale
Mission: Continually provide our members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices. Vision:
• “Our business is to give the customer the best value we can.” – Jim Sinegal,CEO & Founder of Costco
• “We're going to be a company that’s on a first-name basis with everyone.”
Costco’s Business Model-Appealing or Not
Low prices
Limited selection of quality merchandise
+Wide range of merchandise categories
Rapid inventory turnover
Volume purchasing
Efficient distribution
Reduced handling of merchandise
+No-frills, self-service warehouse
Operating efficiencies
Rapid inventory turnover
+Operating efficiencies
Profit at a very low gross margin
PLUS MEMBERSHIP FEES
Driving Forces
• Internet
• Technology – green technology is a
concern
• Market saturation
• Legislation- proposed tax on big-box stores
• Rising costs
• Recession
Key Success Factors
• Internet sales
• Vast network of retail locations– cross-docking
• No-frills warehouse
• Ongoing effort to cut costs
• Only stock bargains
• Treasure-hunt merchandise
• No-hassle return policy
• Word of mouth advertising
Corporate Strategy
• Cost strategy– Penetration Pricing– Below the Line Promotion– No frills
• “Diversion” Buying Strategy– “Treasure hunt" shopping experience
Chief Elements of Costco's Strategy
• Low prices• Limited product lines and
selection• Treasure hunt shopping
environment
Employment Objectives
• Hire great people
• Treat them well
• Give them good jobs
• Do right by them
Management Objectives
• Always promote from within
• Training happens constantly
• Grow our own talent
• Model what you want from your employees
Business Objectives
• Don’t try to be too much to too many
• Know on what level you compete
• Know your customers– why they do
business with you
• Stay focused on your core business
Growth Objectives
• Run the business for long-term sustainability
• Open new stores– 50-60 new
locations per year
• Keep Internet sales growing
Marketing Objectives
• Word of mouth only• No PR department,
ever?
Ethics Objectives
• Obey the law
• Treat customers right
• Treat employees right
• Treat suppliers right
Costco’s Geographic Expansion-Successful or
Not
Costco opened 127 new warehouses in fiscal years 2005-2008
Industry Analysis
• SWOT Analysis• Porter Analysis• Life Cycle
SWOT Analysis
S
Opportunities Appeal to
conscientious shopper Expand into foreign
stable markets Mergers & Acquisitions Massive supplier pool
Weaknesses Burden of high wages
paid to workers CEO’s retirement Low price margins E-commerce activities Small Marketing budget
compared to discount retailers and Super Markets
W
O
Strengths Low Prices Strong Brand Operating Efficiency Exceptional
Workforce Strong membership
Threats Aggressive price competition by rivals Political complications in
foreign markets Cannibalization due to
domestic market saturation
T
Porter’s Five Forces Model for Costco
SuppliersWeak bargaining power•Many suppliers•Low switching cost•Many substitutes exist•Large quantities are needed
Competing SellersFierce competition•Costco is on top•Quality is slightly better•Buyer demand is growing•Buyer’s switching cost is low
Potential New EntrantsLow threat•Small pool of entry candidates•High barriers to entry•Expanding market•Attractive profits
SubstitutesStrong threat•Good substitutes everywhere•Price not significantly higher•Comparable product features•More variety of features•Low switching cost
BuyersWeak bargaining power•Some switching costs•Large membership base•Costco has the best value
Life Cycle of Costco – Maturity Stage
• Costco is in the mature stage
• Though profitable, slower growth in sales
• Strong brand awareness
• Shares market with established competitors
Competitive Analysis
• Costco's main competitors are Sam's Club, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Other retailers. They share a similar business model, selling high volumes of merchandise at low prices in a membership-only warehouse club. Each company sells a similar array of general merchandise, including food, apparel, and gasoline.
• Sam's Club operates 591 warehouse clubs nationwide and earned $44.4 billion in revenue in 2007.
• BJ's operates 177 warehouse clubs across 16 states in the eastern U.S. In 2007, the company earned $9.0 billion in revenue.
FY 2008 Costco vs. Competitors
CompanyRevenue (Billions)
Net Income (Billions)
Operating Margin
Comparable Store Sales
(Decline) LocationsCostco $70.9 $1.3 2.7% 6.0% 512Sam's Club $46.8 N/A 3.4% 4.8% 602BJ's Wholesale Club $10.0 $2.3 2.3% 9.4% 180
Sales Breakdown
Competitive Analysis
• Greater benefits for Costco employees– Wages: $17/hr on average– Health Insurance : 90% premium
coverage• Lower price margins
Costco’s Strategic Group Map
Op
era
tin
g M
arg
in
Number of Locations
Higher
Lower
Few Many
BJ’s
P
Costco
Sam’sClub
Pricesmart Inc.
Note: Circles are drawn roughly proportional to the sizes of the club chains based on revenue
Financial Analysis
• Costco earned $71 Billion in revenue in 2008 – 12.5% increase from 2007
• In 2008, Costco’s operating margin reached 2.77%
• Costco’s net income in 2008 was $1.28 billion dollars – an 18.5% increase from 2007
Financial Analysis
FY 2008 Costco vs. Competitors
CompanyRevenue (Billions)
Net Income (Billion
s)
Operating
Margin
Comparable
Store Sales
(Decline)Locatio
ns
Costco $70.9 $1.3 2.7% 6.0% 512
Sam's Club $46.8 N/A 3.4% 4.8% 602
BJ's Wholesale Club $10.0 $2.3 2.3% 9.4% 180
Financial Analysis-Key Ratios
Inventory Turnover
(TTM)ROI
5 Yr Avg
Sales 5 Yr.
Growth Rate
Gross Margin
5 Yr Avg
Net Profit Margin 5 Yr Avg
Costco 11.93 11.01 11.24 12.40 1.54
Industry 2.47 7.59 15.11 24.66 2.74
Wal-Mart 8.73 13.80 9.41 23.37 3.59
BJ’s 10.27 11.11 8.42 10.37 1.41
Target 6.64 6.48 9.10 30.90 4.23
Best Buy 6.61 19.74 12.89 24.29 3.29
Sears 3.36 7.17 15.00 27.54 2.23
Pricesmart 9.20 14.12 15.54 16.14 0.40
Recommendation & Conclusion
• Accept food stamps
• Acquire BJ’s Wholesale Club
• Keep expanding overseas
• Be more ethical
• Continue to add services
• Industry Leader strategy– Better promotions
• Improve e-commerce
• A little good PR better than no PR
Any Question?