Fall 2013: Professor Jai Goolsarran
Research and Case Analysis No. 1 (10%): Costco Wholesale Corporation
Part B (64 marks)
Please refer to the document on this matter posted on eCentennial on September 12, 2013. Here are your Part B questions. References in these questions to Costco Wholesale Corporation, Costco, and “the company” are to be read and understood as one and the same. Your submission should be a word-processed document, prepared in the usual format (cover page, double space, font size 12, headings for each question, one-inch margins, appropriate end notes, etc.) and should be submitted to me in class in person at our class meeting on Tuesday, September 24, 2013. Please be reminded that your submission should reflect your own individual effort. Please do not copy from sources readily available from the Internet. Just use your textbook and the prescribed materials.
Questions
1. For the purposes of updating the information provided in the case material, prepare a tabulation indicating the total revenue ($B), net income ($B), ROA (%), ROE (%), and the number of warehouses in operation at the end of the year for the 2012 to 2008 fiscal years in that order. Please use information from the company’s 2012 Annual Report only. (5 marks)
2. In not more than one paragraph, state the thesis put forward by Wayne F. Cascio in his August 2006 article, “Decency Means More Than ‘Always Low Prices’: A Comparison of Costco to Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club”. Also, do indicate whether you are in agreement with the thesis. (6 marks)
3. Refer to your textbook’s discussions on
References: presentation at a recent Retail Conference. (4 marks) Posted on eCentennial on Sunday, September 15, 2013 at 9.25 am.