Costco Wholesale Corporation (Public, NASDAQ:COST) operates membership warehouses that offer its members low prices on a limited selection of branded and selected private-label products in a range of merchandise categories. It buys the majority of its merchandise directly from manufacturers and route it to a cross-docking consolidation point (depot) or directly to its warehouses.
The Company’s depots receive container-based shipments from manufacturers and reallocate these goods for shipment to its individual warehouses. The Company’s warehouse format averages approximately 143,000 square feet. Its warehouses operate on a seven-day, 69-hour week. It carries an average of approximately 3,800 active stock keeping units (SKUs) per warehouse in its core warehouse business. Many consumable products are offered for sale in case, carton or multiple-pack quantities only.
Key people James Sinegal, Founder & CEO Jeffrey Brotman, Founder & Chairman Richard Galanti, CFO Dick DiCerchio, COO.