Skip to main content

Comparison between two retail companies picked are Walmart and Costco

The two retail companies picked are Walmart and Costco whose 2017 Financial statement links are provided below: WALMART https://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/ wmt/financials?query=income- statement COSTCO https://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/ cost/financials?query=income- statement Both organizations are well known brands and position themselves well with their customer base. Walmart’s value proposition is “We save people money so they can live better”. On the other hand, Costco’s value proposition is “All-in-one convenience and everyday affordability”. Both retailers focus on cost saving for their customers. Looking at their financial statements and by analyzing them a few key areas are evident when comparing the two organization. Looking at the current ratio and quick ratio we can determine the short-term solvency of each organization. The current ratio can be determined by dividing the assets by the liabilities. Walmart’s current ratio sits at 0.86 while Costco’s sits at 0.99. The quick ratio is c...
1 comment

GOLD VS LIQUID GOLD

Contrary to the apprehension global oil price instead of going higher is coming down. The reason being he demand supply scenario is changed as the experts believe and off course the speculative forces are receding as well. But there is another story cooking up behind the curtain. It is reported “ a powerful relationship measured by gold/oil ratio (GOR) --- has been a trigger for the sell-off in oil contracts by investors, mainly global hedge funds, on overseas exchanges”—by informed sources. It is believed that in addition to selling oil contracts, these investors have created long positions in gold. It is presumed that yellow metal is relatively inexpensive vis-a-vis the black gold. Most of the analysts think that gold may outperform oil in the near future. This is because yellow metal is considered a hedge against higher inflation, what is driven by higher oil price. Sean Darby, the Asia Pacific strategist of Nomura International says “ It (GOR) normally represents good tool for investors to establish the relative of commodities. It clearly implies buy gold and sell oil”. This subscribes to the same theory. It is observed that earlier this calendar year the GOR was calculated by dividing gold price per ounce to oil price per barrel. That was in the range of 9 to 11.1 earlier but now has come down to 6.8:1 of late. The ration rose to 7.5:1 on early this week from 6.3:1 mid-June. Historically, it is observed that many investors have been buying gold when the GOR is below 10 barrel/ounce. So far in 2008, crude oil has risen 30% roughly at Nymex exchange, while gold has gained only 11% in the same period. Obviously the investors feel that oil due to lack of demand might have lost the steam to rise further. So, sell oil and buy gold what is always a safe heaven and hedge against inflation. So, the small investor may look for investment opportunity in gold funds or the funds that invest in gold mines and allied industries.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A trip to TAKI, West Bengal , India

                                   As Bangldesh looks on the bank of Ichamoti, from TAKI, West Bengal. Take a closed look, a cattle corpse i s floating on the river bed, near the Bangladeshi bank. Victim of transborder cattle smuggling. I am not sure how young generation would react to the name of yester year’s one of the most popular writer portraying the essence of rural Bengal, its pains and joys, prosperity and poverty and off course the thread of society; Bibhuti Bhusan Bandopadhyay. His simplicity was eminent in is writing; that was best projected by famous film director Satyojit Roy in his internationally acclaimed films like ‘Pother Panchali’, ‘Aparajito’ et el.  At the age of 9, I read ‘Pother Panchali’. Though I was not matured, enough to comprehend its intrinsic message of the content but the very story left a pugmark in my mind. I became more interested about the author later. ...
29 comments
Read more

If you were assigned to sell a product called “Sweet Treats” with the slogan, “so sweet, it will make you tweet,” but you thought the product tasted sour, and not at all sweet, what would you do?

Often, celebrities contract to endorse a product, but should they use the product regularly, or even like the product before they are allowed to claim that they “endorse” the product? If celebrity is lying, that is endorsing a product he/she does not use/consume then the ad should be pulled.  The Federal Trade Commission requirement that ads or sponsored social media posts indicate so - is not enough to inform consumers. (Robert, 2017) So, yes, a celebrity who endorses a product should at least appear in public using the product. Examples go in the opposite direction, instead of claiming to use a product but not doing so, which would be lying, the Kardashians post product endorsements across several social media platforms either without disclosing it is an ad or waiting until hours or days after the initial post to do so. According to the the organization Truth in Advertising (TINA.org) The delay allows avid followers to see the initial post as a testimonial instead of as an ad. (K...
Post a Comment
Read more

TATA SKY OR TATA SQUEEZE!!

This is my debut article in the interest of Indian consumers. Just my humble contribution; to enlighten them about the product or service of famous TATA SKY. Amir Khan, the brand ambassador or Mr. Ratan Tata, the person at the helm of all TATA affairs, would be ashamed of TATA SKY, once they know instead of making the life “JINA LALA”; it is turning the life “JINA HARAM” with TATA SKY at times. With much expectation I switch over to TATA SKY from local cable operator in the month of May this year. Within six months twice I they have replaced their set top box. They went out of order and it is under warranty for one year. Every time I called their customer care, they receive they call as if your are naïve. They take no less than half an hour, to guide you to switch off and on , take out their digi-card and put it back, whether you are young or old caring a fig for that! Surprisingly their call centre’s number is not toll free! You are put on hold for ten minutes and another twenty m...
23 comments
Read more