Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (1398.HK) vs Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited is one of China’s largest state-controlled commercial banks. It provides corporate banking, personal banking, wealth management, payments, and treasury services through a broad domestic and international network. The bank serves major companies, public-sector entities, small businesses, and retail customers. Its results are influenced by Chinese credit growth, interest-rate spreads, asset quality, government policy, and the health of the country’s property, infrastructure, and industrial sectors.

Founded in 1983, Costco Wholesale Corp operates a global network of membership-only warehouse clubs focused on offering high-quality products and services at consistently low prices. In its latest fiscal year, the company ran approximately 910 warehouses and served more than 80 million members across three geographic segments: Costco U.S., which generated about 73% of total revenue, Costco Canada at 13%, and Costco International at 14%. Costco’s core value proposition—quality merchandise at highly competitive prices—has supported strong membership renewal rates, reaching 93% in the U.S. and Canada and nearly 90% internationally. Roughly 55% of fiscal 2025 revenue came from grocery sales, while general merchandise contributed another 25%.