Costco is making gold off its own gold.
The retail chain is making $100 million to $200 million a month by selling gold bars, according to a Wells Fargo equity research note. Last October, the company began selling 1-ounce bars made of nearly pure 24-karat gold priced at about $2,000.
"We view the addition of gold/silver as a smart move for Costco, as it only reinforces its value position," the report said. "That being said, pricing at that level and shipping costs suggests it's a very low-profit business at best."
Equity analysts said the wholesaler priced its gold appropriately by selling about 2% above spot prices to members before a 2% cash back reward for executive members and an extra 2% in cash back for those with a Citi card.
The metal was responsible for about $100 million in sales between its debut and the end of the fiscal quarter ending Nov. 26.
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The warehouse retailer has committed to the metal market by also selling silver coins recently. The coins are sold in tubes of 25 and are nonrefundable.
The 1-ounce Canada Maple Leaf Silver Coins were priced at about $680 before selling out online earlier this month.
Also for sale are coins with a maple leaf on the front and a silhouette of King Charles III on the back, which may be available for less at your local warehouse. Costco members can buy a total of five tubes of coins.
Also found on the site: a 2024 1-ounce Canada Maple Leaf 24-karat gold coin priced at $2,219.99.
Costco's success with the metal comes as spot prices for gold rose more than 13.70% since the start of 2024.
The price of gold traded at $2,349.44 per troy ounce as of 9 a.m. ET Monday, a 0.87% increase since Sunday.
The lowest trading price between the 24-hour period was $2,318.90 per ounce while the highest was $2,365.35 per ounce.
Contributing:Mike Snider, USA TODAY, Tony Dong and Farran Powell, BLUEPRINT
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