The CFO lessons behind Costco's long-term strategy

CFOs can learn a lot about pricing and leadership from Costco. In this episode of How CFOs Think, the former Costco CFO Richard Galanti explains how Costco Wholesale – a multibillion-dollar global retailer with warehouse club operations in 14 countries – has used pricing discipline, operational efficiency, transparency and long-term thinking to build customer loyalty and value. Listeners will learn: Why Costco maintains strict limits on product mark-ups How operational efficiency helps protect customer value Why Costco sometimes accepts lower short-term earnings How transparency shapes relationships with investors and suppliers What the CFO contributes to major capital and strategic decisions Why monthly performance reviews support better decision-making What new CFOs should focus on during their first 90 days How long-term financial discipline can support shareholder returns Tune in with special guest Richard Galanti, who will also be speaking at CPA Congress 2026. Host: Ky Chow, media trainer, journalist, writer and presenter Guest: Richard Galanti, who joined Costco in 1984 after helping raise the company's original outside capital as a banker and spent close to 40 years as its CFO. Richard Galanti will appear at CPA Congress 2026. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]