Warren Buffett's investment strategy just flagged Costco (COST) as a solid bet. The retail giant scores 79% on Buffett's Patient Investor model—pretty close to the 80% threshold where things get interesting. What's catching his eye? Costco checks almost all the boxes: predictable earnings, low debt, solid returns on equity and capital, strong free cash flow, and smart use of retained earnings. The only miss? Current valuation isn't screaming "buy now" (that Initial Rate of Return test failed). Still, the expected return looks decent. Bottom line: This is the kind of boring, reliable business Buffett loves—no excitement, no drama, just steady cash generation. Not flashy, but that's exactly the point.