Is WD-40 really as miraculous as people claim online?

Let’s start with a little-known fact: WD-40 is not a single product but an umbrella brand comprising many distinct series—each with different formulations and intended uses!!! To my knowledge, there are at least six variants (and likely more—I haven’t checked the official website; curious readers are welcome to look it up): WD-40 Classic Blue Can (Multi-Purpose Protective Lubricant); WD-40 Multi-Use Penetrating Oil (Rust Release); WD-40 Specialist White Lithium Grease; WD-40 Specialist Silicone Lubricant; WD-40 Specialist Dry Lube with PTFE; WD-40 Specialist Electronic Contact Cleaner. The most widely recognized version is the "WD-40 Classic Blue Can (Multi-Purpose Protective Lubricant)," which is also the one most commonly discussed today. Yet it is far less extraordinary or magical than popular descriptions suggest. It’s best described as a versatile generalist—capable of handling many tasks, but excelling at none. Also, I must caution users: Most WD-40 products—or their imitations and budget alternatives—share a significant drawback: mild corrosiveness! While this poses negligible risk to human health and causes little issue for large metal components, it can damage items containing rubber seals, plastic-metal hybrids, coated surfaces, or precision electronic equipment. Crucially, such damage is rarely immediate—it may unfold gradually over several days or even weeks. So while you celebrate WD-40’s apparent success in solving your surface-level problem, it may be silently corroding internal components—especially rubber, plastic, coatings, or sensitive electronics.

(30) 'Value Investing in Practice': Case Study on Companies with Economic Moats—WD-40 Investment Review

(Long-term sustainability is limited), so assuming a 20% tax rate is appropriate for estimation purposes. ・Estimated 2018 profitability: $62 million ($409 million × 19% × 80% after-tax) ・Assume all profits are either distributed to shareholders or actively reinvested (excluding organic growth portion); active reinvestment yields returns equal to WD-40’s cost of capital. ・Organic growth: ・Aligned with broader macroeconomic trends: As economic growth slows across both developed and emerging markets, organic growth has declined from 4% annually to 3%. ・At a 3% organic growth rate, WD-40’s sales growth should amount to $12.3 million annually ($409 million × 3%). ・Since each additional dollar of revenue requires $0.15 in net investment, $2 million in retained earnings is needed to support organic growth. ・Thus, the remaining $60 million in sustainable earnings is available for distribution to investors. ・As of late September 2018, the acquisition cost of WD-40’s core business totaled $2.392 billion in equity ($172.10 × 13.9 million shares), plus $37 million in net debt—yielding a total enterprise value of $2.429 billion. ・The $60 million in sustainable annual distributions to shareholders equates to a 2.5% cash-on-cash return ($60 million ÷ $2.429 billion). ・Total expected return = 3% organic growth + 2.5% cash return (active reinvestment effects are negligible).

WD-40 (WDFC) Officer Lindeman Receives 1,005 Stock Units; Reported Position Totals 5,631 Shares

ChemBrief

WD-40 (WDFC) Officer Lindeman Receives 1,005 Stock Units; Reported Position Totals 5,631 Shares — ChemBrief Topics

WD-40 (WDFC) Officer Lindeman Receives 1,005 Stock Units; Reported Position Totals 5,631 Shares

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