VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 3, 2026

Stock Comparison

Keyence Corporation vs Costco Wholesale Corporation

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Keyence Corporation

6861.T · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$87.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorTechnology
Industry
CountryJP
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
73/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Keyence Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 6861.T analysis

Costco Wholesale Corporation

COST · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$380.7B
Gross margin (TTM)12.9%
Operating margin (TTM)3.8%
Net margin (TTM)3%
SectorConsumer
IndustryDiscount Stores
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
80/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Costco Wholesale Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View COST analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 73 / 100 for Keyence Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Keyence Corporation has 3 segments; Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Keyence Corporation has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

Keyence Corporation

Sensors & Safety/Static Control

Market

Industrial sensors and safety/static control for factory automation

Geography

Global

Customer

Manufacturers (production/automation teams) and machine builders

Role

Component OEM and application-solution provider

Costco Wholesale Corporation

Warehouse club retail

Market

Membership warehouse club retail (warehouse clubs, ancillary services, and e-commerce)

Geography

Global

Customer

Households and small businesses

Role

Retailer (membership club)

Revenue share

98.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Keyence Corporation
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
6861.T - Tokyo Stock Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$87.6B
$380.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
12.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
3.8%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
3%
Sector
Technology
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Discount Stores
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Sensors & Safety/Static Control
Warehouse club retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Weak
Moat score
73 / 100
80 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Supply, Financial, Demand
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational ExcellenceBrand Trust

Keyence Corporation strengths

Service Field NetworkDesign In QualificationLearning Curve YieldDistribution ControlScope Economies

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostNegative Working CapitalHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Keyence Corporation segments

Full profile >

Sensors & Safety/Static Control

Oligopoly

n/a

Machine Vision, Code Reading & Laser Marking

Oligopoly

n/a

Metrology & Microscopes

Oligopoly

n/a

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.