VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Stock Comparison

Ambev S.A. vs Costco Wholesale Corporation

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

Ambev S.A.

ABEV3 · B3 - Brasil Bolsa Balcao

Market cap (USD)$250.3B
Gross margin (TTM)50.5%
Operating margin (TTM)25.7%
Net margin (TTM)17.6%
SectorConsumer
IndustryBeverages - Alcoholic
CountryBR
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
82/ 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 Ambev S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ABEV3 analysis

Costco Wholesale Corporation

COST · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$437.3B
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: Ambev S.A. leads (82 / 100 vs 80 / 100 for Costco Wholesale Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Ambev S.A. has 5 segments (45% in Brazil - Beer); Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Ambev S.A. has 3 moat types across 3 domains; Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

Ambev S.A.

Brazil - Beer

Market

Beer production and distribution

Geography

Brazil

Customer

On-trade and off-trade retailers; distributors

Role

Producer & distributor

Revenue share

45%

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

Ambev S.A.
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ABEV3 - B3 - Brasil Bolsa Balcao
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$250.3B
$437.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
50.5%
12.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
25.7%
3.8%
Net margin (TTM)
17.6%
3%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Beverages - Alcoholic
Discount Stores
HQ country
BR
US
Primary segment
Brazil - Beer
Warehouse club retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
55%-65% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
82 / 100
80 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Financial, Demand
Last update
2025-12-28
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Ambev S.A. strengths

Distribution ControlContractual Exclusivity

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostOperational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Ambev S.A. segments

Full profile >

Brazil - Beer

Oligopoly

45%

Brazil - Non-alcoholic beverages

Oligopoly

9.4%

Central America and the Caribbean

Oligopoly

12.3%

Latin America South

Oligopoly

22.2%

Canada

Oligopoly

11.2%

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

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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.