VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Stock Comparison
Alcon Inc. vs Costco Wholesale Corporation
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Alcon Inc.
ALC · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Costco Wholesale Corporation
COST · Nasdaq Global Select Market
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 analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
- Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); 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: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 across 3.
Primary market context
Alcon Inc.
Surgical
Ophthalmic surgical devices (implantables, consumables, equipment) and related service/training
Global
Ophthalmic surgeons, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, group purchasing organizations
Medical device OEM with direct service, clinical support, and training
56%
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Warehouse club retail
Membership warehouse club retail (warehouse clubs, ancillary services, and e-commerce)
Global
Households and small businesses
Retailer (membership club)
98.1%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Alcon Inc. strengths
Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths
Segment mix
Alcon Inc. segments
Full profile >Surgical
Oligopoly
Vision Care
Oligopoly
Costco Wholesale Corporation segments
Full profile >Warehouse club retail
Oligopoly
Membership fees (subscription)
Oligopoly
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View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.