VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

AMETEK, Inc. vs Costco Wholesale Corporation

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

AMETEK, Inc.

AME · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$47.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
66/ 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 AMETEK, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AME 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 66 / 100 for AMETEK, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: AMETEK, Inc. has 2 segments (67.1% in Electronic Instruments Group (EIG)); 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: AMETEK, Inc. has 3 moat types across 1 domains; Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

AMETEK, Inc.

Electronic Instruments Group (EIG)

Market

Advanced analytical, test and measurement instruments

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B (process, industrial, aerospace, medical, research)

Role

Instrument/OEM supplier

Revenue share

67.1%

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

AMETEK, Inc.
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AME - New York Stock Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$47.3B
$380.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
12.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
3.8%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
3%
Sector
Industrials
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Discount Stores
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Electronic Instruments Group (EIG)
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
66 / 100
80 / 100
Moat domains
Supply
Supply, Financial, Demand
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational Excellence

AMETEK, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleScope Economies

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostNegative Working CapitalBrand TrustHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

AMETEK, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Electronic Instruments Group (EIG)

Oligopoly

67.1%

Electromechanical Group (EMG)

Competitive

32.9%

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.