VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Stock Comparison
American Express Company vs Costco Wholesale Corporation
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
American Express Company
AXP · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into American Express Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View AXP analysisCostco 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 52 / 100 for American Express Company).
- Segment focus: American Express Company has 4 segments (47.5% in U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)); Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail).
- Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: n/a vs Weak.
- Moat breadth: American Express Company has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 across 3.
Primary market context
American Express Company
U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)
U.S. premium consumer card issuing (charge and credit) and attached consumer banking and financing
United States
Consumers
Issuer (proprietary cards) and consumer lender/services
47.5%
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
American Express Company strengths
Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths
Segment mix
American Express Company segments
Full profile >U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)
Competitive
Commercial Services (CS)
Competitive
International Card Services (ICS)
Competitive
Global Merchant and Network Services (GMNS)
Oligopoly
Costco Wholesale Corporation segments
Full profile >Warehouse club retail
Oligopoly
Membership fees (subscription)
Oligopoly
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View the moat stocks listCuration & 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.