VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Thursday, January 8, 2026

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Stock Comparison

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. vs Ecolab Inc.

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

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.

BJ · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$12.3B
Gross margin (TTM)18.6%
Operating margin (TTM)3.9%
Net margin (TTM)2.7%
SectorConsumer
IndustryDiscount Stores
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
60/ 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 BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BJ analysis

Ecolab Inc.

ECL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$74.6B
Gross margin (TTM)44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.3%
Net margin (TTM)12.5%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
63/ 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 Ecolab Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ECL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Ecolab Inc. leads (63 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. has 2 segments (97.8% in Merchandise and Gasoline Sales); Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Ecolab Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.

Merchandise and Gasoline Sales

Market

Membership warehouse club retail (groceries, fresh foods, general merchandise, gasoline, ancillary services)

Geography

United States (primarily Eastern U.S.)

Customer

Households and small businesses (members)

Role

Retailer / warehouse club operator

Revenue share

97.8%

Ecolab Inc.

Global Industrial

Market

Industrial water treatment & process chemistry (incl. food & beverage processing and pulp & paper process aids)

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B

Role

formulator + on-site service/optimization provider

Revenue share

49.5%

Side-by-side metrics

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.
Ecolab Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
BJ - New York Stock Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$12.3B
$74.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
18.6%
44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
3.9%
17.3%
Net margin (TTM)
2.7%
12.5%
Sector
Consumer
Materials
Industry
Discount Stores
Chemicals - Specialty
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise and Gasoline Sales
Global Industrial
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-06
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostSupply Chain ControlPhysical Network DensityNegative Working CapitalFloat PrepaymentHabit Default

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

Segment mix

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchandise and Gasoline Sales

Oligopoly

97.8%

Membership Fee Income

Oligopoly

2.2%

Ecolab Inc. segments

Full profile >

Global Industrial

Oligopoly

49.5%

Global Institutional & Specialty

Oligopoly

34.1%

Global Healthcare & Life Sciences

Oligopoly

9%

Global Pest Elimination

Oligopoly

7.4%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.