VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. vs Waters Corporation

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)$11.9B
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

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Waters Corporation leads (66 / 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); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • 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; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

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%

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Side-by-side metrics

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
BJ - New York Stock Exchange
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$11.9B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
18.6%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
3.9%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
2.7%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
Industry
Discount Stores
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise and Gasoline Sales
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-06
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Supply Chain ControlBrand Trust

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostPhysical Network DensityNegative Working CapitalFloat PrepaymentHabit Default

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsService Field Network

Segment mix

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchandise and Gasoline Sales

Oligopoly

97.8%

Membership Fee Income

Oligopoly

2.2%

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

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.

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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.