VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

CDW Corporation vs Costco Wholesale Corporation

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

CDW Corporation

CDW · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)21.6%
Operating margin (TTM)7.4%
Net margin (TTM)4.8%
SectorTechnology
IndustryInformation Technology Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
52/ 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 CDW Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CDW analysis

Costco Wholesale Corporation

COST · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$388.7B
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 52 / 100 for CDW Corporation).
  • Segment focus: CDW Corporation has 4 segments (42.1% in Corporate); Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: CDW Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

CDW Corporation

Corporate

Market

IT solutions provider / value-added reseller (VAR) + services for U.S. private-sector businesses (250+ employees)

Geography

United States

Customer

Private-sector enterprises (mid-market and large)

Role

Value-added reseller / systems integrator

Revenue share

42.1%

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

CDW Corporation
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CDW - NASDAQ
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$17.4B
$388.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
21.6%
12.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
7.4%
3.8%
Net margin (TTM)
4.8%
3%
Sector
Technology
Consumer
Industry
Information Technology Services
Discount Stores
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Corporate
Warehouse club retail
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Weak
Moat score
52 / 100
80 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Financial, Demand
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational Excellence

CDW Corporation strengths

Service Field NetworkScope EconomiesPreferential Input AccessProcurement InertiaGovernment Contracting Relationships

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostNegative Working CapitalBrand TrustHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

CDW Corporation segments

Full profile >

Corporate

Competitive

42.1%

Small Business

Competitive

7.3%

Public

Competitive

38.8%

Other (UK & Canada)

Competitive

11.8%

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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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.