VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cochlear Limited vs Costco Wholesale Corporation

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

Cochlear Limited

COH · ASX

Market cap (USD)$17B
Gross margin (TTM)74.5%
Operating margin (TTM)22.7%
Net margin (TTM)16.2%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Devices
CountryAU
Data as of2026-01-04
Moat score
81/ 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 Cochlear Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View COH 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: Cochlear Limited leads (81 / 100 vs 80 / 100 for Costco Wholesale Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Cochlear Limited has 3 segments (62.4% in Cochlear Implants); Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Cochlear Limited has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

Cochlear Limited

Cochlear Implants

Market

Cochlear implant systems (internal implant + external sound processors) for severe-to-profound hearing loss

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals/ENT clinics and audiology programs (providers) serving implant candidates/recipients; reimbursed by public/private payers

Role

Medical device OEM / platform owner (implant + processor + fitting software + clinical support)

Revenue share

62.4%

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

Cochlear Limited
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
COH - ASX
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$17B
$388.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
74.5%
12.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
22.7%
3.8%
Net margin (TTM)
16.2%
3%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
Medical - Devices
Discount Stores
HQ country
AU
US
Primary segment
Cochlear Implants
Warehouse club retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
60%-65% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
81 / 100
80 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Financial, Demand
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Cochlear Limited strengths

Compliance AdvantageCapex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke PointService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesFormat Lock InData Workflow Lockin

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostOperational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Cochlear Limited segments

Full profile >

Cochlear Implants

Oligopoly

62.4%

Services

Monopoly

25.9%

Acoustics

Oligopoly

11.7%

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.