VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

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

Costco Wholesale Corporation

COST · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$379.8B
SectorConsumer
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

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

EW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$50B
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
82/ 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 Edwards Lifesciences Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View EW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation leads (82 / 100 vs 80 / 100 for Costco Wholesale Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Edwards Lifesciences Corporation has 3 segments (75.5% in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Edwards Lifesciences Corporation has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

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%

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Market

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) devices

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and structural heart centers

Role

Medical device manufacturer

Revenue share

75.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
EW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$379.8B
$50B
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
60%-73% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
82 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-21
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostOperational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation strengths

Training Org Change CostsRegulated Standards PipeIP Choke PointCompliance AdvantageSupply Chain Control

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation segments

Full profile >

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Oligopoly

75.5%

Transcatheter Mitral and Tricuspid Therapies (TMTT)

Competitive

6.5%

Surgical Structural Heart

Oligopoly

18%

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.