VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Friday, January 2, 2026
Stock Comparison
Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Fastenal Company
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Costco Wholesale Corporation
COST · Nasdaq Global Select Market
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 analysisFastenal Company
FAST · Nasdaq Stock Market
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Fastenal Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View FAST analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
- Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Fastenal Company has 3 segments (54.5% in Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Weak.
- Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Fastenal Company has 5 across 2.
Primary market context
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Warehouse club retail
Membership warehouse club retail (warehouse clubs, ancillary services, and e-commerce)
Global
Households and small businesses
Retailer (membership club)
98.1%
Fastenal Company
Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)
Industrial & construction supplies distribution (MRO/OEM consumables) via local branches
North America (primary) + select international
B2B
Distributor / MRO supplier
54.5%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths
Fastenal Company strengths
Segment mix
Costco Wholesale Corporation segments
Full profile >Warehouse club retail
Oligopoly
Membership fees (subscription)
Oligopoly
Fastenal Company segments
Full profile >Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)
Competitive
Onsite solutions (embedded customer locations)
Competitive
Other / non-traditional sales (services & custom manufacturing)
Competitive
Want the full wide moat stocks list?
Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.
View the moat stocks listCuration & 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.