VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Graco Inc.

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)$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

Graco Inc.

GGG · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$13.8B
Gross margin (TTM)52.3%
Operating margin (TTM)26.6%
Net margin (TTM)22.7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
67/ 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 Graco Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GGG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 67 / 100 for Graco Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Graco Inc. has 3 segments (49.4% in Contractor).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Graco Inc. has 7 across 2.

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%

Graco Inc.

Contractor

Market

Professional and prosumer paint/coatings application equipment (airless sprayers, texture sprayers, line stripers, plural-component proportioners)

Geography

Global

Customer

Professional contractors and trades; DIY consumers via retail channels

Role

Equipment OEM / brand owner

Revenue share

49.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
Graco Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
GGG - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$388.7B
$13.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
12.9%
52.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
3.8%
26.6%
Net margin (TTM)
3%
22.7%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Discount Stores
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Contractor
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
67 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational ExcellenceBrand Trust

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostNegative Working CapitalHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Graco Inc. strengths

Distribution ControlService Field NetworkDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesScope Economies

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

Graco Inc. segments

Full profile >

Contractor

Oligopoly

49.4%

Industrial

Oligopoly

43.1%

Expansion Markets

Competitive

7.5%

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.