VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs L3Harris Technologies, 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)$380.7B
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

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

LHX · NYSE

Market cap (USD)$55.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
72/ 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 L3Harris Technologies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LHX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for L3Harris Technologies, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); L3Harris Technologies, Inc. has 4 segments (31.9% in Space & Airborne Systems).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; L3Harris Technologies, Inc. has 8 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%

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Space & Airborne Systems

Market

Defense & intelligence space and airborne mission systems (payloads, sensors, avionics, mission networks)

Geography

Global (U.S.-centric demand)

Customer

Government defense/intelligence agencies, prime contractors, and allied governments

Role

Prime contractor / subsystem integrator

Revenue share

31.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
LHX - NYSE
Market cap (USD)
$380.7B
$55.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
12.9%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
3.8%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
3%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Discount Stores
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Space & Airborne Systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostOperational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalBrand TrustHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

L3Harris Technologies, Inc. strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsDesign In QualificationCompliance AdvantageSwitching Costs GeneralCapex Knowhow ScaleProcurement InertiaCapacity MoatKeystone Component

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

L3Harris Technologies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Space & Airborne Systems

Oligopoly

31.9%

Integrated Mission Systems

Oligopoly

31.8%

Communication Systems

Oligopoly

25.4%

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Duopoly

10.9%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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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.