VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Lifco AB (publ)

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

Lifco AB (publ)

LIFCO-B · Nasdaq Stockholm

Market cap (USD)$152.8B
Gross margin (TTM)43.9%
Operating margin (TTM)18.4%
Net margin (TTM)12.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryConglomerates
CountrySE
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
58/ 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 Lifco AB (publ)'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LIFCO-B analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Lifco AB (publ)).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Lifco AB (publ) has 3 segments (51.2% in Systems Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Lifco AB (publ) has 8 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%

Lifco AB (publ)

Systems Solutions

Market

Niche B2B systems solutions (contract manufacturing, environmental technology, infrastructure products, special products, transportation products)

Geography

Primarily Europe; global customers where applicable

Customer

B2B OEMs and industrial customers

Role

Niche manufacturer and systems solution provider

Revenue share

51.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
Lifco AB (publ)
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
LIFCO-B - Nasdaq Stockholm
Market cap (USD)
$388.7B
$152.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
12.9%
43.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
3.8%
18.4%
Net margin (TTM)
3%
12.8%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Discount Stores
Conglomerates
HQ country
US
SE
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Systems Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational ExcellenceBrand Trust

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostNegative Working CapitalHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Lifco AB (publ) strengths

Distribution ControlService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesData Workflow LockinCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In Qualification

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

Lifco AB (publ) segments

Full profile >

Dental

Oligopoly

24.1%

Demolition & Tools

Oligopoly

24.7%

Systems Solutions

Competitive

51.2%

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.