VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Lowe's Companies, 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)$410.5B
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

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

LOW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$149.9B
Gross margin (TTM)31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)12.1%
Net margin (TTM)8.1%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHome Improvement
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
48/ 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 Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LOW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 48 / 100 for Lowe's Companies, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 5 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%

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Market

U.S. home improvement retail and related services (DIY and Pro; omnichannel)

Geography

United States

Customer

DIY consumers and small-to-medium professional contractors

Role

Omnichannel retailer and distributor

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
LOW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$410.5B
$149.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
12.9%
31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
3.8%
12.1%
Net margin (TTM)
3%
8.1%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Discount Stores
Home Improvement
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Weak
Moat score
80 / 100
48 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational ExcellenceHabit Default

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostNegative Working CapitalBrand TrustFloat Prepayment

Lowe's Companies, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensitySupply Chain ControlScope Economies

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

Lowe's Companies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Competitive

100%

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.