VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Lam Research Corporation

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)$379.8B
SectorConsumer
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

Lam Research Corporation

LRCX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorTechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
73/ 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 Lam Research Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LRCX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 73 / 100 for Lam Research Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Lam Research Corporation has 2 segments (62.3% in Systems).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Lam Research Corporation has 6 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%

Lam Research Corporation

Systems

Market

Wafer fabrication equipment (etch, deposition, clean and related wafer processing tools)

Geography

Global

Customer

Semiconductor manufacturers (memory, foundry, logic/IDM)

Role

Equipment OEM

Revenue share

62.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
Lam Research Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
LRCX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$379.8B
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Technology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
8%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-21
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostOperational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalBrand TrustHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Lam Research Corporation strengths

Design In QualificationCapex Knowhow ScaleLearning Curve YieldInstalled Base ConsumablesService Field NetworkData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

Lam Research Corporation segments

Full profile >

Systems

Oligopoly

62.3%

Customer Support Business Group (CSBG)

Quasi-Monopoly

37.7%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.