VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs NIKE, 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)$437.3B
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

NIKE, Inc.

NKE · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$96.6B
Gross margin (TTM)41.1%
Operating margin (TTM)6.5%
Net margin (TTM)5.4%
SectorConsumer
IndustryApparel - Footwear & Accessories
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
Moat score
70/ 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 NIKE, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NKE analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for NIKE, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); NIKE, Inc. has 3 segments (57.8% in Wholesale).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; NIKE, Inc. has 6 across 4.

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%

NIKE, Inc.

Wholesale

Market

Branded athletic & casual footwear/apparel wholesale distribution

Geography

Global

Customer

Retailers, distributors, licensees

Role

Brand owner / wholesaler

Revenue share

57.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
NIKE, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
NKE - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$437.3B
$96.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
12.9%
41.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
3.8%
6.5%
Net margin (TTM)
3%
5.4%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Discount Stores
Apparel - Footwear & Accessories
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Wholesale
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Demand, Supply, Network, Legal
Last update
2025-12-21
2025-12-23

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit CostBrand Trust

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Operational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

NIKE, Inc. strengths

Procurement InertiaDistribution ControlEcosystem ComplementsIP Choke Point

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

NIKE, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Wholesale

Competitive

57.8%

Direct to Consumer (DTC)

Competitive

42.1%

Brand licensing & other

Competitive

0.2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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.