VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs L'Oreal S.A.

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

L'Oreal S.A.

OR · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)
SectorConsumer
CountryFR
Data as of2025-12-31
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 L'Oreal S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View OR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score: both at 80 / 100.
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); L'Oreal S.A. has 4 segments (37% in Consumer Products Division).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; L'Oreal S.A. has 7 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%

L'Oreal S.A.

Consumer Products Division

Market

Mass-market beauty & personal care (skincare, haircare, makeup, hygiene)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers via mass retail, drugstores, supermarkets, and e-commerce

Role

Brand owner / marketer / manufacturer

Revenue share

37%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
L'Oreal S.A.
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
OR - Euronext Paris
Market cap (USD)
$379.8B
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
HQ country
US
FR
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Consumer Products Division
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
80 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-21
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostOperational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

L'Oreal S.A. strengths

Distribution ControlCapex Knowhow ScaleContractual ExclusivityService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageTraining Org Change Costs

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

L'Oreal S.A. segments

Full profile >

Consumer Products Division

Oligopoly

37%

L'Oreal Luxe Division

Oligopoly

36%

Dermatological Beauty Division

Oligopoly

16%

Professional Products Division

Oligopoly

11%

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.