VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Stock Comparison
Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Pool 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
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 analysisPool Corporation
POOL · NASDAQ
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Pool Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View POOL analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
- Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Weak.
- Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Pool Corporation has 5 across 2.
Primary market context
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Warehouse club retail
Membership warehouse club retail (warehouse clubs, ancillary services, and e-commerce)
Global
Households and small businesses
Retailer (membership club)
98.1%
Pool Corporation
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Wholesale distribution of swimming pool, irrigation/landscape, and related outdoor living products
North America (majority), with operations in Europe and Australia
Pool builders/remodelers, pool service/repair professionals, specialty pool retailers, irrigation/landscape contractors, commercial pool operators
Distributor / wholesaler
100%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths
Pool Corporation strengths
Segment mix
Costco Wholesale Corporation segments
Full profile >Warehouse club retail
Oligopoly
Membership fees (subscription)
Oligopoly
Pool Corporation segments
Full profile >Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Competitive
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View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.