VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs SBA Communications 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)$380.7B
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

SBA Communications Corporation

SBAC · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorReal Estate
IndustryREIT - Specialty
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
71/ 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 SBA Communications Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SBAC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for SBA Communications Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); SBA Communications Corporation has 3 segments (69.5% in Domestic Site Leasing).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; SBA Communications Corporation has 4 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%

SBA Communications Corporation

Domestic Site Leasing

Market

U.S. wireless macro tower leasing (multi-tenant co-location on communications towers)

Geography

United States and territories

Customer

Wireless service providers and other wireless network operators/tenants

Role

Independent tower owner/operator (REIT)

Revenue share

69.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
SBA Communications Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
SBAC - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$380.7B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
12.9%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
3.8%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
3%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Real Estate
Industry
Discount Stores
REIT - Specialty
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Domestic Site Leasing
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
16%-19% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
3,710
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit CostOperational Excellence

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Negative Working CapitalBrand TrustHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

SBA Communications Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

SBA Communications Corporation segments

Full profile >

Domestic Site Leasing

Oligopoly

69.5%

International Site Leasing

Oligopoly

24.8%

Site Development

Competitive

5.7%

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.