VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Sea Limited

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)$388.7B
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

Sea Limited

SE · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$82.8B
Gross margin (TTM)44.9%
Operating margin (TTM)8.2%
Net margin (TTM)6.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountrySG
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
69/ 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 Sea Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SE analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 69 / 100 for Sea Limited).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Sea Limited has 3 segments (73.8% in Shopee (E-commerce)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Sea Limited has 6 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%

Sea Limited

Shopee (E-commerce)

Market

E-commerce marketplace and related value-added services

Geography

Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Brazil

Customer

Consumers and sellers

Role

Marketplace operator

Revenue share

73.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
Sea Limited
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
SE - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$388.7B
$82.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
12.9%
44.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
3.8%
8.2%
Net margin (TTM)
3%
6.8%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Discount Stores
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
SG
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Shopee (E-commerce)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
52% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
69 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Network, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostOperational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalBrand TrustHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Sea Limited strengths

Two Sided NetworkDistribution ControlEcosystem ComplementsRegulated Standards PipeDirect Network EffectsContractual Exclusivity

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

Sea Limited segments

Full profile >

Shopee (E-commerce)

Oligopoly

73.8%

SeaMoney (Digital Financial Services)

Competitive

14.1%

Garena (Digital Entertainment)

Competitive

11.4%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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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.