VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Tesla, 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)$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

Tesla, Inc.

TSLA · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$1.5T
Gross margin (TTM)17%
Operating margin (TTM)4.7%
Net margin (TTM)5.5%
SectorConsumer
IndustryAuto - Manufacturers
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
75/ 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 Tesla, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TSLA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 75 / 100 for Tesla, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Tesla, Inc. has 3 segments (78.9% in Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Tesla, Inc. has 9 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%

Tesla, Inc.

Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)

Market

Battery-electric passenger vehicles (BEV) and connected vehicle software

Geography

United States (market share datapoint); global competition

Customer

Consumers and small fleets

Role

OEM (design, manufacture, direct-to-consumer sales)

Revenue share

78.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
Tesla, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
TSLA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$388.7B
$1.5T
Gross margin (TTM)
12.9%
17%
Operating margin (TTM)
3.8%
4.7%
Net margin (TTM)
3%
5.5%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Discount Stores
Auto - Manufacturers
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
56.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Network, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit CostBrand Trust

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Operational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Tesla, Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsCapex Knowhow ScalePhysical Network DensityService Field NetworkSwitching Costs GeneralScope EconomiesData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

Tesla, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)

Competitive

78.9%

Services and Other (Supercharging + after-sales + used vehicles + insurance)

Quasi-Monopoly

10.8%

Energy Generation and Storage (Megapack + Powerwall + solar)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.