VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Stock Comparison
Costco Wholesale Corporation vs UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
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 analysisUnitedHealth Group Incorporated
UNH · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into UnitedHealth Group Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View UNH analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated).
- Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has 4 segments (74.9% in UnitedHealthcare).
- Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 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%
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
UnitedHealthcare
U.S. health benefits / managed care (commercial, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care)
United States (primarily)
Employers, individuals, and government-sponsored programs
Health insurer / managed care organization
74.9%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated strengths
Segment mix
Costco Wholesale Corporation segments
Full profile >Warehouse club retail
Oligopoly
Membership fees (subscription)
Oligopoly
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated segments
Full profile >UnitedHealthcare
Oligopoly
Optum Health
Competitive
Optum Insight
Competitive
Optum Rx
Oligopoly
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View the moat stocks listCuration & 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.