VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Vulcan Materials Company

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

Vulcan Materials Company

VMC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$38.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
73/ 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 Vulcan Materials Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VMC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 73 / 100 for Vulcan Materials Company).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Vulcan Materials Company has 3 segments (74.4% in Aggregates).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Vulcan Materials Company has 5 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%

Vulcan Materials Company

Aggregates

Market

Construction aggregates (crushed stone, sand & gravel)

Geography

United States (local/regional markets)

Customer

Construction contractors and public infrastructure agencies

Role

Upstream raw materials producer

Revenue share

74.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
Vulcan Materials Company
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
VMC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$380.7B
$38.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
12.9%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
3.8%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
3%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Materials
Industry
Discount Stores
Construction Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Aggregates
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
8%-11% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
80 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Operational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalBrand TrustHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Vulcan Materials Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayGeographic NaturalPhysical Network DensitySupply Chain Control

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

Vulcan Materials Company segments

Full profile >

Aggregates

Oligopoly

74.4%

Asphalt

Competitive

16.8%

Concrete

Competitive

8.8%

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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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.