VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Stock Comparison
Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Waste Management, 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
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 analysisWaste Management, Inc.
WM · 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 Waste Management, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View WM analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 79 / 100 for Waste Management, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Waste Management, Inc. has 4 segments (82.2% in Collection and Disposal).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
- Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Waste Management, Inc. has 7 across 3.
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%
Waste Management, Inc.
Collection and Disposal
Municipal, commercial, and industrial solid waste collection, transfer, and landfill disposal
North America (primarily US and Canada)
Municipalities and end-customers (residential, commercial, industrial) via direct and contract channels
Integrated hauler + transfer + landfill owner/operator
82.2%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths
Waste Management, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Costco Wholesale Corporation segments
Full profile >Warehouse club retail
Oligopoly
Membership fees (subscription)
Oligopoly
Waste Management, Inc. segments
Full profile >Collection and Disposal
Oligopoly
Recycling Processing and Sales
Competitive
WM Renewable Energy
Competitive
WM Healthcare Solutions
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.