VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Walmart 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)$379.8B
SectorConsumer
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

Walmart Inc.

WMT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$894.3B
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
77/ 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 Walmart Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WMT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 77 / 100 for Walmart Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); Walmart Inc. has 3 segments (68.3% in Walmart U.S.).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Walmart Inc. has 6 across 4.

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%

Walmart Inc.

Walmart U.S.

Market

U.S. omnichannel discount retail and grocery (supercenters, neighborhood markets, eCommerce)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers and small businesses; marketplace sellers and advertisers (for marketplace and retail media offerings)

Role

Retailer / marketplace operator / last-mile fulfillment network

Revenue share

68.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
Walmart Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
WMT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$379.8B
$894.3B
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Walmart U.S.
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
20%-22% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Weak
Moat score
80 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Supply, Demand, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-21
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit CostHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Operational ExcellenceNegative Working CapitalBrand Trust

Walmart Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensitySupply Chain ControlEcosystem Complements

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

Walmart Inc. segments

Full profile >

Walmart U.S.

Competitive

68.3%

Walmart International

Competitive

18.1%

Sam's Club U.S.

Oligopoly

13.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.