VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

CoStar Group, Inc. vs Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

CoStar Group, Inc.

CSGP · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$24.8B
Gross margin (TTM)79.3%
Operating margin (TTM)-2.7%
Net margin (TTM)0.7%
SectorReal Estate
IndustryReal Estate - Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
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 CoStar Group, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSGP analysis

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

LOW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$149.9B
Gross margin (TTM)31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)12.1%
Net margin (TTM)8.1%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHome Improvement
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
48/ 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 Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LOW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: CoStar Group, Inc. leads (75 / 100 vs 48 / 100 for Lowe's Companies, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: CoStar Group, Inc. has 6 segments (39% in Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)); Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: CoStar Group, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

CoStar Group, Inc.

Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)

Market

Online multifamily rental marketplaces and advertising

Geography

United States

Customer

Two-sided (renters + property managers/owners)

Role

Marketplace (subscription advertising + workflow tools)

Revenue share

39%

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Market

U.S. home improvement retail and related services (DIY and Pro; omnichannel)

Geography

United States

Customer

DIY consumers and small-to-medium professional contractors

Role

Omnichannel retailer and distributor

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

CoStar Group, Inc.
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CSGP - NASDAQ
LOW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$24.8B
$149.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
79.3%
31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
-2.7%
12.1%
Net margin (TTM)
0.7%
8.1%
Sector
Real Estate
Consumer
Industry
Real Estate - Services
Home Improvement
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)
Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Weak
Moat score
75 / 100
48 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Network, Demand, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

CoStar Group, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleData Network EffectsData Workflow LockinDe Facto StandardIP Choke PointTwo Sided NetworkBrand TrustSuite BundlingEcosystem Complements

Lowe's Companies, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensitySupply Chain ControlOperational ExcellenceScope EconomiesHabit Default

Segment mix

CoStar Group, Inc. segments

Full profile >

CoStar (commercial real estate info & analytics)

Oligopoly

37.3%

Information Services (lease management software + international info)

Competitive

5%

Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)

Oligopoly

39%

LoopNet (commercial property marketing marketplace)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Residential (Homes.com + OnTheMarket)

Oligopoly

3.7%

Other Marketplaces (Ten-X, Land.com, BizBuySell, etc.)

Competitive

4.8%

Lowe's Companies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

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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.