The Moat Index

COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW

COST · scored from FY2025 filings · Narrow moat

On the watchlist

74/ 100
Narrow moat

The four filters

Pricing power27

Median gross margin 12.9% over 10y, very stable.

Returns on capital100

Median ROIC 32.0%, above the 9% hurdle in 100% of years.

Balance-sheet safety100

Net cash position — no leverage risk.

Capital discipline77

Owner earnings +14.7%/yr, share count growing (dilution).

Margin of safety

Above valueOn sale
No price data
Owner earnings (normalized)
$6.3B
Est. intrinsic value / share
$255.52
Recent price
Discount to value
No price data

Conservative model: 9% discount rate, 4% assumed growth (capped at 4%), maintenance capex ≈ min(capex, D&A).

Moat Score history

Moat Score over time · 2 readings since 2026-07-17

Scores are logged append-only and never overwritten — this record can't be backfilled, which is exactly why it's worth keeping.

COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW (COST) Moat Score — The Moat Index · Buy Like Buffett