BJ vs WSO Comparison

BJ's Wholesale Club, founded in 1984, operates a membership-based warehouse club model primarily along the US East Coast, with roughly 260 clubs and a growing domestic presence across 21 states. In fiscal 2025, the company generated over $21 billion in revenue. BJ's offers a value-oriented assortment skewed toward grocery, perishables, and consumables (72% of sales), general merchandise (11%), and gasoline (17%). Its business model is supported by recurring membership fee income and private-label brands such as Wellsley Farms and Berkley Jensen.

Watsco is the largest HVAC and refrigeration products distributor in North America with approximately 13% market share. The company primarily operates in the United States (90% of revenue) with significant exposure in the Sunbelt states. Watsco also has operations in Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The company's customer base comprises more than 120,000 dealers and contractors serving the replacement and new-construction HVAC/R markets for residential and light-commercial applications. As much as 20% of residential HVAC units are distributed through Watsco in any given year. Revenue is approximately 75%-80% residential HVAC and 20%-25% commercial, with relatively small exposure to more complex "applied" solutions.