VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Tencent Holdings Limited vs Paychex, Inc.

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

Tencent Holdings Limited

0700.HK · Hong Kong Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$5.7T
Gross margin (TTM)54.9%
Operating margin (TTM)31.8%
Net margin (TTM)29.9%
SectorCommunication Services
IndustryInternet Content & Information
CountryCN
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
73/ 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 Tencent Holdings Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 0700.HK analysis

Paychex, Inc.

PAYX · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)37.1%
Net margin (TTM)26.5%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryStaffing & Employment Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-04
Moat score
66/ 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 Paychex, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View PAYX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Tencent Holdings Limited leads (73 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Tencent Holdings Limited has 4 segments (48.3% in Value-Added Services (VAS)); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: Tencent Holdings Limited has 6 moat types across 2 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Tencent Holdings Limited

Value-Added Services (VAS)

Market

Consumer social platforms and digital entertainment (online games, subscriptions, virtual items, digital content)

Geography

Mainland China (core) + Global (games)

Customer

Consumers

Role

Platform/operator + content publisher

Revenue share

48.3%

Paychex, Inc.

Management Solutions

Market

Payroll processing and integrated HCM solutions for SMB and mid-market employers

Geography

United States (primarily)

Customer

Employers (SMB and mid-market)

Role

HCM SaaS + outsourced payroll/HR service provider

Revenue share

73%

Side-by-side metrics

Tencent Holdings Limited
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
0700.HK - Hong Kong Stock Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$5.7T
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
54.9%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
31.8%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
29.9%
26.5%
Sector
Communication Services
Industrials
Industry
Internet Content & Information
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
CN
US
Primary segment
Value-Added Services (VAS)
Management Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
73 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Tencent Holdings Limited strengths

Direct Network EffectsEcosystem ComplementsDistribution ControlTwo Sided NetworkData Network EffectsCapex Knowhow Scale

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Tencent Holdings Limited segments

Full profile >

Value-Added Services (VAS)

Oligopoly

48.3%

Marketing Services

Oligopoly

18.4%

FinTech and Business Services

Oligopoly

32.1%

Others

Competitive

1.2%

Paychex, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Management Solutions

Oligopoly

73%

PEO and Insurance Solutions

Competitive

24.1%

Client funds float (interest on funds held for clients)

Oligopoly

2.9%

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.