VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Wednesday, January 7, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Alibaba Group Holding Limited vs Paychex, Inc.

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

Alibaba Group Holding Limited

9988.HK · The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited

Market cap (USD)$2.8T
Gross margin (TTM)41.2%
Operating margin (TTM)10.9%
Net margin (TTM)12.2%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryKY
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
56/ 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 Alibaba Group Holding Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 9988.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: Paychex, Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Alibaba Group Holding Limited).
  • Segment focus: Alibaba Group Holding Limited has 7 segments (41% in Taobao and Tmall Group); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: Alibaba Group Holding Limited has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Alibaba Group Holding Limited

Taobao and Tmall Group

Market

China online retail marketplaces & merchant services (Taobao, Tmall, 1688)

Geography

China

Customer

Consumers and merchants/brands

Role

Marketplace + advertising/merchant services

Revenue share

41%

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

Alibaba Group Holding Limited
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
9988.HK - The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$2.8T
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
41.2%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
10.9%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
12.2%
26.5%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Specialty Retail
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
KY
US
Primary segment
Taobao and Tmall Group
Management Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
56 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Alibaba Group Holding Limited strengths

Two Sided NetworkEcosystem ComplementsCapex Knowhow ScaleSupply Chain ControlBrand Trust

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Alibaba Group Holding Limited segments

Full profile >

Taobao and Tmall Group

Oligopoly

41%

Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group

Competitive

12.1%

Cloud Intelligence Group (Alibaba Cloud)

Oligopoly

10.8%

Cainiao Smart Logistics Network Limited

Competitive

9.2%

Local Services Group

Oligopoly

6.1%

Digital Media and Entertainment Group

Competitive

2%

All Others

Competitive

18.8%

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?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

View expansion-stage stocks

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.