VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Apple Inc. vs Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

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

Apple Inc.

AAPL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$3T
SectorTechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-20
Moat score
87/ 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 Apple Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AAPL analysis

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

ADP · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$105B
SectorTechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
71/ 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 Automatic Data Processing, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ADP analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Apple Inc. leads (87 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Automatic Data Processing, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Apple Inc. has 5 segments (50.4% in iPhone); Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 2 segments (67.5% in Employer Services).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Apple Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Apple Inc.

iPhone

Market

Smartphones (with focus on premium smartphones and iOS ecosystem devices)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers and enterprises (end-users), plus carrier/retail channels

Role

OEM / platform owner

Revenue share

50.4%

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

Employer Services

Market

Payroll processing and cloud HCM (HR, time, talent, tax, benefits) software and outsourcing

Geography

Global

Customer

Businesses (SMB to large enterprise)

Role

SaaS and managed services provider

Revenue share

67.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Apple Inc.
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AAPL - NASDAQ
ADP - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$3T
$105B
Sector
Technology
Technology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
iPhone
Employer Services
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
14%-17% (reported)
16.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
87 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Supply
Demand, Legal, Supply, Financial
Last update
2025-12-20
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Apple Inc. strengths

Brand TrustEcosystem ComplementsDefault OS GatewayTwo Sided NetworkInstalled Base Consumables

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. strengths

Compliance AdvantageFloat PrepaymentRegulated Standards PipeSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk Pooling

Segment mix

Apple Inc. segments

Full profile >

iPhone

Oligopoly

50.4%

Mac

Oligopoly

8.1%

iPad

Oligopoly

6.7%

Wearables, Home and Accessories

Competitive

8.6%

Services

Quasi-Monopoly

26.2%

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Employer Services

Oligopoly

67.5%

Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Services

Competitive

32.5%

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.