VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

ABB Ltd vs Paychex, Inc.

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

ABB Ltd

ABBN · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)$110.1B
Gross margin (TTM)39.4%
Operating margin (TTM)17.2%
Net margin (TTM)12.9%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryElectrical Equipment & Parts
CountryCH
Data as of2025-12-31
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 ABB Ltd's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ABBN 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: ABB Ltd leads (73 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: ABB Ltd has 4 segments (46.2% in Electrification); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: ABB Ltd has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

ABB Ltd

Electrification

Market

Low- and medium-voltage electrification equipment and solutions

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B/B2G

Role

Manufacturer and solutions provider; channel-led distribution; after-sales service

Revenue share

46.2%

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

ABB Ltd
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ABBN - SIX Swiss Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$110.1B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
39.4%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.2%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
12.9%
26.5%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Electrical Equipment & Parts
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Electrification
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
Supply, Demand, Network
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkData Workflow Lockin

ABB Ltd strengths

Distribution ControlBrand TrustInstalled Base ConsumablesEcosystem Complements

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

ABB Ltd segments

Full profile >

Electrification

Oligopoly

46.2%

Motion

Oligopoly

22%

Process Automation

Oligopoly

20.5%

Robotics & Discrete Automation

Oligopoly

9.8%

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?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

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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.