VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Adobe Inc. vs Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

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

Adobe Inc.

ADBE · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$149B
SectorTechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
68/ 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 Adobe Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ADBE 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: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for Adobe Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Adobe Inc. has 3 segments (74.3% in Digital Media); 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: Adobe Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Adobe Inc.

Digital Media

Market

Creative content creation and document productivity software subscriptions

Geography

Global

Customer

Individuals, SMB, enterprise

Role

Software platform

Revenue share

74.3%

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

Adobe Inc.
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ADBE - NASDAQ
ADP - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$149B
$105B
Sector
Technology
Technology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Digital Media
Employer Services
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
16.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
68 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network
Demand, Legal, Supply, Financial
Last update
2025-12-22
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Suite Bundling

Adobe Inc. strengths

Ecosystem ComplementsDe Facto StandardData Workflow Lockin

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostFloat PrepaymentRegulated Standards PipeUnderwriting Risk Pooling

Segment mix

Adobe Inc. segments

Full profile >

Digital Media

Oligopoly

74.3%

Digital Experience

Competitive

24.7%

Publishing and Advertising

Competitive

1.1%

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.