VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. vs AMETEK, Inc.

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

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

ADP · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$102.7B
Gross margin (TTM)49.3%
Operating margin (TTM)19.2%
Net margin (TTM)19.8%
SectorTechnology
IndustryStaffing & Employment Services
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

AMETEK, Inc.

AME · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$47.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
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 AMETEK, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AME analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for AMETEK, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 2 segments (67.5% in Employer Services); AMETEK, Inc. has 2 segments (67.1% in Electronic Instruments Group (EIG)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; AMETEK, Inc. has 3 across 1.

Primary market context

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%

AMETEK, Inc.

Electronic Instruments Group (EIG)

Market

Advanced analytical, test and measurement instruments

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B (process, industrial, aerospace, medical, research)

Role

Instrument/OEM supplier

Revenue share

67.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
AMETEK, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ADP - NASDAQ
AME - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$102.7B
$47.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
49.3%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
19.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
19.8%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Staffing & Employment Services
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Employer Services
Electronic Instruments Group (EIG)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16.7% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
71 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply, Financial
Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostFloat PrepaymentRegulated Standards PipeSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk Pooling

AMETEK, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Segment mix

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Employer Services

Oligopoly

67.5%

Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Services

Competitive

32.5%

AMETEK, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Electronic Instruments Group (EIG)

Oligopoly

67.1%

Electromechanical Group (EMG)

Competitive

32.9%

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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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.