VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. vs Ecolab 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)$105B
Gross margin (TTM)49.3%
Operating margin (TTM)19.2%
Net margin (TTM)19.8%
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

Ecolab Inc.

ECL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)—
Gross margin (TTM)44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.3%
Net margin (TTM)12.5%
SectorMaterials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
63/ 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 Ecolab Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ECL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 2 segments (67.5% in Employer Services); Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial).
  • Moat breadth: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Ecolab Inc. has 7 across 3.

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%

Ecolab Inc.

Global Industrial

Market

Industrial water treatment & process chemistry (incl. food & beverage processing and pulp & paper process aids)

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B

Role

formulator + on-site service/optimization provider

Revenue share

49.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Ecolab Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ADP - NASDAQ
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$105B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
49.3%
44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
19.2%
17.3%
Net margin (TTM)
19.8%
12.5%
Sector
Technology
Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Employer Services
Global Industrial
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16.7% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply, Financial
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance Advantage

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralScale Economies Unit CostFloat PrepaymentRegulated Standards PipeSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk Pooling

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

Segment mix

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Employer Services

Oligopoly

67.5%

Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Services

Competitive

32.5%

Ecolab Inc. segments

Full profile >

Global Industrial

Oligopoly

49.5%

Global Institutional & Specialty

Oligopoly

34.1%

Global Healthcare & Life Sciences

Oligopoly

9%

Global Pest Elimination

Oligopoly

7.4%

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.