VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. vs Fastenal Company

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

Fastenal Company

FAST · Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
60/ 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 Fastenal Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View FAST analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 2 segments (67.5% in Employer Services); Fastenal Company has 3 segments (54.5% in Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Fastenal Company has 5 across 2.

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%

Fastenal Company

Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)

Market

Industrial & construction supplies distribution (MRO/OEM consumables) via local branches

Geography

North America (primary) + select international

Customer

B2B

Role

Distributor / MRO supplier

Revenue share

54.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Fastenal Company
Ticker / Exchange
ADP - NASDAQ
FAST - Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
$105B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
49.3%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
19.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
19.8%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Employer Services
Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
16.7% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
71 / 100
60 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply, Financial
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. strengths

Compliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostFloat PrepaymentRegulated Standards PipeSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk Pooling

Fastenal Company strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceData Workflow LockinScope Economies

Segment mix

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Employer Services

Oligopoly

67.5%

Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Services

Competitive

32.5%

Fastenal Company segments

Full profile >

Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)

Competitive

54.5%

Onsite solutions (embedded customer locations)

Competitive

42.4%

Other / non-traditional sales (services & custom manufacturing)

Competitive

3.1%

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.