VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. vs Illinois Tool Works 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
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

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

ITW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
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 Illinois Tool Works Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ITW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Illinois Tool Works Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 2 segments (67.5% in Employer Services); Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 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%

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Automotive OEM

Market

Automotive OEM engineered components and fasteners

Geography

Global

Customer

Automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers

Role

Component supplier

Revenue share

20%

Side-by-side metrics

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ADP - NASDAQ
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$105B
n/a
Sector
Technology
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Employer Services
Automotive OEM
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
16.7% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply, Financial
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. strengths

Compliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostFloat PrepaymentRegulated Standards PipeSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk Pooling

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationOperational ExcellenceBrand TrustService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesFormulation and application engineering know-howIP Choke Point

Segment mix

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Employer Services

Oligopoly

67.5%

Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Services

Competitive

32.5%

Illinois Tool Works Inc. segments

Full profile >

Automotive OEM

Competitive

20%

Food Equipment

Oligopoly

16.6%

Test & Measurement and Electronics

Oligopoly

17.7%

Welding

Oligopoly

11.6%

Polymers & Fluids

Competitive

11.1%

Construction Products

Competitive

12%

Specialty Products

Oligopoly

10.9%

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.