VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. vs Moody's Corporation

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

Moody's Corporation

MCO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
79/ 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 Moody's Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MCO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Moody's Corporation leads (79 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Automatic Data Processing, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 2 segments (67.5% in Employer Services); Moody's Corporation has 2 segments (53.5% in Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Moody's Corporation has 5 across 4.

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%

Moody's Corporation

Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)

Market

Credit ratings and ratings-related research

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, investors, regulators

Role

Credit rating agency / research provider

Revenue share

53.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Moody's Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ADP - NASDAQ
MCO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$105B
n/a
Sector
Technology
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Employer Services
Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16.7% (reported)
29%-32% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
3,568
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
71 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply, Financial
Legal, Network, Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Regulated Standards Pipe

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostFloat PrepaymentSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk Pooling

Moody's Corporation strengths

De Facto StandardBrand TrustData 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%

Moody's Corporation segments

Full profile >

Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)

Oligopoly

53.5%

Moody's Analytics (Risk & Data/Software)

Competitive

46.5%

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.