VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. vs SBA Communications 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)$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

SBA Communications Corporation

SBAC · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorReal Estate
IndustryREIT - Specialty
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
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 SBA Communications Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SBAC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score: both at 71 / 100.
  • Segment focus: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 2 segments (67.5% in Employer Services); SBA Communications Corporation has 3 segments (69.5% in Domestic Site Leasing).
  • Moat breadth: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; SBA Communications Corporation has 4 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%

SBA Communications Corporation

Domestic Site Leasing

Market

U.S. wireless macro tower leasing (multi-tenant co-location on communications towers)

Geography

United States and territories

Customer

Wireless service providers and other wireless network operators/tenants

Role

Independent tower owner/operator (REIT)

Revenue share

69.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
SBA Communications Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ADP - NASDAQ
SBAC - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$102.7B
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
Real Estate
Industry
Staffing & Employment Services
REIT - Specialty
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Employer Services
Domestic Site Leasing
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16.7% (reported)
16%-19% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
3,710
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply, Financial
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralCompliance AdvantageFloat PrepaymentRegulated Standards PipeSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk Pooling

SBA Communications Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityLong Term ContractsOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Employer Services

Oligopoly

67.5%

Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Services

Competitive

32.5%

SBA Communications Corporation segments

Full profile >

Domestic Site Leasing

Oligopoly

69.5%

International Site Leasing

Oligopoly

24.8%

Site Development

Competitive

5.7%

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.