VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Stock Comparison
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
ADP · NASDAQ
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 analysisUlta Beauty, Inc.
ULTA · NASDAQ
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Ulta Beauty, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View ULTA analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 2 segments (67.5% in Employer Services); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.
Primary market context
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Employer Services
Payroll processing and cloud HCM (HR, time, talent, tax, benefits) software and outsourcing
Global
Businesses (SMB to large enterprise)
SaaS and managed services provider
67.5%
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Beauty Products Retail
U.S. beauty products retail (specialty omnichannel beauty retailer)
United States
Consumers (end-users) shopping in-store and online
Specialty retailer / distributor
94%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. strengths
Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. segments
Full profile >Employer Services
Oligopoly
Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Services
Competitive
Ulta Beauty, Inc. segments
Full profile >Beauty Products Retail
Competitive
Beauty Services
Competitive
Platform Monetization (Retail Media, Credit Cards, Partner Royalties, Deferred Revenue)
Competitive
Want the full wide moat stocks list?
Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.
View the moat stocks listLooking for expansion-stage stocks?
Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.
View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.