VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. vs United Parcel Service, 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

United Parcel Service, Inc.

UPS · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$86.5B
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
72/ 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 United Parcel Service, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UPS analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: United Parcel Service, Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Automatic Data Processing, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 2 segments (67.5% in Employer Services); United Parcel Service, Inc. has 3 segments (66.3% in U.S. Domestic Package).
  • Moat breadth: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; United Parcel Service, 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%

United Parcel Service, Inc.

U.S. Domestic Package

Market

U.S. small parcel and time-definite package delivery

Geography

United States

Customer

B2B and B2C shippers (including e-commerce)

Role

Integrated parcel carrier (pickup, sort, linehaul, last-mile)

Revenue share

66.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
United Parcel Service, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ADP - NASDAQ
UPS - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$105B
$86.5B
Sector
Technology
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Employer Services
U.S. Domestic Package
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16.7% (reported)
34.3% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
2,639
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply, Financial
Supply, Financial, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralCompliance AdvantageFloat PrepaymentRegulated Standards PipeSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk Pooling

United Parcel Service, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityBenchmark Pricing PowerData Workflow LockinBrand TrustService Field NetworkOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Segment mix

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Employer Services

Oligopoly

67.5%

Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Services

Competitive

32.5%

United Parcel Service, Inc. segments

Full profile >

U.S. Domestic Package

Oligopoly

66.3%

International Package

Oligopoly

19.7%

Supply Chain Solutions

Competitive

14%

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.