VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Airbus SE vs Paychex, Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Airbus SE

AIR · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$164.9B
Gross margin (TTM)15.5%
Operating margin (TTM)7.8%
Net margin (TTM)7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryNL
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
91/ 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 Airbus SE's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AIR analysis

Paychex, Inc.

PAYX · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)37.1%
Net margin (TTM)26.5%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryStaffing & Employment Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-04
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 Paychex, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View PAYX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Airbus SE leads (91 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Airbus SE has 3 segments (71.7% in Commercial Aircraft); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Airbus SE has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Airbus SE

Commercial Aircraft

Market

Large commercial jet aircraft manufacturing (narrowbody and widebody)

Geography

Global

Customer

Airlines and aircraft lessors

Role

OEM / integrator

Revenue share

71.7%

Paychex, Inc.

Management Solutions

Market

Payroll processing and integrated HCM solutions for SMB and mid-market employers

Geography

United States (primarily)

Customer

Employers (SMB and mid-market)

Role

HCM SaaS + outsourced payroll/HR service provider

Revenue share

73%

Side-by-side metrics

Airbus SE
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AIR - Euronext Paris
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$164.9B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
15.5%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
7.8%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
7%
26.5%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
NL
US
Primary segment
Commercial Aircraft
Management Solutions
Market structure
Duopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
68.8% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
5,704
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
91 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field Network

Airbus SE strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleTraining Org Change CostsLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting Relationships

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Airbus SE segments

Full profile >

Commercial Aircraft

Duopoly

71.7%

Helicopters

Oligopoly

11.2%

Defence and Space

Oligopoly

17.1%

Paychex, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Management Solutions

Oligopoly

73%

PEO and Insurance Solutions

Competitive

24.1%

Client funds float (interest on funds held for clients)

Oligopoly

2.9%

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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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.