VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Stock Comparison
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
APD · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View APD analysisPaychex, Inc.
PAYX · NASDAQ Global Select Market
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 analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. leads (70 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has 3 segments (51.3% in On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.
Primary market context
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)
On-site supply of industrial gases (oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, etc.)
Global
Large-volume industrial customers (refining, chemicals, metals, electronics)
Producer / operator of on-site plants and pipeline networks
51.3%
Paychex, Inc.
Management Solutions
Payroll processing and integrated HCM solutions for SMB and mid-market employers
United States (primarily)
Employers (SMB and mid-market)
HCM SaaS + outsourced payroll/HR service provider
73%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
No overlap yet.
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. strengths
Paychex, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. segments
Full profile >On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)
Oligopoly
Merchant gases (liquid bulk + packaged)
Competitive
Industrial gases equipment (cryogenic & gas processing)
Competitive
Paychex, Inc. segments
Full profile >Management Solutions
Oligopoly
PEO and Insurance Solutions
Competitive
Client funds float (interest on funds held for clients)
Oligopoly
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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.