VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

ASM International N.V. vs Paychex, Inc.

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

ASM International N.V.

ASM · Euronext Amsterdam

Market cap (USD)$29.7B
Gross margin (TTM)51.9%
Operating margin (TTM)30.1%
Net margin (TTM)23.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySemiconductors
CountryNL
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
74/ 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 ASM International N.V.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ASM 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: ASM International N.V. leads (74 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: ASM International N.V. has 3 segments; Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: n/a vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: ASM International N.V. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

ASM International N.V.

ALD equipment

Market

Single-wafer atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment for semiconductor manufacturing

Geography

Global

Customer

Semiconductor manufacturers (logic/foundry, memory)

Role

Wafer fab equipment supplier

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

ASM International N.V.
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ASM - Euronext Amsterdam
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$29.7B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
51.9%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
30.1%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
23.9%
26.5%
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Semiconductors
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
NL
US
Primary segment
ALD equipment
Management Solutions
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
55%-60% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
n/a
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field Network

ASM International N.V. strengths

Learning Curve YieldDesign In QualificationIP Choke PointInstalled Base Consumables

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

ASM International N.V. segments

Full profile >

ALD equipment

Quasi-Monopoly

n/a

Silicon epitaxy equipment

Oligopoly

n/a

Spares and services

Quasi-Monopoly

n/a

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?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

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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.