VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

ASX Limited vs Paychex, Inc.

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

ASX Limited

ASX · ASX

Market cap (USD)$9.8B
Gross margin (TTM)75.4%
Operating margin (TTM)94.8%
Net margin (TTM)40.9%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryAU
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
80/ 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 ASX Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ASX 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: ASX Limited leads (80 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: ASX Limited has 4 segments (31.5% in Markets); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: ASX Limited has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

ASX Limited

Markets

Market

Trading venues for Australian cash equities and exchange-traded derivatives (futures, options)

Geography

Australia

Customer

Brokers/market participants, proprietary trading firms, institutional investors

Role

Market operator / trading venue

Revenue share

31.5%

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

ASX Limited
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ASX - ASX
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$9.8B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
75.4%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
94.8%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
40.9%
26.5%
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
AU
US
Primary segment
Markets
Management Solutions
Market structure
Duopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
80%-84% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
6,500
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Network, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinSwitching Costs General

ASX Limited strengths

Concession LicenseTwo Sided Network

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

ASX Limited segments

Full profile >

Listings

Quasi-Monopoly

18.8%

Markets

Duopoly

31.5%

Technology & Data

Competitive

24.9%

Securities & Payments

Monopoly

24.8%

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.