VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Barry Callebaut AG vs Paychex, Inc.

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

Barry Callebaut AG

BARN · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)$6.9B
Gross margin (TTM)11.1%
Operating margin (TTM)4.6%
Net margin (TTM)1.5%
SectorConsumer
IndustryFood Confectioners
CountryCH
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
63/ 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 Barry Callebaut AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BARN 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: Paychex, Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Barry Callebaut AG).
  • Segment focus: Barry Callebaut AG has 2 segments (68.7% in Global Chocolate); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: Barry Callebaut AG has 6 moat types across 2 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Barry Callebaut AG

Global Chocolate

Market

Chocolate ingredients and solutions (B2B) for food manufacturers and professional/artisan customers

Geography

Global

Customer

Industrial food manufacturers; professional/artisan users (chocolatiers, bakers, pastry chefs, foodservice)

Role

Ingredient manufacturer / solutions provider

Revenue share

68.7%

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

Barry Callebaut AG
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
BARN - SIX Swiss Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$6.9B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
11.1%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
4.6%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
1.5%
26.5%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Food Confectioners
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Global Chocolate
Management Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Barry Callebaut AG strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleSupply Chain ControlBrand TrustCost-plus pass-through modelScale Economies Unit CostPreferential Input Access

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Barry Callebaut AG segments

Full profile >

Global Chocolate

Oligopoly

68.7%

Global Cocoa

Oligopoly

31.3%

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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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.