VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Colgate-Palmolive Company vs Paychex, Inc.

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

Colgate-Palmolive Company

CL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$62B
Gross margin (TTM)60.2%
Operating margin (TTM)21.7%
Net margin (TTM)14.5%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHousehold & Personal Products
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
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 Colgate-Palmolive Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CL 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: Colgate-Palmolive Company leads (74 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Colgate-Palmolive Company has 4 segments (43% in Oral Care); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: Colgate-Palmolive Company has 2 moat types across 2 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Oral Care

Market

Oral care products (toothpaste, manual toothbrushes, mouthwash)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers; also dentists and oral health professionals (pharma dental products)

Role

Branded consumer products manufacturer

Revenue share

43%

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

Colgate-Palmolive Company
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CL - New York Stock Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$62B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
60.2%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
21.7%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
14.5%
26.5%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Oral Care
Management Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
41.4% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Colgate-Palmolive Company strengths

Brand TrustDistribution Control

Paychex, Inc. strengths

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

Segment mix

Colgate-Palmolive Company segments

Full profile >

Oral Care

Oligopoly

43%

Personal Care

Competitive

18%

Home Care

Competitive

17%

Pet Nutrition

Oligopoly

22%

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.