VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

CoStar Group, Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.

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

CoStar Group, Inc.

CSGP · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$28.2B
Gross margin (TTM)79.3%
Operating margin (TTM)-2.7%
Net margin (TTM)0.7%
SectorReal Estate
IndustryReal Estate - Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
75/ 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 CoStar Group, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSGP 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: CoStar Group, Inc. leads (75 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: CoStar Group, Inc. has 6 segments (39% in Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: CoStar Group, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

CoStar Group, Inc.

Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)

Market

Online multifamily rental marketplaces and advertising

Geography

United States

Customer

Two-sided (renters + property managers/owners)

Role

Marketplace (subscription advertising + workflow tools)

Revenue share

39%

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

CoStar Group, Inc.
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CSGP - NASDAQ
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$28.2B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
79.3%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
-2.7%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
0.7%
26.5%
Sector
Real Estate
Industrials
Industry
Real Estate - Services
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)
Management Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
75 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Network, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinSuite Bundling

CoStar Group, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleData Network EffectsDe Facto StandardIP Choke PointTwo Sided NetworkBrand TrustEcosystem Complements

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

CoStar Group, Inc. segments

Full profile >

CoStar (commercial real estate info & analytics)

Oligopoly

37.3%

Information Services (lease management software + international info)

Competitive

5%

Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)

Oligopoly

39%

LoopNet (commercial property marketing marketplace)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Residential (Homes.com + OnTheMarket)

Oligopoly

3.7%

Other Marketplaces (Ten-X, Land.com, BizBuySell, etc.)

Competitive

4.8%

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.