VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Constellation Software Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.

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

Constellation Software Inc.

CSU · Toronto Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$68B
Gross margin (TTM)50.8%
Operating margin (TTM)10%
Net margin (TTM)6.2%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryCA
Data as of2026-01-02
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 Constellation Software Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSU 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: Constellation Software Inc. leads (74 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Constellation Software Inc. has 6 segments; Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Constellation Software Inc. has 3 moat types across 2 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Constellation Software Inc.

Volaris Operating Group

Market

Vertical market software (VMS) portfolios across diverse industries (Volaris)

Geography

Global (North America, Continental Europe, UK, Australia, South America, Africa)

Customer

Organizations in specific verticals (mix of public and private sector)

Role

Vertical market software vendor (application provider + long-term maintainer)

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

Constellation Software Inc.
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CSU - Toronto Stock Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$68B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
50.8%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
10%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
6.2%
26.5%
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Software - Application
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
Volaris Operating Group
Management Solutions
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
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
2026-01-02
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Constellation Software Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesOperational Excellence

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Constellation Software Inc. segments

Full profile >

Volaris Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Harris Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Topicus.com Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Jonas Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Perseus Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Vela Operating Group

Competitive

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?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

View expansion-stage stocks

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.