VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Experian plc vs Paychex, Inc.

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

Experian plc

EXPN · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$31B
Gross margin (TTM)24.8%
Operating margin (TTM)24.8%
Net margin (TTM)16.5%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryConsulting Services
CountryJE
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
76/ 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 Experian plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View EXPN 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: Experian plc leads (76 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Experian plc has 4 segments (67.2% in North America); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Experian plc has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Experian plc

North America

Market

Consumer and business credit reporting, identity/fraud data and decision analytics, plus consumer credit/insurance marketplaces

Geography

North America

Customer

Financial institutions, insurers, auto lenders, healthcare providers, advertisers, consumers

Role

Data/analytics provider and consumer marketplace operator

Revenue share

67.2%

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

Experian plc
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
EXPN - London Stock Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$31B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
24.8%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
24.8%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
16.5%
26.5%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Consulting Services
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
JE
US
Primary segment
North America
Management Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance AdvantageSuite BundlingSwitching Costs General

Experian plc strengths

Data Network EffectsRegulated Standards PipeTwo Sided NetworkPreferential Input Access

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinService Field NetworkUnderwriting Risk PoolingFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Experian plc segments

Full profile >

North America

Oligopoly

67.2%

Latin America

Quasi-Monopoly

14.2%

UK and Ireland

Oligopoly

11.6%

EMEA and Asia Pacific

Competitive

7%

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.