VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Stock Comparison
Fastenal Company vs Paychex, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Fastenal Company
FAST · NASDAQ
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Fastenal Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View FAST analysisPaychex, Inc.
PAYX · NASDAQ Global Select Market
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 analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Paychex, Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
- Segment focus: Fastenal Company has 2 segments (55.7% in Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
- Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Fastenal Company has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.
Primary market context
Fastenal Company
Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)
Wholesale distribution of industrial and construction supplies (fasteners, safety, tools, and other MRO/OEM consumables)
Primarily North America (with growing international presence)
Manufacturing (OEM and MRO), non-residential construction, and other commercial customers
Distributor
55.7%
Paychex, Inc.
Management Solutions
Payroll processing and integrated HCM solutions for SMB and mid-market employers
United States (primarily)
Employers (SMB and mid-market)
HCM SaaS + outsourced payroll/HR service provider
73%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Fastenal Company strengths
Paychex, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Fastenal Company segments
Full profile >Fastenal Managed Inventory (FMI)
Competitive
Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)
Competitive
Paychex, Inc. segments
Full profile >Management Solutions
Oligopoly
PEO and Insurance Solutions
Competitive
Client funds float (interest on funds held for clients)
Oligopoly
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View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.