VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Stock Comparison
Ferguson Enterprises Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Ferguson Enterprises Inc.
FERG · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Ferguson Enterprises Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View FERG 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: Ferguson Enterprises Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Ferguson Enterprises Inc. has 2 segments (95.1% in United States); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
- Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Ferguson Enterprises Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.
Primary market context
Ferguson Enterprises Inc.
United States
Value-added distribution of plumbing, HVAC, PVF, waterworks and related products/services
United States
Residential and non-residential professional trade customers (contractors/builders) plus industrial and infrastructure customers
Value-added distributor (B2B)
95.1%
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
Ferguson Enterprises Inc. strengths
Paychex, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Ferguson Enterprises Inc. segments
Full profile >United States
Competitive
Canada
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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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.
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.