VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Thursday, January 8, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Gilead Sciences, Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.

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

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

GILD · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$146.8B
Gross margin (TTM)78.7%
Operating margin (TTM)36.1%
Net margin (TTM)27.9%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
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 Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GILD 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: Gilead Sciences, Inc. leads (74 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Gilead Sciences, Inc. has 5 segments (68.5% in HIV); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: Gilead Sciences, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

HIV

Market

HIV treatment and prevention medicines (antiretroviral therapy and PrEP)

Geography

Global (U.S. and Europe are major markets)

Customer

Patients/prescribers; reimbursed by public and private payers; distributed via wholesalers and specialty pharmacies

Role

Drug developer and marketing authorization holder

Revenue share

68.5%

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

Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GILD - NASDAQ Global Select Market
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$146.8B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
78.7%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
36.1%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
27.9%
26.5%
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
Industry
Drug Manufacturers - General
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
HIV
Management Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
50%-60% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs GeneralService Field NetworkCompliance Advantage

Gilead Sciences, Inc. strengths

Habit DefaultIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleRegulated Standards PipeBrand Trust

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk PoolingFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Gilead Sciences, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HIV

Oligopoly

68.5%

Oncology (Cell Therapy + Trodelvy)

Oligopoly

11.5%

Liver Disease

Oligopoly

10.6%

Veklury (Remdesivir)

Competitive

6.3%

Other Products

Competitive

3.1%

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.

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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.