VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.

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

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.

IBKR · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$123.6B
Gross margin (TTM)89%
Operating margin (TTM)82.7%
Net margin (TTM)9.2%
SectorFinancials
IndustryInvestment - Banking & Investment Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
60/ 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 Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IBKR 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: Paychex, Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Electronic brokerage); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. has 4 moat types across 4 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.

Electronic brokerage

Market

Multi-asset electronic brokerage, clearing, custody, and financing (self-directed and institutional)

Geography

Global

Customer

Individual investors and institutional clients (e.g., hedge funds, advisors, proprietary trading firms, introducing brokers)

Role

Broker-dealer / clearing broker / platform operator

Revenue share

100%

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

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
IBKR - NASDAQ
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$123.6B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
89%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
82.7%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
9.2%
26.5%
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
Investment - Banking & Investment Services
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Electronic brokerage
Management Solutions
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Network, Legal, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2026-01-06
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance AdvantageData Workflow Lockin

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. strengths

Operational ExcellenceInteroperability Hub

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingService Field NetworkUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Electronic brokerage

Competitive

100%

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.