VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Stock Comparison
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.
ICE · 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 Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View ICE 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: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. leads (87 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 3 segments (53.4% in Exchanges); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.
Primary market context
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.
Exchanges
Derivatives, cash equities, and listings exchanges plus central clearing (CCP) services
Global
Market participants (banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, proprietary traders) and issuers
Exchange operator + clearing house (CCP)
53.4%
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
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. strengths
Paychex, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. segments
Full profile >Exchanges
Oligopoly
Fixed Income and Data Services
Oligopoly
Mortgage Technology
Oligopoly
Paychex, Inc. segments
Full profile >Management Solutions
Oligopoly
PEO and Insurance Solutions
Competitive
Client funds float (interest on funds held for clients)
Oligopoly
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 listLooking for expansion-stage stocks?
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.