VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Stock Comparison
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
ISRG · 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 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View ISRG 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: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
- Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.
Primary market context
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Instruments and Accessories
Proprietary robotic surgery instruments, accessories, and consumables used per procedure on the da Vinci (and Ion) installed base
Global
Hospitals and surgery centers purchasing consumables; surgeons and OR teams as end users
Consumables OEM within proprietary platform
60.8%
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
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths
Paychex, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments
Full profile >Systems
Quasi-Monopoly
Instruments and Accessories
Monopoly
Services
Monopoly
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 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.