VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.

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

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

MKTX · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$6.7B
Gross margin (TTM)66.2%
Operating margin (TTM)41.2%
Net margin (TTM)26.2%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Capital Markets
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
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 MarketAxess Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MKTX 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: MarketAxess Holdings Inc. leads (74 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: MarketAxess Holdings Inc. has 2 segments (87.1% in Trade Execution Solutions); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: MarketAxess Holdings Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

Trade Execution Solutions

Market

Electronic fixed-income trade execution platforms (credit and rates)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional investors, broker-dealers, and alternative liquidity providers

Role

Electronic trading venue / marketplace operator

Revenue share

87.1%

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

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
MKTX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$6.7B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
66.2%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
41.2%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
26.2%
26.5%
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
Financial - Capital Markets
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Trade Execution Solutions
Management Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
19% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-23
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageSwitching Costs General

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkData Network EffectsEcosystem Complements

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingService Field NetworkUnderwriting Risk PoolingFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Trade Execution Solutions

Oligopoly

87.1%

Services (Data, Post-Trade and Technology)

Competitive

12.9%

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?

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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.