VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.

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

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

ODFL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$34.2B
Gross margin (TTM)33%
Operating margin (TTM)25%
Net margin (TTM)19%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryTrucking
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
70/ 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 Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ODFL 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: Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. leads (70 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. has 2 segments (99.1% in LTL Services); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. has 6 moat types across 2 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

LTL Services

Market

Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation

Geography

United States (primarily); broader North America via alliances

Customer

B2B shippers

Role

Asset-based carrier (pickup, linehaul, delivery)

Revenue share

99.1%

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

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ODFL - NASDAQ
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$34.2B
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
33%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
25%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
19%
26.5%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Trucking
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
LTL Services
Management Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
11%-13% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
70 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2026-01-06
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinSuite Bundling

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceScale Economies Unit CostBrand Trust

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. segments

Full profile >

LTL Services

Oligopoly

99.1%

Other Services (Drayage, Brokerage, Supply Chain Consulting)

Competitive

0.9%

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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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.