VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Paychex, Inc. vs Pernod Ricard SA

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

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

Pernod Ricard SA

RI · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$18.3B
Gross margin (TTM)59.8%
Operating margin (TTM)11.5%
Net margin (TTM)13.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryBeverages - Wineries & Distilleries
CountryFR
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
75/ 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 Pernod Ricard SA's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View RI analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Pernod Ricard SA leads (75 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions); Pernod Ricard SA has 3 segments (42.3% in Asia/Rest of the World).
  • Moat breadth: Paychex, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Pernod Ricard SA has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

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%

Pernod Ricard SA

Asia/Rest of the World

Market

Premium spirits brand ownership, marketing, and distribution

Geography

Asia-Pacific, Africa, and other emerging markets

Customer

On-trade, off-trade, distributors, and duty-free operators

Role

Brand owner and local-market route-to-market operator

Revenue share

42.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Paychex, Inc.
Pernod Ricard SA
Ticker / Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
RI - Euronext Paris
Market cap (USD)
$39.4B
$18.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
73.4%
59.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
37.1%
11.5%
Net margin (TTM)
26.5%
13.8%
Sector
Industrials
Consumer
Industry
Staffing & Employment Services
Beverages - Wineries & Distilleries
HQ country
US
FR
Primary segment
Management Solutions
Asia/Rest of the World
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
66 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Pernod Ricard SA strengths

Brand TrustScope EconomiesCapacity MoatDistribution Control

Segment mix

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%

Pernod Ricard SA segments

Full profile >

Europe

Oligopoly

28.9%

Americas

Oligopoly

28.8%

Asia/Rest of the World

Oligopoly

42.3%

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.