VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Paychex, Inc. vs Spotify Technology S.A.

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

Spotify Technology S.A.

SPOT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$121.5B
Gross margin (TTM)31.8%
Operating margin (TTM)11.7%
Net margin (TTM)8.3%
SectorCommunication Services
IndustryInternet Content & Information
CountryLU
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
65/ 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 Spotify Technology S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SPOT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Paychex, Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for Spotify Technology S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions); Spotify Technology S.A. has 2 segments (88.2% in Premium (subscription)).
  • Moat breadth: Paychex, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Spotify Technology S.A. has 6 across 4.

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%

Spotify Technology S.A.

Premium (subscription)

Market

Paid music and audio streaming subscriptions

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers (end-users) and distribution partners (e.g., telcos)

Role

Streaming platform operator

Revenue share

88.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Paychex, Inc.
Spotify Technology S.A.
Ticker / Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
SPOT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.4B
$121.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
73.4%
31.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
37.1%
11.7%
Net margin (TTM)
26.5%
8.3%
Sector
Industrials
Communication Services
Industry
Staffing & Employment Services
Internet Content & Information
HQ country
US
LU
Primary segment
Management Solutions
Premium (subscription)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
31%-33% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
66 / 100
65 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Network, Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-04
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Paychex, Inc. strengths

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

Spotify Technology S.A. strengths

Data Network EffectsInteroperability HubTwo Sided NetworkBrand TrustContent Rights CurrencyScale Economies Unit Cost

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%

Spotify Technology S.A. segments

Full profile >

Premium (subscription)

Oligopoly

88.2%

Ad-Supported (advertising)

Competitive

11.8%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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.