VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Paychex, Inc. vs Spirax Group plc

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

Spirax Group plc

SPX · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$5B
Gross margin (TTM)19.6%
Operating margin (TTM)17.2%
Net margin (TTM)10.7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
71/ 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 Spirax Group plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SPX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Spirax Group plc leads (71 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions); Spirax Group plc has 3 segments (52.1% in Steam Thermal Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: Paychex, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Spirax Group plc has 6 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%

Spirax Group plc

Steam Thermal Solutions

Market

Industrial and commercial steam systems (condensate management, controls, thermal energy management products and solutions)

Geography

Global

Customer

Industrial process operators and commercial facility operators

Role

OEM / solutions provider

Revenue share

52.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Paychex, Inc.
Spirax Group plc
Ticker / Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
SPX - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.4B
$5B
Gross margin (TTM)
73.4%
19.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
37.1%
17.2%
Net margin (TTM)
26.5%
10.7%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Staffing & Employment Services
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
US
GB
Primary segment
Management Solutions
Steam Thermal Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
66 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Suite BundlingService Field Network

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Spirax Group plc strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesBrand TrustCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In Qualification

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%

Spirax Group plc segments

Full profile >

Steam Thermal Solutions

Oligopoly

52.1%

Electric Thermal Solutions

Competitive

24.3%

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions

Oligopoly

23.6%

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.