VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Paychex, Inc. vs The Trade Desk, Inc.

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

The Trade Desk, Inc.

TTD · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$19.7B
Gross margin (TTM)78.8%
Operating margin (TTM)18.9%
Net margin (TTM)15.7%
SectorCommunication Services
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
62/ 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 The Trade Desk, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TTD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Paychex, Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 62 / 100 for The Trade Desk, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions); The Trade Desk, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Paychex, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; The Trade Desk, Inc. 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%

The Trade Desk, Inc.

Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)

Market

Demand-side platforms (DSP) for programmatic advertising (open internet)

Geography

Global

Customer

Advertising agencies and advertisers

Role

Buy-side platform / demand aggregation

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Paychex, Inc.
The Trade Desk, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
TTD - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$39.4B
$19.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
73.4%
78.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
37.1%
18.9%
Net margin (TTM)
26.5%
15.7%
Sector
Industrials
Communication Services
Industry
Staffing & Employment Services
Software - Application
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Management Solutions
Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
6%-10% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
66 / 100
62 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Network, Demand
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingFloat Prepayment

The Trade Desk, Inc. strengths

Interoperability HubData Network EffectsStandards Registry

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%

The Trade Desk, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)

Competitive

100%

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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.