VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Paychex, Inc. vs Tradeweb Markets 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

Tradeweb Markets Inc.

TW · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$23.6B
Gross margin (TTM)66.7%
Operating margin (TTM)40.3%
Net margin (TTM)31.6%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Capital Markets
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 Tradeweb Markets Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Tradeweb Markets Inc. leads (70 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions); Tradeweb Markets Inc. has 6 segments (52.4% in Rates).
  • Moat breadth: Paychex, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Tradeweb Markets Inc. has 7 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%

Tradeweb Markets Inc.

Rates

Market

Electronic dealer-to-client and all-to-all trading in rates (government bonds, mortgages/TBA MBS, interest rate swaps)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional, wholesale dealers, and retail via ATS

Role

Electronic marketplace / trading venue

Revenue share

52.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Paychex, Inc.
Tradeweb Markets Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
TW - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$39.4B
$23.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
73.4%
66.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
37.1%
40.3%
Net margin (TTM)
26.5%
31.6%
Sector
Industrials
Financials
Industry
Staffing & Employment Services
Financial - Capital Markets
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Management Solutions
Rates
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
66 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Network, Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-04
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinCompliance Advantage

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingService Field NetworkUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Tradeweb Markets Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkEcosystem ComplementsLong Term ContractsBrand TrustScope Economies

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%

Tradeweb Markets Inc. segments

Full profile >

Rates

Oligopoly

52.4%

Credit

Oligopoly

26.6%

Equities

Competitive

6%

Money Markets

Oligopoly

6.7%

Market Data

Competitive

6.8%

Other

Competitive

1.4%

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.