VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Stock Comparison
Paychex, Inc. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Paychex, Inc.
PAYX · NASDAQ Global Select Market
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 analysisUlta Beauty, Inc.
ULTA · NASDAQ
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Ulta Beauty, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View ULTA analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Paychex, Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Paychex, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.
Primary market context
Paychex, Inc.
Management Solutions
Payroll processing and integrated HCM solutions for SMB and mid-market employers
United States (primarily)
Employers (SMB and mid-market)
HCM SaaS + outsourced payroll/HR service provider
73%
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Beauty Products Retail
U.S. beauty products retail (specialty omnichannel beauty retailer)
United States
Consumers (end-users) shopping in-store and online
Specialty retailer / distributor
94%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Paychex, Inc. strengths
Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Paychex, Inc. segments
Full profile >Management Solutions
Oligopoly
PEO and Insurance Solutions
Competitive
Client funds float (interest on funds held for clients)
Oligopoly
Ulta Beauty, Inc. segments
Full profile >Beauty Products Retail
Competitive
Beauty Services
Competitive
Platform Monetization (Retail Media, Credit Cards, Partner Royalties, Deferred Revenue)
Competitive
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View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.