VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Paychex, Inc. vs Verisk Analytics, 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

Verisk Analytics, Inc.

VRSK · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$30.8B
Gross margin (TTM)69.6%
Operating margin (TTM)44.5%
Net margin (TTM)30.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryConsulting Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
87/ 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 Verisk Analytics, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRSK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Verisk Analytics, Inc. leads (87 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions); Verisk Analytics, Inc. has 2 segments (70.2% in Underwriting Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Paychex, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Verisk Analytics, Inc. has 6 across 3.

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%

Verisk Analytics, Inc.

Underwriting Solutions

Market

Property and casualty insurance underwriting content and analytics (forms and rules and loss costs, underwriting data and catastrophe and weather risk)

Geography

Primarily U.S. (with growing international offerings)

Customer

P&C insurers (personal and commercial lines)

Role

Insurance data and analytics and standards and content provider

Revenue share

70.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Paychex, Inc.
Verisk Analytics, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
VRSK - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$39.4B
$30.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
73.4%
69.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
37.1%
44.5%
Net margin (TTM)
26.5%
30.4%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Staffing & Employment Services
Consulting Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Management Solutions
Underwriting Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
66 / 100
87 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Network, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinCompliance Advantage

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingService Field NetworkUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Verisk Analytics, Inc. strengths

De Facto StandardEcosystem ComplementsFormat Lock InData Network Effects

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%

Verisk Analytics, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Underwriting Solutions

Oligopoly

70.2%

Claims Solutions

Oligopoly

29.8%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.