VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Thursday, January 8, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Paychex, Inc. vs Walmart 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

Walmart Inc.

WMT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$898.6B
Gross margin (TTM)24.9%
Operating margin (TTM)4.1%
Net margin (TTM)3.3%
SectorConsumer
IndustryDiscount Stores
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
77/ 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 Walmart Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WMT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Walmart Inc. leads (77 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions); Walmart Inc. has 3 segments (68.3% in Walmart U.S.).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Paychex, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Walmart Inc. has 6 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%

Walmart Inc.

Walmart U.S.

Market

U.S. omnichannel discount retail and grocery (supercenters, neighborhood markets, eCommerce)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers and small businesses; marketplace sellers and advertisers (for marketplace and retail media offerings)

Role

Retailer / marketplace operator / last-mile fulfillment network

Revenue share

68.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Paychex, Inc.
Walmart Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
WMT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.4B
$898.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
73.4%
24.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
37.1%
4.1%
Net margin (TTM)
26.5%
3.3%
Sector
Industrials
Consumer
Industry
Staffing & Employment Services
Discount Stores
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Management Solutions
Walmart U.S.
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
20%-22% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
66 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Supply, Demand, Network, Financial
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Float Prepayment

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs General

Walmart Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostPhysical Network DensityHabit DefaultSupply Chain ControlEcosystem Complements

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%

Walmart Inc. segments

Full profile >

Walmart U.S.

Competitive

68.3%

Walmart International

Competitive

18.1%

Sam's Club U.S.

Oligopoly

13.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.