VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Paychex, Inc. vs TMX Group Limited

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

TMX Group Limited

X · Toronto Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)59.3%
Operating margin (TTM)38.7%
Net margin (TTM)23.8%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryCA
Data as of2026-01-03
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 TMX Group Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View X analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: TMX Group Limited leads (70 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions); TMX Group Limited has 9 segments (16.1% in Trayport energy trading workflow software and network).
  • Moat breadth: Paychex, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; TMX Group Limited has 12 across 5.

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%

TMX Group Limited

Trayport energy trading workflow software and network

Market

Wholesale energy trading workflow software and network connectivity

Geography

Europe-centric, with global customers

Customer

Energy traders, brokers, exchanges/venues

Role

Interoperability hub / workflow platform

Revenue share

16.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Paychex, Inc.
TMX Group Limited
Ticker / Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
X - Toronto Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.4B
$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
73.4%
59.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
37.1%
38.7%
Net margin (TTM)
26.5%
23.8%
Sector
Industrials
Financials
Industry
Staffing & Employment Services
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
HQ country
US
CA
Primary segment
Management Solutions
Trayport energy trading workflow software and network
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
Legal, Network, Demand, Supply, Financial
Last update
2026-01-04
2026-01-03

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageSwitching Costs General

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingService Field NetworkUnderwriting Risk PoolingFloat Prepayment

TMX Group Limited strengths

Concession LicenseTwo Sided NetworkBrand TrustScale Economies Unit CostClearing SettlementRegulated Standards PipeInteroperability HubDistribution ControlBenchmark Pricing Power

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%

TMX Group Limited segments

Full profile >

TSX & TSXV listing and sustaining fees

Oligopoly

10.8%

Issuer services (TSX Trust and TMX Newsfile)

Competitive

7.9%

Equities and fixed income trading venues (TSX, TSXV, TSX Alpha, Shorcan)

Oligopoly

8.8%

Post-trade clearing, settlement and depository (CDS / CDSX)

Quasi-Monopoly

8.6%

Canadian listed derivatives trading and clearing (Montreal Exchange + CDCC, excl. BOX)

Quasi-Monopoly

12.9%

U.S. equity options exchange (BOX)

Competitive

9.6%

Trayport energy trading workflow software and network

Oligopoly

16.1%

TMX Datalinx market data and co-location

Quasi-Monopoly

15.8%

TMX VettaFi indexing, ETF analytics, and digital distribution

Oligopoly

9.5%

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.