The Moat Index

Paychex, Inc.

PAYX · Consumer Discretionary · $40.9B mkt cap · FY2025 filings · Wide moat

On the watchlist

87/ 100
Wide moat

The four filters

Pricing power100

Median gross margin 69.7% over 8y, very stable.

Returns on capital100

Median ROIC 41.1%, above the 9% hurdle in 100% of years.

Balance-sheet safety81

Net debt/EBITDA 1.4x, interest coverage 21x.

Capital discipline55

Owner earnings +4.9%/yr, share count flat.

Margin of safety

Above valueOn sale
39% above value
Owner earnings (normalized)
$1.6B
Est. intrinsic value / share
$81.53
Recent price
$113.53
Discount to value
39% above value

Conservative model: 9% discount rate, 4% assumed growth (capped at 4%), maintenance capex ≈ min(capex, D&A).

Moat Score history

Score history begins 2026-07-17. Check back as the record builds.

Scores are logged append-only and never overwritten — this record can't be backfilled, which is exactly why it's worth keeping.

Embed this score on your site

One iframe, no script. The badge shows PAYX’s live Moat Score, updates itself as new filings are scored, and links back here. How it works.

<iframe
  src="https://buylikebuffett.com/embed/PAYX"
  width="340" height="150" style="border:0"
  title="PAYX Moat Score — The Moat Index"
  loading="lazy"></iframe>
Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) Moat Score — The Moat Index · Buy Like Buffett