How Can I Beat the S&P 500? What the Evidence Says
The honest answer to the most asked question in investing: how many people beat the index, why it is so hard, why investors trail even their own funds, and how daily market context fits in.
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PAYX Stock vs the S&P 500: Returns, Risk and Crash History
Paychex, Inc., industrials (market value $41.2 billion), a member of the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq‑100: how it compared with the S&P 500, how it behaved in every crash since 2008, its risk‑adjusted returns and what analysts said. Returns to Oct 30, 2026; analyst data as of Nov 9, 2026.
Key takeaways
- PAYX returned +6.7% over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026 versus +75.9% for the S&P 500: it lagged the index.
- Its 5-year Sharpe ratio was 0.04 against 0.58 for the S&P 500.
- Its deepest crisis drawdown was −52.4% in the global financial crisis (2007–09) (S&P 500: −56.5%).
- Five‑year volatility was 23.6% and beta 0.81.
- 18 analysts rated it in the past year; 6% of their latest calls were Buy.
- PAYX beat earnings estimates in 11 of its last 12 reports; the stock moved 4.5% on average, up or down, around each report.
What do the best‑ranked analysts on PAYX say now? See it in Exent Gems →
In this article
- Did PAYX beat the S&P 500?
- What Wall Street analysts say about PAYX
- PAYX returns by year vs the S&P 500
- PAYX risk-adjusted returns: Sharpe, Sortino and volatility
- How PAYX behaved in past crashes
- What moves with PAYX, and what doesn’t
- Latest PAYX upgrades, downgrades and price‑target changes
- Do analysts get PAYX right?
- How PAYX moves after earnings
- Where PAYX’s revenue comes from
- Members of Congress who traded PAYX
- Are PAYX insiders buying or selling?
- How much of PAYX is sold short?
- How many institutions own PAYX?
- Is PAYX diluting shareholders?
- PAYX financial health scores
- What PAYX talks about on earnings calls
- Which ETFs hold PAYX?
- How much is PAYX’s CEO paid?
- The right benchmark for PAYX
- Other industrials stocks
- Data and methodology
Did PAYX beat the S&P 500?
Over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026, Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) returned +6.7% including dividends, versus +75.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY). It lagged the index by 69.2 percentage points, or +1.3% a year against +12.0%.
| Period | PAYX | S&P 500 | PAYX per year | S&P 500 per year | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | +1.0% | +12.0% | +1.0% | +12.0% | Lagged |
| 3 years | +13.0% | +87.4% | +4.1% | +23.3% | Lagged |
| 5 years | +6.7% | +75.9% | +1.3% | +12.0% | Lagged |
| 10 years | +177.7% | +316.3% | +10.8% | +15.3% | Lagged |
- 1 year
- PAYX
- +1.0%
- S&P 500
- +12.0%
- PAYX per year
- +1.0%
- S&P 500 per year
- +12.0%
- Result
- Lagged
- 3 years
- PAYX
- +13.0%
- S&P 500
- +87.4%
- PAYX per year
- +4.1%
- S&P 500 per year
- +23.3%
- Result
- Lagged
- 5 years
- PAYX
- +6.7%
- S&P 500
- +75.9%
- PAYX per year
- +1.3%
- S&P 500 per year
- +12.0%
- Result
- Lagged
- 10 years
- PAYX
- +177.7%
- S&P 500
- +316.3%
- PAYX per year
- +10.8%
- S&P 500 per year
- +15.3%
- Result
- Lagged
Total return with dividends reinvested, from month-end prices to Oct 30, 2026. Beating the index on raw return is only half the story: the next section adjusts for the risk taken. See also how to beat the S&P 500.
PAYX is in the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq‑100 (members as of Oct 20, 2026); the lists show every member’s return against the index.
What Wall Street analysts say about PAYX
In the 12 months to 30 days ago, 18 analysts published 200 ratings on PAYX. Their latest calls were 6% Buy, 76% Hold and 18% Sell. 3 of them rank 4★ or higher in Exent’s analyst scoring, which is based on each analyst’s past price‑target hit rate and returns.
The consensus 12‑month price target was $111.71 (range $107.00–$120.00), −3.9% from the last price. Remember that the average analyst’s target is hit only about half the time: how accurate are price targets?
| Top‑ranked analyst covering | Firm | Stars | Price‑target hit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brett Huff | Stephens | 5.0★ | 50.2% |
| Mark Marcon | Robert W. Baird | 4.8★ | 46.8% |
| Jacob Smith CFA | Guggenheim | 4.4★ | 54.1% |
Ratings are shown with a 30‑day delay. Who the top‑ranked analysts on PAYX are, their live calls and the median target of only the top‑rated analysts are in Exent Gems.
The average analyst’s target is reached about 53.1% of the time; Exent Gems is built on the top 50 of Exent’s ranking,where some reached 90% or more over the last two years. Unlock the top 50 analysts.
PAYX returns by year vs the S&P 500
PAYX beat the S&P 500 in 4 of the 9 full calendar years shown.
| Year | PAYX | S&P 500 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Oct 30, 2026) | +4.4% | +11.7% | −7.3% |
| 2025 | −17.5% | +17.7% | −35.2% |
| 2024 | +21.3% | +24.9% | −3.6% |
| 2023 | +6.2% | +26.2% | −20.0% |
| 2022 | −13.2% | −18.2% | +5.0% |
| 2021 | +50.2% | +28.7% | +21.5% |
| 2020 | +13.3% | +18.3% | −5.0% |
| 2019 | +34.5% | +31.2% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | −1.1% | −4.6% | +3.5% |
| 2017 | +15.4% | +21.7% | −6.3% |
PAYX risk-adjusted returns: Sharpe, Sortino and volatility
Over 5 years, PAYX had a Sharpe ratio of 0.04 against 0.58 for the S&P 500, so it earned less return per unit of risk than the index. Its annualized volatility was 26.4% and its beta 0.81: it tended to move about 0.8× as much as the market.
| Metric | PAYX | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return | +1.3% | +12.0% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 26.4% | 15.5% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.04 | 0.58 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.06 | 0.91 |
| Max drawdown (month-end) | −40.0% | −23.9% |
| Beta to the S&P 500 | 0.81 | 1.00 |
How PAYX behaved in past crashes
PAYX’s deepest fall in the crises below was −52.4% in the global financial crisis (2007–09), against −56.5% for the S&P 500. The last column turns that into money: what a $100,000 position would have lost from peak to trough.
| Crisis | PAYX | S&P 500 | Loss on $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global financial crisis (2007–09) | −52.4% | −56.5% | −$52,360 |
| 2018 trade-war selloff | −18.1% | −20.2% | −$18,090 |
| COVID crash (Feb–Mar 2020) | −44.1% | −34.1% | −$44,150 |
| 2022 inflation bear market | −23.5% | −25.4% | −$23,530 |
| 2025 tariff selloff | −11.6% | −19.0% | −$11,570 |
| Window | PAYX max drawdown |
|---|---|
| Last 1 year | −45.0% |
| Last 3 years | −45.0% |
| Last 5 years | −45.0% |
| Last 10 years | −45.3% |
Peak‑to‑trough declines from daily prices inside each crisis window. A crash replay does not predict the next crisis; it shows how much room a holding needs. Run the same replay on a whole portfolio with the crash test.
What moves with PAYX, and what doesn’t
Correlation runs from −1 (moves opposite) to +1 (moves in lockstep). Over the last 60 months of monthly returns, PAYX’s correlation with the S&P 500 was 0.48, with the Nasdaq‑100 0.28, with long Treasuries (TLT) 0.23 and with gold (GLD) 0.05.
Adding a 5% PAYX position to an S&P 500 portfolio would have moved its 5‑year volatility from 15.5% to 15.4%.
| Least correlated large caps | Correlation | Most correlated large caps | Correlation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLW | −0.19 | ADP | 0.89 |
| INTC | −0.15 | MRSH | 0.73 |
| AMAT | −0.10 | SPGI | 0.67 |
| KLAC | −0.08 | CTAS | 0.66 |
| LRCX | −0.07 | MA | 0.65 |
Holdings that are highly correlated behave like one position in a selloff. See how to find hidden overlap.
Latest PAYX upgrades, downgrades and price‑target changes
| Date | Rating and target | Analyst |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 28 | Target cut Hold | Mark Marcon |
| Sep 25 | Target cut Hold | Kevin Mcveigh |
| Sep 25 | Target cut Hold | Jared Levine |
| Sep 25 | Target cut Sell | Ramsey El Assal |
| Sep 24 | Target cut Hold | David Grossman |
| Sep 24 | Target raised Hold | Daniel Jester |
| Sep 23 | Upgrade Sell → Hold | Tien Tsin Huang |
| Sep 23 | Target cut Hold | Samad Samana |
| Sep 14 | Target cut Hold | Kevin Mcveigh |
| Sep 11 | Target raised Hold | Jared Levine |
| Sep 9 | Target raised Sell | Jason Kupferberg |
| Sep 9 | Target raised Hold | David Grossman |
Named analysts’ rating and price‑target changes on PAYX in the 5 weeks to Oct 12, 2026, shown 30 days after publication (the free analysts’ calls 3 days after). The top‑ranked analysts’ calls are in Exent Gems. See all of the latest analyst upgrades and downgrades.
Do analysts get PAYX right?
Of the 313 analyst price targets on PAYX set from 2019 until a year ago, 74.1% were reached within 12 months (data to Oct 20, 2026), 5.5 points above the 68.6% hit rate of the median stock in Exent’s study of 794 stocks. Targets that were reached took a median of 27 days. The median target sat 3.0% above the share price on the day it was set.
Where analysts said PAYX would be by now: a year ago, 3 analysts had a price target on PAYX, and the median of their latest targets was $128.00. On Oct 20, 2026 PAYX closed at $112.62, 12.0% below it.
74.1%of targets reached within 12 monthsMedian stock: 68.6%
27 daysmedian time to reach a target
−12.0%price now vs the median target set a year ago
| After | Calls | Move on the call | 3 months vs S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrades of PAYX | 8 | +0.4% | +3.6% |
| Upgrades, all stocks | 11,514 | +2.5% | +3.4% |
| Downgrades of PAYX | 7 | −2.5% | −4.0% |
| Downgrades, all stocks | 10,700 | −3.0% | −1.6% |
The move on the call runs from the close before the rating change to the close after it; the last column is the stock’s return minus the S&P 500’s over the next three months. Averages of rating changes on PAYX through Sep 15, 2026; analysts are not named here. Do analyst upgrades move stocks?
How PAYX moves after earnings
PAYX beat the consensus earnings‑per‑share estimate in 11 of its last 12 quarterly reports, through the one on Sep 23, 2026, and the revenue estimate in 9 of 12. From the close before each report to the close after it, the stock moved 4.5% on average, up or down, against 6.8% for the average report across the 1,002 US stocks Exent tracks. It rose after 5 of the 12 reports. In 6 of the 11 beats the stock still fell.
11/12earnings beats
±4.5%average move per report
5/12reports followed by a rise
| Report | EPS vs estimate | Revenue vs estimate | Stock move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 2026 | $1.34 vs $1.32 | +0.2% | −11.3% |
| Jun 24, 2026 | $1.32 vs $1.31 | +0.3% | −1.3% |
| Mar 25, 2026 | $1.71 vs $1.67 | +1.5% | +3.3% |
| Dec 19, 2025 | $1.26 vs $1.23 | +0.3% | +0.6% |
| Sep 30, 2025 | $1.22 vs $1.20 | +0.1% | −3.5% |
| Jun 25, 2025 | $1.19 vs $1.19 | −1.1% | −7.4% |
| Mar 26, 2025 | $1.49 vs $1.48 | +0.0% | +5.3% |
| Dec 19, 2024 | $1.14 vs $1.13 | +0.3% | +2.7% |
Reported earnings per share against the consensus estimate, revenue surprise in percent, and the stock’s price change over the two sessions around the report. How stocks move after earnings
Where PAYX’s revenue comes from
In fiscal 2026, PAYX’s largest segment was Management Solutions, with 77.3% of $6.3 billion revenue (+19.7% on the year before).
| Segment | Revenue | Share | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management Solutions | $4.9 billion | 77.3% | +19.7% |
| Peo And Insurance Solutions | $1.4 billion | 22.7% | +6.7% |
From PAYX’s annual filings; segment growth compares fiscal 2026 with the year before. Regions are as each company reports them, so one company’s “Asia Pacific” is not another’s. China counts the regions a company reports as China, Greater China or Hong Kong; a separately reported Taiwan is not counted. Which S&P 500 companies depend most on China?
Members of Congress who traded PAYX
As of Oct 20, 2026, 21 members of Congress had disclosed 75 trades in PAYX (31 buys and 44 sales) in STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate. The latest public trade is dated Aug 25, 2026.
| Trade date | Member | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25, 2026 | John Delaney | Sale | $100,001–$250,000 |
| Apr 21, 2026 | John Delaney | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Apr 16, 2026 | John Delaney | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | Gilbert Cisneros | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Ro Khanna | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Apr 7, 2026 | Rick Larsen | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Mar 27, 2026 | Alan Armstrong | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Mar 4, 2026 | Michael McCaul | Buy | $100,001–$250,000 |
| Feb 24, 2026 | John Delaney | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Feb 23, 2026 | John Delaney | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
Amounts are the ranges members report, not exact values. The STOCK Act gives members up to 45 days to disclose a trade, so trades appear weeks after they are made. See every member’s disclosed trades
Are PAYX insiders buying or selling?
In the 12 months to Oct 20, 2026, PAYX insiders made 2 open‑market purchases worth $197,258 by 2 insiders and 6 sales worth $4.6 million, according to SEC Form 4 filings.
After the 6 insider purchases of $10,000 or more since 2012, PAYX beat the S&P 500 by an average of 11.5 percentage points over the next 12 months; 75% of them were followed by a beat. Across all 17,865 insider purchases in Exent’s study, the average was +17.2% and the median +1.0% against the index.
| Date | Insider | Role | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 4, 2026 | Doody Joseph | Director | $98,760 |
| Feb 4, 2026 | Bonadio Tom | Director | $98,498 |
| Aug 24, 2024 | Flaschen David J S | Director | $5,556 |
| Nov 28, 2023 | Flaschen David J S | Director | $29,371 |
| May 25, 2023 | Flaschen David J S | Director | $5,511 |
The table lists the latest open‑market purchases on record, leaving out the last 30 days. The chart counts Form 4 purchases and sales by calendar quarter. Purchases are open‑market buys; sales include planned sales under 10b5‑1 trading plans. Do insider buys beat the market?
How much of PAYX is sold short?
As of the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, 5.89% of PAYX’s float was sold short: 18.8 million shares, or 4.3 days of average trading volume to cover. A year earlier (Oct 15, 2025) it was 4.01%. The median across the 997 US stocks Exent tracks was 4.77%, so PAYX is more heavily shorted than most.
From FINRA short‑interest reports, filed twice a month; the bars show the short share of the float at each month‑end. Days to cover divides the shares short by the average daily volume. The most shorted stocks
How many institutions own PAYX?
At the end of Q2 2026 (Jun 30, 2026), 1,578 institutions reported holding PAYX in 13F filings, up 18 from the quarter before and down from 1,745 a year earlier. Their reported holdings add up to 85.8% of PAYX’s shares. In the quarter 794 institutions added to their positions and 548 cut them.
1,57813F holders
158new positions
137positions closed
85.8%of shares held by 13F filers
Investment managers with over $100 million in US equities file 13F reports within 45 days of each quarter end, so this is the latest complete quarter. Holdings can add up to more than 100% when shares are lent and counted twice. Which stocks institutions are buying and selling
Is PAYX diluting shareholders?
PAYX’s diluted share count fell 0.6% over the five fiscal years to fiscal 2026 and fell 0.6% in fiscal 2026 alone. Each share now owns a larger slice of the company. The median change across the 1,005 US stocks Exent tracks was −0.1%.
Stock‑based compensation was $96.1 million in fiscal 2026, 1.5% of revenue. PAYX spent $611.0 million buying back shares, a buyback yield of 1.35% of its market value; stock pay equaled 15.7% of the buybacks.
−0.6%share count, 1 year
−0.6%share count, 5 years
1.5%stock pay as % of revenue
1.35%buyback yield
Weighted‑average diluted shares from PAYX’s annual income statements; stock‑based compensation and buybacks from its cash‑flow statement. Stock dilution and stock‑based compensation, explained
PAYX financial health scores
In Exent’s Oct 20, 2026 snapshot, PAYX’s Altman Z‑score was 3.25, in the safe zone (where 465 of the 794 non‑financial US stocks Exent tracks sit). Its Piotroski F‑score was 7 out of 9; 40% of scored stocks reach 7 or more.
3.25Altman Z‑score: safe zone
7/9Piotroski F‑score
The Altman Z‑score combines five balance‑sheet and earnings ratios into one bankruptcy‑risk score: below 1.81 is the distress zone, 1.81–2.99 grey, above 2.99 safe. It is not meaningful for banks, insurers and REITs. The Piotroski F‑score counts nine yes/no tests of profitability, leverage and efficiency; 8–9 is strong, 0–2 weak. Both come from the latest annual statements. Which stocks have the highest bankruptcy risk?
What PAYX talks about on earnings calls
On its latest earnings call (Sep 23, 2026), PAYX’s executives and analysts mentioned AI 45 times, against 18 on the call before (Jun 24, 2026); the average across 455 S&P 500 calls that quarter was 12.9. After AI, the most mentioned topic was ai agents (8).
| Mentions | Sep ’26 | Jun ’26 | Mar ’26 | Dec ’25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI | 45 | 18 | 42 | 46 |
| AI agents | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Data centers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tariffs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| China | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Recession | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
- AI
- Sep ’26
- 45
- Jun ’26
- 18
- Mar ’26
- 42
- Dec ’25
- 46
- AI agents
- Sep ’26
- 8
- Jun ’26
- 2
- Mar ’26
- 5
- Dec ’25
- 0
- Data centers
- Sep ’26
- 0
- Jun ’26
- 0
- Mar ’26
- 0
- Dec ’25
- 0
- Tariffs
- Sep ’26
- 0
- Jun ’26
- 0
- Mar ’26
- 0
- Dec ’25
- 0
- China
- Sep ’26
- 0
- Jun ’26
- 0
- Mar ’26
- 0
- Dec ’25
- 0
- Recession
- Sep ’26
- 2
- Jun ’26
- 1
- Mar ’26
- 1
- Dec ’25
- 1
Word counts in the full transcript of each call, prepared remarks and Q&A, newest first. “AI” also counts generative AI and large language models; “AI agents” counts agentic AI. Which companies talk most about AI?
Which ETFs hold PAYX?
As of Oct 20, 2026, 58 of the 304 ETFs Exent tracks held PAYX. Its largest weight is in CGDG (Capital Group Dividend Growers), at 1.17% of the fund.
| ETF | Fund | Weight of PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| CGDG | Capital Group Dividend Growers | 1.17% |
| FDL | First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 0.90% |
| SCHD | Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | 0.87% |
| DSTL | Distillate U.S. Fundamental Stability & Value ETF | 0.76% |
| VOT | Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Index Fund | 0.75% |
| HDV | iShares Core High Dividend ETF | 0.70% |
| WTV | WisdomTree U.S. Value Fund | 0.67% |
| XLI | State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.67% |
Owning several of these funds stacks the same position. How much do VOO, QQQ and VTI overlap?
How much is PAYX’s CEO paid?
John B. Gibson, PAYX’s President and CEO, received total pay of $10.3 million for fiscal 2026, up 16.7% from $8.8 million for fiscal 2025, according to the company’s proxy statement filed with the SEC on Sep 4, 2026. 82% of it came as stock and option awards, valued when they were granted rather than when they pay out. The median CEO pay across the 378 S&P 500 companies Exent tracks was $17.2 million, so PAYX’s CEO earned less than most.
| Pay component | Amount | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | $921,923 | 9.0% |
| Stock and option awards | $8.5 million | 82.3% |
| Incentive plan (cash) | $881,448 | 8.6% |
| Other | $17,674 | 0.2% |
| Other top executives | Role | Total pay, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Robert L. Schrader | SVP and CFO | $3.4 million |
| Adam Ante | SVP of HCM | $2.8 million |
| Ryan Bergstrom | Chief Product and Technology Officer | $2.8 million |
| Chad Parodi | SVP of HR & Benefits Services | $2.5 million |
Figures from the summary compensation table of the proxy statement; awards count at their grant‑date value, so one large multi‑year grant can make a single year stand out. CEO pay across the S&P 500
The right benchmark for PAYX
Exent matches every holding to the index with the most similar risk. For PAYX that is QQQ (the Nasdaq‑100). Comparing a holding with an index that carries very different risk makes good results look bad and risky ones look clever. Read why the S&P 500 is the wrong benchmark for most portfolios.
Other industrials stocks
Data and methodology
Returns are total returns from month‑end adjusted closing prices (dividends reinvested) through Oct 30, 2026. Crisis drawdowns and trailing maximum drawdowns use daily prices. Analyst coverage counts ratings published in the last 12 months, shown with a 30‑day delay. Full method: Exent methodology.
Company data as of Oct 20, 2026. The move around an earnings report runs from the close before it to the close after it; a price target counts as hit when the stock closed at or beyond it within 12 months (Exent analyst data). Revenue by region and segment, share counts and executive pay come from company filings; insider trades from SEC Form 4, short interest from FINRA, institutional ownership from 13F filings, Congress trades from STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate, federal contracts from USAspending.gov. Filings from the last 30 days are shown as counts only.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Historical figures are calculated by Exent from market data and are for education only; they are not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
Check PAYX with Exent Gems
Wall Street’s average PAYX price target is 3.9% below the latest share price. See what the best‑ranked analysts on PAYX say now in Exent Gems.
- Exent ranks Wall Street analysts by their past price‑target hit rate and returns, and keeps the best‑ranked few.
- Gems shows who the top‑ranked analysts covering PAYX are, their live calls and the median target of only the top‑rated analysts.
- Gems flags the stocks where several top‑ranked analysts agree: a starting point for your own research, not a promise.
Frequently asked questions
No. PAYX returned +177.7% (+10.8% a year) over the 10 years to Oct 30, 2026, versus +316.3% (+15.3% a year) for the S&P 500, including dividends.
Yes. As of Oct 20, 2026, PAYX (Paychex, Inc.) is one of the 503 stocks in the S&P 500. It is also in the Nasdaq-100.
Yes. As of Oct 20, 2026, PAYX (Paychex, Inc.) is one of the 101 stocks in the Nasdaq-100.
PAYX fell −52.4% from peak to trough during the global financial crisis (2007–09), versus −56.5% for the S&P 500.
PAYX fell −44.1% from peak to trough during the covid crash (feb–mar 2020), versus −34.1% for the S&P 500.
PAYX fell −23.5% from peak to trough during the 2022 inflation bear market, versus −25.4% for the S&P 500.
Over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026, PAYX’s Sharpe ratio was 0.04 and its Sortino ratio 0.06, versus 0.58 and 0.91 for the S&P 500.
PAYX’s 5‑year annualized volatility was 23.6%, higher than the S&P 500’s 17.0%, with a beta of 0.81.
Among large US stocks, the lowest correlations with PAYX over the last 60 months were GLW (−0.19), INTC (−0.15), AMAT (−0.10). Its correlation with long Treasuries (TLT) was 0.23 and with gold (GLD) 0.05.
PAYX beat the consensus earnings-per-share estimate in 11 of its last 12 quarterly reports through Sep 23, 2026, and the revenue estimate in 9 of 12. The stock moved 4.5% on average, up or down, from the close before each report to the close after it.
John B. Gibson, PAYX’s President and CEO, received $10.3 million in total pay for fiscal 2026, including a $921,923 salary and $8.5 million in stock and option awards valued at grant, according to the proxy statement filed with the SEC on Sep 4, 2026. The median S&P 500 CEO received $17.2 million.
Yes. As of Oct 20, 2026, 21 members of Congress had disclosed 75 trades in PAYX (31 buys and 44 sales) in STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate.
As of the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, 5.89% of PAYX’s float was sold short (18.8 million shares, 4.3 days to cover), according to FINRA short-interest reports. A year earlier it was 4.01%.
No. PAYX’s diluted share count fell 0.6% over the five fiscal years to fiscal 2026 and fell 0.6% in the latest year. Stock-based compensation was 1.5% of revenue, and buybacks totaled $611.0 million.
What do the best‑ranked analysts say on PAYX now?
Exent ranks Wall Street analysts by their track record. Gems shows who the top‑ranked analysts on PAYX are, their latest calls and the stocks where several of them agree.
See this week’s GemsLimited offer$1.95 for full access· full access
Educational content, not investment advice. Examples are illustrative; past performance does not guarantee future results.