Fundamental analysis · SEC EDGAR · as of 31/05/2026

Fundamental analysis of Paychex Inc

PAYX · Nasdaq · Industrial

Fundamental quality

ATTRACTIVE

82

out of 100

Paychex Inc fits the profile of a quality compounder: it pairs high return on capital (ROE 47.1%) with wide margins (net margin 27%) and a business that keeps growing (9.9% a year). On fundamental quality it scores 82 out of 100, profiling it as a company with solid fundamentals. Its weakest area is its growth (revenue +9.9%/yr). Whether it's cheap or expensive depends on the current price, which you can compute in the tool.

What the company does

Paychex runs payroll and human resources for hundreds of thousands of small American businesses: it pays employees, withholds taxes and administers benefits and insurance. A sticky business par excellence: switching payroll providers is a pain nobody wants.

What will shape its future

  • SMB employment: every worker on its clients' payroll is its unit of revenue.
  • Interest rates: it earns extra investing payroll cash while holding it.
  • Full HR outsourcing (PEO), its growth segment.

Breakdown by area

I.Growth
60

EPS growth: 10% · Revenue growth: 9.9%

II.Profitability
95

Net margin: 27% · ROE: 47.1% · ROIC: 26.5%

III.Financial health
90

Net debt/EBITDA: 1.17x · FCF: 35.7%

Source: SEC EDGAR · as of 31/05/2026

The score combines growth, profitability and financial strength. Here its profitability weighs in its favor, while its growth drags it down the most.

Versus its sector

Percentile against the other 69 Industrial companies in our coverage: how far it beats them on each metric (100 = best in sector).

Net marginbeats 97%
ROEbeats 92%
Growthbeats 57%
Cash generationbeats 100%
Less debtbeats 65%

Computed from the daily dataset scores. A high percentile places the company among the best in its sector on that metric; it is not a buy recommendation.

Key concepts

What do these metrics mean? Fundamental analysis · What is the P/E · What is EPS · What is ROE · Net & gross margin · Free cash flow

Paychex Inc strengths

  • Excellent free-cash-flow generation (FCF margin of 35.7%): profit turns into real cash.
  • Solid return on capital: its ROE (47.1%) is inflated by buybacks, but ROIC —which strips that out— is 26.5%.
  • Exceptional net margin (27%), high even for its sector: the business is clearly profitable.
  • Revenue rising without interruption since 2015.

Paychex Inc risks and weaknesses

  • Its net debt has grown over the period.

Paychex Inc historical evolution

YearRevenueNet incomeFree cash flowNet debt
20152,740675-170
20224,6121,3931,456436
20235,0071,5571,563-414
20245,2781,6901,736-670
20255,5721,6571,7093,320
20266,5121,7602,3223,468

Between 2015 and 2026, revenue went from $2,740M to $6,512M (+138%) and net income went from $675M to $1,760M (+161%).

Annual figures in millions of U.S. dollars ($M) per SEC filings. Net debt is total debt minus cash.

Dividend

$4.43

per share, yearly

90.3% of earnings

Payout

15 straight years raising it

Growth

The dividend yield depends on today's price. Compute it in the analyzer → · See all dividend-paying stocks →

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Is Paychex Inc cheap or expensive?

That depends on the current price. Look it up, enter it in the tool and get the full valuation verdict (P/E against its sector).

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Frequently asked questions

Is Paychex Inc a good company to invest in?

In terms of business quality, Paychex Inc scores 82 out of 100 in our analysis, placing it as a company of high fundamental quality. That said, this isn't a recommendation: whether it's a good investment also depends on its current price and your goals.

Is Paychex Inc a profitable company?

Very. Paychex Inc shows a net margin of 27% and an ROE of 47.1%, typical of a highly profitable business.

Does Paychex Inc have a lot of debt?

Not particularly. Its net debt is 1.17 times its EBITDA, a low level.

Is Paychex Inc growing?

Its revenue has grown 9.9% annualized in recent years and its earnings per share 10%, and without interruption since 2015.

Does Paychex Inc generate cash?

Yes. It converts about 35.7% of its revenue into free cash flow, and has done so positively year after year.

The thresholds are general and the system doesn't judge qualitative factors. See the full methodology and use this analysis as a first filter, never as a final decision.

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