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PAYX Stock Forecast: Paychex, Inc. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 2 Oct 2026
$99
−1.87% on the day

The 19 Wall Street analysts covering Paychex, Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $111 — +12.2% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 77 of 100 as at 2 Oct 2026 — inside the top quartile. Here, the model and the Street point the same way.

Market cap
$35.2B
Ticker Nerd rank
77 / 100
Median analyst target
$111
Analysts covering
19
Revenue$1.6B+12.5% y/y
Operating income$604.7M
Net income$420.6M
Free cash flow$515.0M
Quarterly, 8 quarters to 31 May 2026 · latest quarter's figure shown
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
−2.4%
1M
−20.2%
YTD
−8.8%
1Y
−16.4%
From 52W high
−22.3%
From 52W low
+18.3%
$84
$127
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

PAYX stock analysis: one number for the whole business

Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Paychex, Inc. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.

Where the model ranks itAs at 2 Oct 2026
77 / 100

Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested

Volatility
100
Issuance
93
Growth
75
Quality
74
Value
70
Accruals
62
Revisions
60
Momentum
40
Size
7

Volatility (100): The share price has been relatively steady.

Momentum (40): The shares have been drifting down relative to others.

Size (7): Larger than most of the companies we track — more scrutinised, less often mispriced.

Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.

Wall Street

PAYX stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on PAYX, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$80$100$120$140$160Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26Oct 26PAYXHigh $150Median $111Low $96

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Data provided by Twelve Data

What Wall Street says19 analysts
2 Buy15 Hold2 Sell
Low $96Median $111High $150

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +12.2% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 7 moved their price target up and 5 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
28 Sept 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral$125 → $110
28 Sept 2026Cantor FitzgeraldMaintainsUnderweight$112 → $96
24 Sept 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsMarket Perform$118 → $113
24 Sept 2026JP MorganUpgradeNeutral$105 → $115
24 Sept 2026RBC CapitalReiteratesSector Perform$130
24 Sept 2026StifelMaintainsHold$130 → $112
24 Sept 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$125 → $115
16 Sept 2026Wolfe ResearchUpgradePeer Perform—
16 Sept 2026Wolfe ResearchUpgradePeer Perform—
11 Sept 2026TD CowenMaintainsHold—
11 Sept 2026TD CowenMaintainsHold$98 → $117
9 Sept 2026StifelMaintainsHold$110 → $130
9 Sept 2026StifelMaintainsHold—
9 Sept 2026Wells FargoMaintainsUnderweight$95 → $111
9 Sept 2026Wells FargoMaintainsUnderweight—
13 Aug 2026JefferiesMaintainsHold—
13 Aug 2026JefferiesMaintainsHold$105 → $120
30 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy—
30 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy$140 → $150
22 July 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$105 → $115

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.

Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. PAYX appears on the weeks it earns a place.

Free, every Monday. Unsubscribe any time.

Performance

PAYX vs the S&P 500

Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.

Over the twelve months to 2 Oct 2026, Paychex, Inc. returned −16.4% against +16.2% for the S&P 500, dividends included.

PAYX vs S&P 500, last 12 monthsTotal return, rebased to 100
708090100110120Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26Oct 26PAYXS&P 500

Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.

Data provided by Twelve Data

Estimates

PAYX analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
−0.1%
Analysts raising
0
Analysts cutting
3
Fundamentals

Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
19.6×

Cheaper than 37% of US stocks

Price / sales
5.3×

Cheaper than 23% of US stocks

Price / book
9.4×

Cheaper than 10% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
12.6×

Cheaper than 28% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
5.9%

Higher than 41% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
12.0%

Higher than 50% of US stocks

Gross margin
74.0%

Higher than 86% of US stocks

Operating margin
38.5%

Higher than 91% of US stocks

Net margin
27.4%

Higher than 87% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
47.1%

Higher than 93% of US stocks

Return on assets
10.2%

Higher than 92% of US stocks

Dividend yield
4.8%

Higher than 80% of US dividend payers

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Key statistics

Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) statistics: revenue, profit & scale

The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.

  • Paychex, Inc. has a market value of $35.2B and an enterprise value of $38.9B.

  • Revenue in the twelve months to 31 May 2026: $6.5B. The latest quarter grew 5.9% year on year.

  • Net income over the same four quarters: $1.8B, a 27.0% net margin.

  • Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $4.89.

  • Free cash flow in the twelve months to 31 May 2026: $2.3B, after $234.9M of capital spending.

  • Paychex, Inc. spent $611.0M on share buybacks and $1.6B on dividends in the twelve months to 31 May 2026.

  • Shares outstanding: 355.6M.

  • Trailing P/E: 19.6×; forward P/E: 15.5× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.

  • Forward dividend yield: 4.81%, paying out 90% of earnings.

  • Paychex, Inc. employs 17,600 people — $370K of revenue per employee.

Statement figures: company filings via Twelve Data, four quarters to 31 May 2026 · market figures as at 3 Oct 2026

Data provided by Twelve Data

Peers

PAYX vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelSoftware - Application
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
PAYXPaychex, Inc.$35.2B
77
ROPRoper Technologies, Inc.$35.8B
62
ADSKAutodesk, Inc.$44.9B
75
ZMZoom Communications, Inc.$27.4B
79
WDAYWorkday, Inc.$46.5B
89
TEAMAtlassian Corp.$49.5B
83
MSTRStrategy, Inc.$61.5B
27

Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.

The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Paychex, Inc. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →

News

Latest PAYX news & analysis

Paychex (PAYX) Beat Earnings and Then Paid Shareholders Nearly Every Dollar It Made

24/7 Wall Street · 2 Oct 2026negative

Paychex beat earnings estimates for the fourth consecutive quarter, but its stock fell sharply. Investors focused on a single line item that raised questions about the actual cost of returning nearly all of its earnings to shareholders through payouts.

Why it matters — Paychex watchers would care because the market's reaction and scrutiny over shareholder payout costs signal concerns about the true financial burden of the company's capital returns.

Top 25 Attractive Dividend Stocks For October 2026

Seeking Alpha · 1 Oct 2026neutral

Seeking Alpha presents a screened Top 25 U.S. dividend growth stock list for October 2026, emphasizing fundamental growth, economic moats, and yields above 2.5%, with the list averaging a 3.38% yield and appearing about 31% undervalued by dividend yield theory. Subsets highlight high-yield, fast dividend growth, highest expected return, most undervalued, and fastest fundamental growth opportunities.

Why it matters — PAYX watchers would care because the list offers a dividend-focused framework against which Paychex's yield, valuation, and growth can be assessed, though the article does not specify whether PAYX is included.

The 15 worst-performing S&P 500 stocks during a dismal September

Market Watch · 30 Sept 2026neutral

During September, the S&P 500 edged slightly higher even though 75% of its component stocks fell for the month, reflecting the heavy weighting of top names. The article highlights that the benchmark's narrow leadership masked broad weakness among most constituents.

Why it matters — A PAYX watcher would care because the article shows that most S&P 500 stocks, including likely small-cap and mid-cap names, declined even as the index rose, providing context for how individual holdings performed relative to the benchmark.

Paychex Just Fell 14%. How Does Its Dividend Stack Up Against ADP?

24/7 Wall Street · 29 Sept 2026neutral

The article examines how Paychex's dividend compares with that of competitor ADP, noting that both companies are the closest thing to a duopoly in payroll processing and have long histories of raising their payouts. It addresses which payroll dividend might suit a retirement portfolio.

Why it matters — Paychex watchers would care because the analysis evaluates the strength and appeal of PAYX's dividend program relative to its main competitor, a key metric for income-focused investors.

U.S. Small Business Employment Rate Remains Steady in September

GlobeNewsWire · 29 Sept 2026positive

According to the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch, the pace of job growth in U.S. small businesses with fewer than 50 employees edged up 0.02 percentage points to 99.15 in September. The report noted that the U.S. small business employment rate remained steady during the month.

Why it matters — Since Paychex provides payroll and HR services to small businesses, its own employment index offers a direct gauge of activity among its core customer base and the demand for its services.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about PAYX stock

What is the PAYX stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

The 19 Wall Street analysts covering Paychex, Inc. have a median 12-month price target of $111, with estimates ranging from $96 to $150. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Is PAYX stock a buy right now?

Of the 19 analysts covering Paychex, Inc., 2 rate it a Buy, 15 a Hold and 2 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Paychex, Inc. 77 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 2 Oct 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank PAYX?

As at 2 Oct 2026, Paychex, Inc. ranks 77 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Volatility (100 of 100).

Will PAYX stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 19 analysts implies +12.2% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Paychex, Inc. 77 out of 100 as at 2 Oct 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the PAYX stock forecast for 2030?

No analyst covering Paychex, Inc. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for PAYX are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $96 to $150 over the next 12 months.

How has PAYX stock performed over the past year?

Paychex, Inc. returned -16.4% over the 12 months to 2 Oct 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does Paychex, Inc. do?

Paychex Inc. is a human capital management company that provides payroll, HR, benefits, and insurance solutions for small- and medium-sized businesses.

What is the latest news on PAYX?

The most recent item we track (24/7 Wall Street, 2 Oct 2026): "Paychex (PAYX) Beat Earnings and Then Paid Shareholders Nearly Every Dollar It Made". Paychex beat earnings estimates for the fourth consecutive quarter, but its stock fell sharply. Investors focused on a single line item that raised questions about the actual cost of returning nearly all of its earnings to shareholders through payouts.

Company

About Paychex, Inc.

Paychex Inc. is a human capital management company that provides payroll, HR, benefits, and insurance solutions for small- and medium-sized businesses. The company helps organizations manage core workforce functions through integrated technology and advisory services, including payroll processing, tax administration, time and attendance, employee onboarding, retirement plan support, and benefits administration. Paychex also offers outsourced HR and professional employer organization services, giving clients access to tools and expertise that streamline employee management and compliance tasks. Its product suite includes digital platforms such as Paychex Flex and SurePayroll, which are designed to support businesses with scalable payroll and workforce management capabilities. Paychex serves a broad range of industries and plays an important role in the business services market by helping employers simplify administration and focus on day-to-day operations.

CEO Mr. John B. Gibson Jr. · 17,600 employees · United States · https://www.paychex.com