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

Last close, 4 Sept 2026
$122
−2.69% on the day

The 19 Wall Street analysts covering Paychex, Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $110 — -9.6% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 86 of 100 as at 7 Sept 2026 — inside the top quartile. The factors read stronger than the Street's target implies. That gap is the story on this page.

Market cap
$43.3B
Ticker Nerd rank
86 / 100
Median analyst target
$110
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
−4.2%
1M
+2.6%
YTD
+12.2%
1Y
−7.6%
From 52W high
−7.6%
From 52W low
+45.6%
$84
$132
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 7 Sept 2026
86 / 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
Quality
76
Revisions
74
Growth
72
Accruals
70
Value
65
Momentum
50
Size
6

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

Momentum (50): The shares have been drifting down relative to others.

Size (6): 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$160Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26PAYXHigh $150Median $110Low $95

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 Buy12 Hold5 Sell
Low $95Median $110High $150

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits −9.6% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 5 moved their price target up and 1 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
13 Aug 2026JefferiesMaintainsHold$105 → $120
30 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy—
30 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy$140 → $150
22 July 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$105 → $115
22 July 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
30 June 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainsEqual-Weight—
30 June 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainsEqual-Weight$107 → $109
25 June 2026JP MorganMaintainsUnderweight$100 → $105
25 June 2026JP MorganMaintainsUnderweight—
25 June 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$100 → $98
25 June 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
17 June 2026StifelMaintainsHold—
15 June 2026CitigroupUpgradeBuy—
8 June 2026TD CowenMaintainsHold—
13 Apr 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
26 Mar 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral—
26 Mar 2026CitigroupMaintainsNeutral—
26 Mar 2026JP MorganMaintainsUnderweight—
26 Mar 2026TD CowenMaintainsHold—
26 Mar 2026Wells FargoMaintainsUnderweight—

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 4 Sept 2026, Paychex, Inc. returned −7.6% against +20.0% for the S&P 500, dividends included.

PAYX vs S&P 500, last 12 monthsTotal return, rebased to 100
60708090100110120Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 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
+1.3%
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
24.9×

Cheaper than 31% of US stocks

Price / sales
10.9×

Cheaper than 14% of US stocks

Price / book
11.6×

Cheaper than 8% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
29.1×

Cheaper than 9% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
12.5%

Higher than 58% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
41.5%

Higher than 72% of US stocks

Gross margin
74.0%

Higher than 86% of US stocks

Operating margin
38.3%

Higher than 91% of US stocks

Net margin
26.6%

Higher than 87% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
47.1%

Higher than 93% of US stocks

Return on assets
10.9%

Higher than 93% of US stocks

Dividend yield
3.9%

Higher than 76% 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 $43.3B and an enterprise value of $46.8B.

  • Revenue in the twelve months to 31 May 2026: $6.5B. The latest quarter grew 12.5% 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: 24.9×; forward P/E: 19.0× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.

  • Forward dividend yield: 3.91%, paying out 91% 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 6 Sept 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.$43.3B
86
ADSKAutodesk, Inc.$46.2B
76
ROPRoper Technologies, Inc.$41.1B
63
WDAYWorkday, Inc.$48.9B
88
TEAMAtlassian Corp.$49.9B
76
MSTRStrategy, Inc.$54.9B
25
ZMZoom Communications, Inc.$29.9B
81

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

PAYX Stock Rises 30% in 6 Months: Here's What You Should Know

Zacks Investment Research · 4 Sept 2026positive

Paychex (PAYX) stock has risen 30% over the past six months, with growth being driven by synergies from the Paycor acquisition, AI-powered WISE capabilities, and efficiency gains that support stronger margins and client value.

Why it matters — A PAYX watcher would care because the company's recent stock performance is being attributed to tangible operational drivers, including integration synergies and AI-enabled offerings that contribute to margin strength.

Paychex's AI Potential Could Produce A Nice Payday

Seeking Alpha · 3 Sept 2026positive

A Seeking Alpha analysis gives Paychex a positive rating, citing strong revenue growth, high margins, and strategic AI integration through its WISE platform aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. It notes that Paychex posts superior gross and net margins plus faster revenue and free cash flow growth than ADP, though it trades at higher price-to-sales multiples.

Why it matters — A PAYX watcher would care because the analysis highlights how Paychex's AI-driven efficiencies and margin advantages over ADP could strengthen its competitive position with cost-sensitive SME clients.

Why Paychex (PAYX) is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term

Zacks Investment Research · 3 Sept 2026positive

Zacks Investment Research highlights Paychex (PAYX) as a top growth stock for the long term, citing its Style Scores feature as a useful resource for investors evaluating strong companies.

Why it matters — A positive designation as a top long-term growth stock may influence how investors view Paychex's growth prospects and market standing.

Stable Employment Levels Continue for U.S. Small Businesses in August

GlobeNewsWire · 1 Sept 2026neutral

The Paychex Small Business Employment Watch reported that the pace of job growth among U.S. small businesses remained consistent in August, with an index reading of 99.13. The report tracks employers with fewer than 50 employees and indicated stable employment levels continued in August.

Why it matters — Paychex shareholders would be interested in small-business employment trends because Paychex derives much of its revenue from payroll and HR services for small businesses, so stable client employment conditions support its core business.

WISE at Work: Early Results Show Paychex AI Is Reducing Payroll Errors and Improving Service Efficiency at Scale

GlobeNewsWire · 31 Aug 2026positive

Paychex announced early results from more than 50,000 businesses using its WISE AI product, with adoption data indicating the tool is helping customers proactively prevent payroll errors and improve service efficiency at scale.

Why it matters — The early results suggest Paychex's AI investment is delivering tangible operational benefits to customers, which could strengthen its service offering and competitive position.

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 $110, with estimates ranging from $95 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, 12 a Hold and 5 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Paychex, Inc. 86 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 7 Sept 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank PAYX?

As at 7 Sept 2026, Paychex, Inc. ranks 86 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 -9.6% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Paychex, Inc. 86 out of 100 as at 7 Sept 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: $95 to $150 over the next 12 months.

How has PAYX stock performed over the past year?

Paychex, Inc. returned -7.6% over the 12 months to 4 Sept 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 (Zacks Investment Research, 4 Sept 2026): "PAYX Stock Rises 30% in 6 Months: Here's What You Should Know". Paychex (PAYX) stock has risen 30% over the past six months, with growth being driven by synergies from the Paycor acquisition, AI-powered WISE capabilities, and efficiency gains that support stronger margins and client value.

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