PAYX vs SAP vs PAYC Stock Comparison

Paychex, Sap Se and Paycom Software Prices as of Oct 27, 2026 Peers: Industry group
PAYX Paychex Inc
$109.26 +7.8% 1M -12.6% 1Y
Market cap
$38.43B
P/E
21.3x
Revenue (TTM)
$6.60B
Div. yield
0.04%
HR Software Technology
5 wins
SAP Sap Se
$235.80 +11.9% 1M -13.4% 1Y
Market cap
$275.90B
P/E
28.9x
Revenue (TTM)
$45.76B
Div. yield
–
ERP Software Technology
5 wins
PAYC Paycom Software, Inc.
$261.65 +18.7% 1M +30.7% 1Y
Market cap
$11.99B
P/E
24.6x
Revenue (TTM)
$2.14B
Div. yield
–
HR Software Technology
1 win

Head to Head

11 decided of 12

Sap Se leads on 5 of the 12 questions below (Sap Se 5, Paychex 5, Paycom Software 1). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionPAYXSAPPAYCLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $38.43B $275.90B $11.99B SAP
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 21.3x 28.9x 24.6x PAYX
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 17.4x 27.7x 22.3x PAYX
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +14.0% +13.5% +9.2% PAYX
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 27.4% 20.8% 22.8% PAYX
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 23.7% 35.6% 31.3% SAP
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 1.2x -0.4x 0.8x SAP
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.04% 0.00% 0.00% –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months -12.6% -13.4% +30.7% PAYC
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years -2.4%/yr +9.8%/yr -13.4%/yr SAP
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 31.4% 39.3% 47.3% PAYX
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 58/100 63/100 62/100 SAP

Percentile Scorecard

PAYXSAPPAYC

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisPAYXSAPPAYC
Valuation 48 #53 of 101 52 #49 of 101 53 #48 of 101
Growth 34 #64 of 97 68 #32 of 97 57 #42 of 97
Profitability 97 #4 of 94 91 #9 of 94 98 #3 of 94
Financial Health 40 #65 of 108 77 #26 of 108 39 #66 of 108
Shareholder Returns 68 #21 of 64 29 #46 of 64 64 #24 of 64
Overall 58 63 62
  • PAYX ranked among 114 companies in Business Applications
  • SAP ranked among 114 companies in Business Applications
  • PAYC ranked among 114 companies in Business Applications

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodPAYXSAPPAYCSPY
1 month +7.8%+11.9%+18.7% -0.2%
3 months -8.1%+31.6%+61.7% +3.9%
6 months +20.1%+35.9%+109.6% +8.2%
Year to date -2.6%-2.9%+64.2% +12.9%
1 year -12.6%-13.4%+30.7% +12.3%
3 years -0.3%+79.5%+8.9% +87.4%
3 years, per year -0.1%+21.5%+2.9% +23.3%
5 years -11.4%+59.9%-51.3% +67.9%
5 years, per year -2.4%+9.8%-13.4% +10.9%
10 years +97.8%+169.0%+416.6% +261.1%
10 years, per year +7.1%+10.4%+17.8% +13.7%

Risk

MeasurePAYXSAPPAYCSPY
Volatility, 1Y 31.4%39.3%47.3% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 33.0%40.5%42.9% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y -0.040.630.06 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y -0.40-0.340.65 0.97
Max drawdown, 5Y -46.4%-53.2%-79.5% -25.4%
From 52-week high -14.2%-13.4%-4.7% -1.2%
52-week high $127.34$272.16$274.60 $779.14
52-week low $85.57$146.09$113.59 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultiplePAYXSAPPAYC
P/E now vs peer median 21.5xmedian 28.3x 28.8xmedian 28.3x 24.6xmedian 28.3x
P/S now vs peer median 5.9xmedian 2.8x 6.3xmedian 2.8x 5.4xmedian 2.8x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 13.0xmedian 17.3x 11.9xmedian 17.3x 14.5xmedian 17.3x
P/FCF now vs peer median 19.6xmedian 15.8x 27.9xmedian 15.8x 20.2xmedian 15.8x
P/B now vs peer median 10.5xmedian 3.2x 5.5xmedian 3.2x 20.3xmedian 3.2x
PEG now vs peer median 4.50median 0.85 1.80median 0.85 0.99median 0.85

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsPAYXSAPPAYC
Revenue $6.60B $45.76B $2.14B
Gross profit $4.91B $33.40B $1.79B
Operating income $2.59B $22.06B $648.40M
Net income $1.81B $9.47B $487.60M
Free cash flow $1.98B $10.40B $575.10M
R&D – $8.26B $258.90M
EPS (diluted) $5.06 $8.11 $10.62
Cash & equivalents $600.90M $10.62B $198.00M
Total debt $4.56B $9.68B $900.00M
Shares (diluted) 356.60M 1.18B 45.91M
Enterprise value $33.52B $203.30B $10.89B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricPAYXSAPPAYC
P/E 21.5x 28.8x 24.6x
P/FCF 19.6x 27.9x 20.2x
P/Operating cash flow 17.3x 25.2x 14.5x
P/S 5.9x 6.3x 5.4x
P/B 10.5x 5.5x 20.3x
P/Tangible book 18.7x 5.8x 21.4x
EV/EBITDA 13.0x 11.9x 14.5x
EV/EBIT 16.6x 12.7x 19.0x
EV/Revenue 6.5x 6.1x 5.7x
EV/FCF 21.6x 26.9x 21.4x
EV/Operating cash flow 19.0x 24.3x 15.3x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 4.50 1.80 0.99

Growth

14 metrics
MetricPAYXSAPPAYC
Revenue growth (1Y) 14.0% 13.5% 9.2%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 9.1% 11.7% 11.2%
Gross profit growth (1Y) 16.4% 12.6% 10.9%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) 10.7% 12.1% 11.0%
Operating income growth (1Y) 17.5% 30.9% 17.7%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) 7.7% 52.1% 14.9%
Net income growth (1Y) 11.9% 18.5% 17.3%
Net income CAGR (3Y) 4.2% 16.4% 15.6%
EPS growth (1Y) 13.6% 22.0% 44.3%
EPS CAGR (3Y) 4.8% 16.0% 25.0%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 8.6% 43.3% 43.6%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 3.4% 19.0% 21.4%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 8.4% 43.7% 60.1%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 1.9% 20.9% 24.3%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricPAYXSAPPAYC
Gross margin 74.4% 73.0% 83.7%
EBITDA margin 49.8% 51.5% 39.5%
Operating margin 39.2% 48.2% 30.3%
Pretax margin 36.0% 29.2% 32.0%
Net margin 27.4% 20.8% 22.8%
FCF margin 30.0% 22.7% 26.9%
Operating cash flow margin 34.1% 25.1% 37.4%
Return on equity 48.5% 18.5% 70.5%
Return on assets 11.3% 11.2% 9.7%
Return on invested capital 23.7% 35.6% 31.3%
Return on capital employed 27.0% 34.0% 36.7%
Asset turnover 0.4x 0.5x 0.4x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 1.2x 1.2x 1.6x
Stock comp / revenue 1.3% 3.9% 4.2%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricPAYXSAPPAYC
Debt / assets 29.1% 11.2% 17.3%
Debt / equity 1.2x 0.2x 1.6x
Net debt / EBITDA 1.2x -0.4x 0.8x
Debt / FCF 2.3x 0.9x 1.6x
Liabilities / assets 76.3% 39.1% 89.0%
Equity / assets 23.7% 60.9% 11.0%
Interest coverage 9.7x 8.3x 39.8x
Current ratio 1.3x 1.2x 1.1x
Quick ratio 0.5x 0.9x 0.1x
Cash ratio 0.1x 0.9x 0.1x
Altman Z-score 3.21 7.48 3.05

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricPAYXSAPPAYC
Dividend yield 5.2% 1.2% 0.6%
Net buyback yield 1.2% -0.1% 12.8%
Shareholder yield 6.4% 1.1% 13.4%
Payout ratio (earnings) 90.0% – –
Payout ratio (FCF) 82.0% – –
Dividend growth (1Y) 9.5% – –
Dividend CAGR (3Y) 10.3% – –

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusPAYXSAPPAYC
Forward P/E 17.4xFY2026 27.7xFY2026 22.3xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $6.28FY2026 $8.52FY2026 $11.74FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +14.0%FY2026 +16.1%FY2026 +27.1%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after -1.6% +4.9% +14.6%
Revenue, next fiscal year $6.60BFY2026 $42.86BFY2026 $2.08BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +1.4%FY2026 -2.4%FY2026 +1.5%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +12.2% +14.3% +11.2%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersPAYXSAPPAYC
Held by institutions 82.5% 7.2% 90.3%
Institutions holding 1,528 820 594
Change in shares held, QoQ +3.4% -3.0% -8.5%
Institutions buying 785 459 294
Institutions selling 531 245 222
Buyers to sellers 1.48 1.87 1.32

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

PAYXSAPPAYC
PAYX 1.00 0.50 0.67
SAP 0.50 1.00 0.48
PAYC 0.67 0.48 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, PAYX, SAP and PAYC?

Sap Se (SAP) is the largest by market capitalisation: Paychex (PAYX) $38.43B, Sap Se (SAP) $275.90B, Paycom Software (PAYC) $11.99B.

Which stock is cheaper, PAYX, SAP and PAYC?

Paychex (PAYX) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Paychex (PAYX) 21.3x, Sap Se (SAP) 28.9x, Paycom Software (PAYC) 24.6x). On next year's consensus earnings, Paychex (PAYX) is cheapest (Paychex (PAYX) 17.4x, Sap Se (SAP) 27.7x, Paycom Software (PAYC) 22.3x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Paychex (PAYX) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Paychex (PAYX) +14.0%, Sap Se (SAP) +13.5%, Paycom Software (PAYC) +9.2%.

Which company is more profitable?

Paychex (PAYX) has the highest net margin (Paychex (PAYX) 27.4%, Sap Se (SAP) 20.8%, Paycom Software (PAYC) 22.8%). On return on invested capital, Sap Se (SAP) leads (Paychex (PAYX) 23.7%, Sap Se (SAP) 35.6%, Paycom Software (PAYC) 31.3%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Paycom Software (PAYC) returned the most: Paychex (PAYX) -12.6%, Sap Se (SAP) -13.4%, Paycom Software (PAYC) +30.7%. Over five years, Sap Se (SAP) compounded fastest (Paychex (PAYX) -2.4%/yr, Sap Se (SAP) +9.8%/yr, Paycom Software (PAYC) -13.4%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Only one of these companies pays a dividend: Paychex (PAYX) 0.04%, Sap Se (SAP) 0.00%, Paycom Software (PAYC) 0.00%. Sap Se (SAP) and Paycom Software (PAYC) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Paychex (PAYX) has been the steadiest (Paychex (PAYX) 31.4%, Sap Se (SAP) 39.3%, Paycom Software (PAYC) 47.3%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, PAYX, SAP and PAYC?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Sap Se (SAP) leads on 5. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.