PAYXPaychex

$99.31-24% 1Y

RyuScore

Seven criteria, each scored 0 to 100 on a published scale, weighted into one number.

RyuScore 79 out of 100, Strong
Today's price. Only valuation depends on it.

Strong. Paychex scores higher than 91% of the 1,794 companies Ryufin scores.

Carried by valuation and return on capital, with nothing holding it far back.

Industrials median 61 · all companies 57

How the score has moved

At each fiscal year end, from the reports and price of the time
75
75
79
78
68
78
79
202120222023202420252026today

The biggest move was down 10 points from 2024 to 2025, mostly valuation.

Valuation

26% of the score

83median 56

Paychex is valued at 13.8x its operating profit before acquisition amortisation (EBITA), including debt: an ordinary multiple.

60x
50x
35x
25x
18x
12x
8x
13.8x
Full points at 8x or less, none from 60xfull points

Return on capital

18% of the score

100median 34

Over 7 years the business earned 34% a year after tax on the capital it uses.

2%
8%
15%
25%
34%
None at 2% or less, full points from 25%full points
Return on capital by year
7 years agolatest 23%

Return on new capital

16% of the score

68median 49

For every dollar of operating profit earned over 6 years, yearly profit grew by 7 cents. New capital earned 11%, and 62% of profit went back into the business.

-5%
12%
6.5%
None at minus 5 cents, full points from 12 centsfull points

Capital allocation

14% of the score

67median 64

How management spends the money: shares bought back or issued, and whether assets grow faster than the business they serve.

Share countDown 0.1% a year over 5 years: buybacks
64
5%
-3%
-0.1%
0 pointsfull points
Assets against salesAssets grew 12% a year, sales 9.9%
72
12%
-2%
1.9%
0 pointsfull points

Cycle position

12% of the score

66median 62

Today's operating margin of 39% is 0.99x its normal 40%: close to its usual level. Normal is half the 10 year median, half the last four years, so a margin that has held is not taken for a peak.

2x
1.5x
1x
0.7x
1x
A trough earns points, a peak costs themfull points
Operating margin by year, against its normal level
10 years agonow 39%

Balance sheet

8% of the score

80median 50

What the debt weighs against the profit that has to carry it.

Net debt to EBITDA1.3x a year of EBITDA
81
4.5x
0.5x
1.3x
0 pointsfull points
Interest coverOperating profit covers interest 10x
78
1.5x
12x
9.7x
0 pointsfull points

Earnings quality

6% of the score

76median 90

Whether the reported profit arrives as cash, and whether the accounts show the usual signs of stretching.

Cash against profitOperating cash flow was 1.24x profit over 3 years
93
0.7x
1x
1.3x
1.2x
0 pointsfull points
AccrualsCash ran ahead of profit by 4.9% of assets
84
8%
0%
-8%
-4.9%
0 pointsfull points
Beneish M-score-2.13
52
-1.50
-1.78
-2.22
-3.00
-2.13
0 pointsfull points

How the RyuScore works

Each criterion earns 0 to 100 points on the scale drawn under it, and the RyuScore is their average weighted 26, 18, 16, 14, 12, 8 and 6. Scales bend in the company's favour between their ends, so an ordinary figure is never already near zero. Where a criterion cannot be measured from the filings it is taken out and the remaining weights scale up; a company needs 60% of the weight covered, and always a price, to get a score.

Built from the company's annual and quarterly filings with the SEC and today's share price. Banks, insurers and property trusts are not scored: their debt is their raw material, so these yardsticks mean something else there. Figures as of 2026-08-31, latest annual report FY2026.