ACN vs. PAYC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ACN and PAYC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | ACN | PAYC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Accenture plc | Paycom Software, Inc. |
| Country | Ireland | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | IT Services | Professional Services |
| Market Capitalization | 158.86 billion USD | 12.77 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | July 19, 2001 | April 15, 2014 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ACN and PAYC by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | PAYC |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 3.61% | 5.07% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -20.14% | -12.69% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -34.52% | 7.06% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -22.58% | 42.83% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -4.51% | -1.98% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -27.50% | 10.72% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 4.84M | 0.77M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 3.64M | 0.60M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 28.16% | 29.54% |
| Beta | 1.30 | 0.85 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ACN
27.11%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 29.51%
- Q3
- 16.98%
- Median
- 13.47%
- Q1
- 7.93%
- Min
- -3.97%
In the upper quartile for the IT Services industry, ACN’s Return on Equity of 27.11% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
PAYC
25.35%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 52.17%
- Q3
- 30.06%
- Median
- 22.21%
- Q1
- 11.67%
- Min
- -13.44%
PAYC’s Return on Equity of 25.35% is on par with the norm for the Professional Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ACN
11.61%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 19.82%
- Q3
- 11.49%
- Median
- 6.67%
- Q1
- 3.61%
- Min
- -4.62%
A Net Profit Margin of 11.61% places ACN in the upper quartile for the IT Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
PAYC
21.21%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 26.06%
- Q3
- 13.34%
- Median
- 7.88%
- Q1
- 3.50%
- Min
- -2.93%
A Net Profit Margin of 21.21% places PAYC in the upper quartile for the Professional Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ACN
15.38%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 21.69%
- Q3
- 14.50%
- Median
- 10.06%
- Q1
- 6.98%
- Min
- 0.06%
An Operating Profit Margin of 15.38% places ACN in the upper quartile for the IT Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
PAYC
28.10%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 35.84%
- Q3
- 19.38%
- Median
- 12.54%
- Q1
- 7.36%
- Min
- -5.21%
An Operating Profit Margin of 28.10% places PAYC in the upper quartile for the Professional Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | PAYC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 27.11% | 25.35% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.30% | 9.26% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.61% | 21.21% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.38% | 28.10% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.07% | 82.44% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ACN
1.46
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 2.42
- Q3
- 1.81
- Median
- 1.47
- Q1
- 1.09
- Min
- 0.44
ACN’s Current Ratio of 1.46 aligns with the median group of the IT Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
PAYC
1.30
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 2.45
- Q3
- 1.65
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 1.10
- Min
- 0.47
PAYC’s Current Ratio of 1.30 aligns with the median group of the Professional Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ACN
0.17
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 2.33
- Q3
- 1.17
- Median
- 0.54
- Q1
- 0.15
- Min
- 0.00
ACN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.17 is typical for the IT Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
PAYC
0.00
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 2.63
- Q3
- 1.44
- Median
- 0.91
- Q1
- 0.49
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Professional Services industry, PAYC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
ACN
4,205.92
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 144.50
- Q3
- 84.49
- Median
- 13.76
- Q1
- 2.59
- Min
- -28.13
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 4,205.92, ACN demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the IT Services industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
PAYC
191.88
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 39.67
- Q3
- 20.05
- Median
- 11.07
- Q1
- 5.36
- Min
- -2.22
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 191.88, PAYC demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Professional Services industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | PAYC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.46 | 1.30 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.46 | 1.27 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.17 | 0.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 4,205.92 | 191.88 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ACN
2.24%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 2.80%
- Q3
- 1.74%
- Median
- 0.62%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.24%, ACN offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the IT Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
PAYC
0.65%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 5.28%
- Q3
- 2.51%
- Median
- 1.63%
- Q1
- 0.62%
- Min
- 0.00%
PAYC’s Dividend Yield of 0.65% is consistent with its peers in the Professional Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
ACN
45.12%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 147.75%
- Q3
- 63.58%
- Median
- 24.63%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ACN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 45.12% is within the typical range for the IT Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
PAYC
20.52%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 109.23%
- Q3
- 64.39%
- Median
- 47.00%
- Q1
- 20.35%
- Min
- 0.00%
PAYC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 20.52% is within the typical range for the Professional Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | PAYC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.24% | 0.65% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 45.12% | 20.52% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ACN
20.18
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 41.55
- Q3
- 31.54
- Median
- 23.25
- Q1
- 18.12
- Min
- 6.57
ACN’s P/E Ratio of 20.18 is within the middle range for the IT Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
PAYC
31.73
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 49.59
- Q3
- 36.59
- Median
- 28.13
- Q1
- 18.55
- Min
- 10.07
PAYC’s P/E Ratio of 31.73 is within the middle range for the Professional Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ACN
2.34
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 6.61
- Q3
- 4.37
- Median
- 2.02
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.19
ACN’s P/S Ratio of 2.34 aligns with the market consensus for the IT Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
PAYC
6.73
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 9.54
- Q3
- 5.11
- Median
- 2.10
- Q1
- 0.75
- Min
- 0.11
PAYC’s P/S Ratio of 6.73 is in the upper echelon for the Professional Services industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ACN
6.44
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 11.19
- Q3
- 6.38
- Median
- 3.47
- Q1
- 2.31
- Min
- 0.96
ACN’s P/B Ratio of 6.44 is in the upper tier for the IT Services industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
PAYC
7.19
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 13.75
- Q3
- 8.87
- Median
- 4.35
- Q1
- 2.43
- Min
- 0.54
PAYC’s P/B Ratio of 7.19 is within the conventional range for the Professional Services industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | PAYC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 20.18 | 31.73 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.34 | 6.73 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 6.44 | 7.19 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 15.66 | 37.18 |