FICO vs. PCTY: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at FICO and PCTY, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | FICO | PCTY |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Fair Isaac Corporation | Paylocity Holding Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Software | Professional Services |
| Market Capitalization | 36.46 billion USD | 9.03 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | July 22, 1987 | March 19, 2014 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of FICO and PCTY 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 | FICO | PCTY |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -3.02% | -3.57% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -18.13% | -12.10% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -20.69% | -17.95% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -22.04% | -1.31% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -1.65% | -11.14% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -24.83% | -20.15% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.25M | 0.62M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.34M | 0.55M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 38.86% | 25.65% |
| Beta | 1.35 | 0.60 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
FICO
145.71%
Software Industry
- Max
- 66.28%
- Q3
- 21.28%
- Median
- 9.33%
- Q1
- -8.77%
- Min
- -48.16%
FICO’s Return on Equity of 145.71% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Software industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
PCTY
19.25%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 68.01%
- Q3
- 35.32%
- Median
- 21.92%
- Q1
- 11.67%
- Min
- -20.25%
PCTY’s Return on Equity of 19.25% 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)
FICO
32.80%
Software Industry
- Max
- 51.92%
- Q3
- 19.23%
- Median
- 6.98%
- Q1
- -7.14%
- Min
- -41.00%
A Net Profit Margin of 32.80% places FICO in the upper quartile for the Software industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
PCTY
14.24%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 31.75%
- Q3
- 15.50%
- Median
- 8.95%
- Q1
- 4.51%
- Min
- 0.35%
PCTY’s Net Profit Margin of 14.24% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Professional Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
FICO
45.87%
Software Industry
- Max
- 60.40%
- Q3
- 21.25%
- Median
- 9.90%
- Q1
- -4.97%
- Min
- -43.50%
An Operating Profit Margin of 45.87% places FICO in the upper quartile for the Software industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
PCTY
19.06%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 30.62%
- Q3
- 19.06%
- Median
- 13.60%
- Q1
- 8.60%
- Min
- -2.18%
PCTY’s Operating Profit Margin of 19.06% is around the midpoint for the Professional Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | FICO | PCTY |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 145.71% | 19.25% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 35.53% | 4.81% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.80% | 14.24% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 45.87% | 19.06% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 81.75% | 68.77% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
FICO
0.92
Software Industry
- Max
- 4.29
- Q3
- 2.37
- Median
- 1.40
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.25
FICO’s Current Ratio of 0.92 falls into the lower quartile for the Software industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
PCTY
1.14
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 2.28
- Q3
- 1.75
- Median
- 1.34
- Q1
- 1.10
- Min
- 0.47
PCTY’s Current Ratio of 1.14 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)
FICO
8.46
Software Industry
- Max
- 2.16
- Q3
- 0.86
- Median
- 0.31
- Q1
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 8.46, FICO operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Software industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
PCTY
0.13
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 2.93
- Q3
- 1.45
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Professional Services industry, PCTY’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.13 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)
FICO
7.08
Software Industry
- Max
- 89.65
- Q3
- 32.64
- Median
- 1.00
- Q1
- -9.84
- Min
- -71.23
FICO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.08 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Software industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
PCTY
24.68
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 39.45
- Q3
- 20.41
- Median
- 11.64
- Q1
- 5.46
- Min
- -1.21
PCTY’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 24.68 is in the upper quartile for the Professional Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | FICO | PCTY |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.92 | 1.14 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.83 | 1.12 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 8.46 | 0.13 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.08 | 24.68 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
FICO
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 0.22%
- Q3
- 0.11%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
FICO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
PCTY
0.00%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 4.83%
- Q3
- 2.44%
- Median
- 1.52%
- Q1
- 0.52%
- Min
- 0.00%
PCTY currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
FICO
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 3.29%
- Q3
- 2.41%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
FICO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
PCTY
0.00%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 128.51%
- Q3
- 69.03%
- Median
- 47.00%
- Q1
- 18.05%
- Min
- 0.00%
PCTY has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | FICO | PCTY |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
FICO
57.01
Software Industry
- Max
- 145.74
- Q3
- 94.88
- Median
- 45.35
- Q1
- 26.66
- Min
- 8.80
FICO’s P/E Ratio of 57.01 is within the middle range for the Software industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
PCTY
38.68
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 52.60
- Q3
- 33.83
- Median
- 24.95
- Q1
- 17.59
- Min
- 7.96
A P/E Ratio of 38.68 places PCTY in the upper quartile for the Professional Services industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
FICO
18.70
Software Industry
- Max
- 25.67
- Q3
- 13.68
- Median
- 8.28
- Q1
- 4.95
- Min
- 0.90
FICO’s P/S Ratio of 18.70 is in the upper echelon for the Software 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.
PCTY
5.51
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 8.27
- Q3
- 4.40
- Median
- 2.09
- Q1
- 0.99
- Min
- 0.17
PCTY’s P/S Ratio of 5.51 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)
FICO
115.88
Software Industry
- Max
- 30.67
- Q3
- 14.92
- Median
- 8.52
- Q1
- 3.89
- Min
- 0.38
At 115.88, FICO’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Software industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
PCTY
8.11
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 18.75
- Q3
- 9.53
- Median
- 5.88
- Q1
- 2.95
- Min
- 0.59
PCTY’s P/B Ratio of 8.11 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 | FICO | PCTY |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 57.01 | 38.68 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 18.70 | 5.51 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 115.88 | 8.11 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 48.22 | 25.63 |