Seek Returns

GFL vs. PAYX: GFL Environmental vs. Paychex Stock Comparison

How do GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX) both fall under the Commercial & Professional Services industry group, but GFL is classified in Commercial Services & Supplies while PAYX is classified in Professional Services.

Paychex (PAYX) has more than two decades of public-market history since August 26, 1983, whereas GFL Environmental (GFL) listed on March 3, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX)
Profile ItemGFLPAYX
NameGFL Environmental Inc.Paychex Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryCommercial Services & SuppliesProfessional Services
GICS Sub-IndustryEnvironmental & Facilities ServicesHuman Resource & Employment Services
Market Capitalization16.72 billion USD41.67 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateMarch 3, 2020August 26, 1983
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GFL
PAYX
GSPC
Loading price history…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricGFLPAYX
Total Return (1Y)7.30%7.76%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.51%4.26%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)3.62%1.96%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GFL
PAYX
GSPC
Loading price history…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricGFLPAYX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)29.80%30.84%
Beta (5Y)0.660.79
Max Drawdown (5Y)-42.75%-44.95%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.45M2.88M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
GFL and PAYX are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricGFLPAYX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.100.11
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.150.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

GFL Environmental (GFL) reports a negative ROE of -2.97%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Paychex (PAYX) reports 47.06%, ranking against industry peers normally.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

-2.97%

Max
47.06%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
GFL
-2.97%
Min
-20.15%

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

47.06%

PAYX
47.06%
Max
47.06%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
Min
-20.15%
Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

GFL Environmental (GFL) reports a negative net margin of -4.28%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Paychex (PAYX) reports 27.35%, ranking against industry peers normally.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

-4.28%

Max
23.28%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
GFL
-4.28%
Min
-8.60%

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

27.35%

PAYX
27.35%
Max
23.28%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
Min
-8.60%
Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Paychex (PAYX) at 38.50% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of GFL Environmental (GFL) at 9.44%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

9.44%

Max
38.50%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
GFL
9.44%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

38.50%

PAYX
38.50%
Max
38.50%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%
Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricGFLPAYX
ROE (TTM)-2.97%47.06%
ROA (TTM)1.11%10.19%
Net Margin (TTM)-4.28%27.35%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.44%38.50%
Gross Margin (TTM)19.78%74.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Paychex (PAYX) at 16.88% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while GFL Environmental (GFL) at 7.77% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for PAYX.

Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Paychex (PAYX) reports EPS growth of 6.77%, ranked against its industry; GFL Environmental (GFL) has no EPS growth figure this period.

Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricGFLPAYX
Revenue Growth (YoY)7.77%16.88%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.72%9.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)--6.77%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--4.38%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Paychex (PAYX) at 1.28 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while GFL Environmental (GFL) at 0.93 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for GFL.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.93

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
GFL
0.93
Min
0.45

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.28

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
Median
1.55
PAYX
1.28
Q1
1.09
Min
0.45
Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both GFL Environmental (GFL) at 1.04 and Paychex (PAYX) at 1.25 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.04

Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
GFL
1.04
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.25

Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
PAYX
1.25
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricGFLPAYX
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.931.28
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.041.25
Net Debt / EBITDA6.751.20

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Paychex (PAYX) at 3.80% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while GFL Environmental (GFL) at 0.14% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PAYX the richer one.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.14%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
Median
0.60%
GFL
0.14%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.80%

Max
4.33%
PAYX
3.80%
Q3
1.80%
Median
0.60%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

GFL Environmental (GFL) at 19.07% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Paychex (PAYX) at 90.08% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

19.07%

Max
99.58%
Q3
41.99%
GFL
19.07%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

90.08%

Max
99.58%
PAYX
90.08%
Q3
41.99%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%
Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricGFLPAYX
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.14%3.80%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)19.07%90.08%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Paychex (PAYX) trades at 23.23 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while GFL Environmental (GFL) has no P/E ratio this period.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

--

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89
GFL
--

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

23.23

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
Median
24.16
PAYX
23.23
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89
Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): GFL does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; PAYX is benchmarked against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

GFL Environmental (GFL) at 2.25 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Paychex (PAYX) at 6.31 sits in the pricier quartile — PAYX costs more per dollar of sales.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.25

Max
7.17
Q3
3.35
GFL
2.25
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

6.31

Max
7.17
PAYX
6.31
Q3
3.35
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11
Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

GFL Environmental (GFL) at 2.42 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Paychex (PAYX) at 11.25 carries an above-peer premium to book — PAYX is pricier on assets.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.42

Max
11.25
Q3
6.08
Median
2.92
GFL
2.42
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

11.25

PAYX
11.25
Max
11.25
Q3
6.08
Median
2.92
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78
Loading chart…
GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricGFLPAYX
P/E Ratio (TTM)--23.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.256.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.4211.25
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.55%4.53%