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LDOS vs. PAYX: Leidos vs. Paychex Stock Comparison

How do Leidos (LDOS) 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

Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX) both belong to the Professional Services industry, though LDOS is classified under Research & Consulting Services while PAYX falls under Human Resource & Employment Services.

Company profile comparison for Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX)
Profile ItemLDOSPAYX
NameLeidos Holdings, Inc.Paychex Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryProfessional ServicesProfessional Services
GICS Sub-IndustryResearch & Consulting ServicesHuman Resource & Employment Services
Market Capitalization16.19 billion USD41.67 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateOctober 17, 2006August 26, 1983
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LDOS
PAYX
GSPC
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Leidos (LDOS) 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

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Trailing total returns for Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricLDOSPAYX
Total Return (1Y)-30.14%7.76%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.13%4.26%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.97%1.96%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

LDOS
PAYX
GSPC
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Leidos (LDOS) 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricLDOSPAYX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)35.87%30.84%
Beta (5Y)0.550.79
Max Drawdown (5Y)-49.47%-44.95%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.21M2.88M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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LDOS 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 Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricLDOSPAYX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.960.11
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.290.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Leidos (LDOS) at 28.27% and Paychex (PAYX) at 47.06% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

LDOS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

28.27%

Max
47.06%
LDOS
28.27%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
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%
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Leidos (LDOS) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Paychex (PAYX) at 27.35% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Leidos (LDOS) at 7.97% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

LDOS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

7.97%

Max
23.28%
Q3
11.35%
LDOS
7.97%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
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%
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Leidos (LDOS) 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 Leidos (LDOS) at 12.05%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

LDOS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

12.05%

Max
38.50%
Q3
18.84%
LDOS
12.05%
Median
10.40%
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%
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Leidos (LDOS) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricLDOSPAYX
ROE (TTM)28.27%47.06%
ROA (TTM)9.08%10.19%
Net Margin (TTM)7.97%27.35%
Operating Margin (TTM)12.05%38.50%
Gross Margin (TTM)17.63%74.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Paychex (PAYX) at 16.88% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Leidos (LDOS) at 3.07% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for PAYX.

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Leidos (LDOS) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Leidos (LDOS) at 20.82% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Paychex (PAYX) at 6.77% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for LDOS.

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Leidos (LDOS) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricLDOSPAYX
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.07%16.88%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.06%9.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)20.82%6.77%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)30.96%4.38%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Leidos (LDOS) at 1.60 and Paychex (PAYX) at 1.28 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

LDOS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.60

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
LDOS
1.60
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
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
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Leidos (LDOS) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Paychex (PAYX) at 1.25 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Leidos (LDOS) at 1.26 uses more debt funding than most peers.

LDOS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.26

Max
2.37
LDOS
1.26
Q3
1.25
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
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Leidos (LDOS) 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 Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricLDOSPAYX
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.601.28
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.261.25
Net Debt / EBITDA2.461.20

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Paychex (PAYX) at 3.80% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Leidos (LDOS) at 1.27% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PAYX the richer one.

LDOS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.27%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
LDOS
1.27%
Median
0.60%
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%
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Leidos (LDOS) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Leidos (LDOS) at 15.37% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Paychex (PAYX) at 90.08% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

LDOS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

15.37%

Max
99.58%
Q3
41.99%
Median
17.27%
LDOS
15.37%
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%
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Leidos (LDOS) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricLDOSPAYX
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.27%3.80%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)15.37%90.08%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Leidos (LDOS) at 11.86 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Paychex (PAYX) at 23.23 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for LDOS, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

LDOS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

11.86

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
LDOS
11.86
Min
1.89

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
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Leidos (LDOS) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Leidos (LDOS) at 0.91 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.

LDOS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.91

Max
7.17
Q3
3.35
Median
1.33
LDOS
0.91
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
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Leidos (LDOS) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Leidos (LDOS) at 3.13 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.

LDOS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.13

Max
11.25
Q3
6.08
LDOS
3.13
Median
2.92
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
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Leidos (LDOS) vs. Paychex (PAYX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Leidos (LDOS) and Paychex (PAYX)
MetricLDOSPAYX
P/E Ratio (TTM)11.8623.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.916.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.1311.25
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.41%4.53%