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PAYX vs. RELX: Paychex vs. RELX Stock Comparison

How do Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX) 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

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

Paychex (PAYX) trades as ordinary local shares, while RELX (RELX) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX)
Profile ItemPAYXRELX
NamePaychex Inc.Relx PLC Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryProfessional ServicesProfessional Services
GICS Sub-IndustryHuman Resource & Employment ServicesResearch & Consulting Services
Market Capitalization39.82 billion USD57.17 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateAugust 26, 1983October 6, 1994
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PAYX
RELX
GSPC
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX), 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 Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX)
MetricPAYXRELX
Total Return (1Y)-18.91%-36.25%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)0.05%1.24%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)3.16%5.25%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PAYX
RELX
GSPC
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX), 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 Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX)
MetricPAYXRELX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)26.79%31.70%
Beta (5Y)0.820.73
Max Drawdown (5Y)-44.95%-49.91%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.34M2.68M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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PAYX and RELX 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 Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX)
MetricPAYXRELX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.86-1.27
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.19-1.64

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: RELX (RELX) earns 70.51% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Paychex (PAYX) has no ROE this period.

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

--

Max
53.04%
Q3
25.65%
Median
13.99%
Q1
2.99%
Min
-28.46%
PAYX
--

RELX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

70.51%

RELX
70.51%
Max
53.04%
Q3
25.65%
Median
13.99%
Q1
2.99%
Min
-28.46%
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX): PAYX does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; RELX is benchmarked against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Paychex (PAYX) at 26.63% and RELX (RELX) at 21.53% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

26.63%

PAYX
26.63%
Max
26.63%
Q3
11.56%
Median
6.26%
Q1
1.30%
Min
-13.15%

RELX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

21.53%

Max
26.63%
RELX
21.53%
Q3
11.56%
Median
6.26%
Q1
1.30%
Min
-13.15%
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 38.33% and RELX (RELX) at 31.41% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

38.33%

PAYX
38.33%
Max
38.33%
Q3
17.67%
Median
9.37%
Q1
3.13%
Min
-4.52%

RELX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.41%

Max
38.33%
RELX
31.41%
Q3
17.67%
Median
9.37%
Q1
3.13%
Min
-4.52%
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX)
MetricPAYXRELX
ROE (TTM)--70.51%
ROA (TTM)--12.49%
Net Margin (TTM)26.63%21.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)38.33%31.41%
Gross Margin (TTM)67.20%66.29%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Paychex (PAYX) at 16.88% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while RELX (RELX) at 1.65% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for PAYX.

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

EPS Growth

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 6.77% and RELX (RELX) at 8.63% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX)
MetricPAYXRELX
Revenue Growth (YoY)16.88%1.65%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.15%3.89%
EPS Growth (YoY)6.77%8.63%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.38%9.76%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Paychex (PAYX) at 1.15 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while RELX (RELX) at 0.49 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for RELX.

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.15

Max
3.17
Q3
2.01
Median
1.48
PAYX
1.15
Q1
1.13
Min
0.45

RELX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.49

Max
3.17
Q3
2.01
Median
1.48
Q1
1.13
RELX
0.49
Min
0.45
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Paychex (PAYX) at 1.24 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while RELX (RELX) at 3.04 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.24

Max
2.61
Q3
1.39
PAYX
1.24
Median
0.94
Q1
0.40
Min
0.01

RELX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.04

RELX
3.04
Max
2.61
Q3
1.39
Median
0.94
Q1
0.40
Min
0.01
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX)
MetricPAYXRELX
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.150.49
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.243.04
Net Debt / EBITDA2.172.23

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Paychex (PAYX) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile RELX (RELX) reports a yield of 1.98%, ranking against industry peers normally.

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.00%

Max
3.77%
Q3
1.82%
Median
0.44%
PAYX
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

RELX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.98%

Max
3.77%
RELX
1.98%
Q3
1.82%
Median
0.44%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 90.59% and RELX (RELX) at 57.42% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

90.59%

PAYX
90.59%
Max
90.59%
Q3
36.56%
Median
16.11%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

RELX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

57.42%

Max
90.59%
RELX
57.42%
Q3
36.56%
Median
16.11%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX)
MetricPAYXRELX
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%1.98%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)90.59%57.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 23.57 and RELX (RELX) at 23.05 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

23.57

Max
67.06
Q3
38.84
PAYX
23.57
Median
23.07
Q1
16.03
Min
4.96

RELX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

23.05

Max
67.06
Q3
38.84
Median
23.07
RELX
23.05
Q1
16.03
Min
4.96
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: RELX (RELX) at 5.96 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Paychex (PAYX) at 10.04 prices even higher, above its industry range.

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

10.04

PAYX
10.04
Max
7.33
Q3
3.42
Median
1.37
Q1
0.74
Min
0.13

RELX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

5.96

Max
7.33
RELX
5.96
Q3
3.42
Median
1.37
Q1
0.74
Min
0.13
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Paychex (PAYX) at 10.66 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and RELX (RELX) at 75.12 prices even higher, above its industry range.

PAYX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

10.66

Max
10.74
PAYX
10.66
Q3
5.92
Median
3.25
Q1
1.95
Min
-2.86

RELX

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

75.12

RELX
75.12
Max
10.74
Q3
5.92
Median
3.25
Q1
1.95
Min
-2.86
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. RELX (RELX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and RELX (RELX)
MetricPAYXRELX
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.5723.05
P/S Ratio (TTM)10.045.96
P/B Ratio (MRQ)10.6675.12
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)--3.77%