PAYX vs. STN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at PAYX and STN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | PAYX | STN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Paychex, Inc. | Stantec Inc. |
| Country | United States | Canada |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Professional Services | Construction & Engineering |
| Market Capitalization | 50.03 billion USD | 12.15 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 26, 1983 | August 5, 2005 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of PAYX and STN 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 | PAYX | STN |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.01% | -0.40% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -12.21% | 5.18% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -6.56% | 35.70% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 10.92% | 32.54% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -3.78% | -1.66% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -0.96% | 32.06% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.19M | 0.34M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.13M | 0.27M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 26.16% | 15.63% |
| Beta | 0.95 | 0.98 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
PAYX
41.38%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 52.17%
- Q3
- 30.06%
- Median
- 22.21%
- Q1
- 11.67%
- Min
- -13.44%
In the upper quartile for the Professional Services industry, PAYX’s Return on Equity of 41.38% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
STN
15.34%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 29.61%
- Q3
- 17.18%
- Median
- 10.42%
- Q1
- 8.10%
- Min
- -0.10%
STN’s Return on Equity of 15.34% is on par with the norm for the Construction & Engineering industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
PAYX
29.74%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 26.06%
- Q3
- 13.34%
- Median
- 7.88%
- Q1
- 3.50%
- Min
- -2.93%
PAYX’s Net Profit Margin of 29.74% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Professional Services industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
STN
7.10%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 11.14%
- Q3
- 6.17%
- Median
- 3.85%
- Q1
- 2.40%
- Min
- -0.05%
A Net Profit Margin of 7.10% places STN in the upper quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
PAYX
39.01%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 35.84%
- Q3
- 19.38%
- Median
- 12.54%
- Q1
- 7.36%
- Min
- -5.21%
PAYX’s Operating Profit Margin of 39.01% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Professional Services industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
STN
9.22%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 17.56%
- Q3
- 9.36%
- Median
- 5.46%
- Q1
- 3.47%
- Min
- -1.93%
STN’s Operating Profit Margin of 9.22% is around the midpoint for the Construction & Engineering industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | PAYX | STN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 41.38% | 15.34% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.58% | 6.37% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 29.74% | 7.10% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.01% | 9.22% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 90.67% | 54.44% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
PAYX
1.28
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 2.45
- Q3
- 1.65
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 1.10
- Min
- 0.47
PAYX’s Current Ratio of 1.28 aligns with the median group of the Professional Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
STN
1.29
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 1.98
- Q3
- 1.53
- Median
- 1.24
- Q1
- 1.05
- Min
- 0.66
STN’s Current Ratio of 1.29 aligns with the median group of the Construction & Engineering industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
PAYX
1.20
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 2.63
- Q3
- 1.44
- Median
- 0.91
- Q1
- 0.49
- Min
- 0.00
PAYX’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.20 is typical for the Professional Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
STN
0.69
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 2.49
- Q3
- 1.19
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.29
- Min
- 0.00
STN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.69 is typical for the Construction & Engineering industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
PAYX
55.47
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 39.67
- Q3
- 20.05
- Median
- 11.07
- Q1
- 5.36
- Min
- -2.22
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 55.47, PAYX 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.
STN
60.60
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 23.59
- Q3
- 14.49
- Median
- 8.20
- Q1
- 5.26
- Min
- -6.49
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 60.60, STN demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | PAYX | STN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.28 | 1.29 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.22 | 1.26 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.20 | 0.69 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 55.47 | 60.60 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
PAYX
2.88%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 5.28%
- Q3
- 2.51%
- Median
- 1.63%
- Q1
- 0.62%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.88%, PAYX offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Professional Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
STN
0.57%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 6.28%
- Q3
- 3.25%
- Median
- 2.02%
- Q1
- 0.23%
- Min
- 0.00%
STN’s Dividend Yield of 0.57% is consistent with its peers in the Construction & Engineering industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
PAYX
87.40%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 109.23%
- Q3
- 64.39%
- Median
- 47.00%
- Q1
- 20.35%
- Min
- 0.00%
PAYX’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 87.40% is in the upper quartile for the Professional Services industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
STN
22.30%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 139.17%
- Q3
- 69.47%
- Median
- 40.99%
- Q1
- 10.51%
- Min
- 0.00%
STN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 22.30% is within the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | PAYX | STN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.88% | 0.57% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 87.40% | 22.30% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
PAYX
30.36
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 49.59
- Q3
- 36.59
- Median
- 28.13
- Q1
- 18.55
- Min
- 10.07
PAYX’s P/E Ratio of 30.36 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.
STN
38.90
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 36.96
- Q3
- 24.81
- Median
- 15.45
- Q1
- 12.51
- Min
- 2.74
At 38.90, STN’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Construction & Engineering industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
PAYX
9.03
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 9.54
- Q3
- 5.11
- Median
- 2.10
- Q1
- 0.75
- Min
- 0.11
PAYX’s P/S Ratio of 9.03 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.
STN
2.76
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 3.22
- Q3
- 1.63
- Median
- 0.61
- Q1
- 0.48
- Min
- 0.11
STN’s P/S Ratio of 2.76 is in the upper echelon for the Construction & Engineering 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)
PAYX
13.75
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 13.75
- Q3
- 8.87
- Median
- 4.35
- Q1
- 2.43
- Min
- 0.54
PAYX’s P/B Ratio of 13.75 is in the upper tier for the Professional 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.
STN
4.38
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 5.74
- Q3
- 3.33
- Median
- 1.49
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.23
STN’s P/B Ratio of 4.38 is in the upper tier for the Construction & Engineering 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | PAYX | STN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 30.36 | 38.90 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 9.03 | 2.76 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 13.75 | 4.38 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 29.96 | 27.08 |