PAYX vs. SWK: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at PAYX and SWK, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | PAYX | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Paychex, Inc. | Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Professional Services | Machinery |
| Market Capitalization | 50.73 billion USD | 12.00 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 26, 1983 | March 17, 1980 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of PAYX and SWK 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 | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.36% | 4.01% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -9.86% | 16.62% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -5.11% | -10.93% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 10.85% | -21.41% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -2.44% | 14.60% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 0.42% | -3.44% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.24M | 2.06M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.13M | 2.52M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 26.24% | 37.69% |
| Beta | 0.95 | 1.21 |
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.
SWK
6.59%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 34.68%
- Q3
- 19.06%
- Median
- 13.13%
- Q1
- 8.53%
- Min
- -4.87%
SWK’s Return on Equity of 6.59% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.
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.
SWK
3.85%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 19.74%
- Q3
- 11.24%
- Median
- 8.13%
- Q1
- 5.38%
- Min
- -1.11%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, SWK’s Net Profit Margin of 3.85% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
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.
SWK
4.70%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 26.63%
- Q3
- 16.15%
- Median
- 11.27%
- Q1
- 7.72%
- Min
- -4.91%
SWK’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.70% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | PAYX | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 41.38% | 6.59% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.58% | 2.63% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 29.74% | 3.85% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.01% | 4.70% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 90.67% | 30.03% |
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.
SWK
1.04
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.83
- Q3
- 2.32
- Median
- 1.72
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- 0.78
SWK’s Current Ratio of 1.04 falls into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
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.
SWK
0.74
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 1.49
- Q3
- 0.75
- Median
- 0.44
- Q1
- 0.26
- Min
- 0.00
SWK’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.74 is typical for the Machinery 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.
SWK
1.75
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 67.55
- Q3
- 33.79
- Median
- 13.87
- Q1
- 7.97
- Min
- -1.43
In the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, SWK’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 1.75 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | PAYX | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.28 | 1.04 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.22 | 0.29 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.20 | 0.74 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 55.47 | 1.75 |
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.
SWK
7.39%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 5.32%
- Q3
- 2.84%
- Median
- 1.87%
- Q1
- 1.09%
- Min
- 0.00%
SWK’s Dividend Yield of 7.39% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Machinery industry. While this may seem attractive, an unusually high yield can sometimes be a warning sign, reflecting a falling stock price or market concerns about the dividend’s sustainability.
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.
SWK
148.38%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 202.17%
- Q3
- 98.65%
- Median
- 55.54%
- Q1
- 29.03%
- Min
- 0.00%
SWK’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 148.38% is in the upper quartile for the Machinery 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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | PAYX | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.88% | 7.39% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 87.40% | 148.38% |
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.
SWK
20.08
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 53.66
- Q3
- 31.29
- Median
- 22.00
- Q1
- 16.18
- Min
- 7.00
SWK’s P/E Ratio of 20.08 is within the middle range for the Machinery industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
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.
SWK
0.77
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 5.04
- Q3
- 2.72
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.04
- Min
- 0.24
In the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, SWK’s P/S Ratio of 0.77 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
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.
SWK
1.16
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 7.23
- Q3
- 3.90
- Median
- 2.52
- Q1
- 1.47
- Min
- 0.49
SWK’s P/B Ratio of 1.16 is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | PAYX | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 30.36 | 20.08 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 9.03 | 0.77 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 13.75 | 1.16 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 29.96 | 7.08 |