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PAYX vs. WCN: Paychex vs. Waste Connections Stock Comparison

How do Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Connections (WCN) 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 Waste Connections (WCN) both fall under the Commercial & Professional Services industry group, but PAYX is classified in Professional Services while WCN is classified in Commercial Services & Supplies.

Company profile comparison for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Connections (WCN)
Profile ItemPAYXWCN
NamePaychex Inc.Waste Connections, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesCanada
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryProfessional ServicesCommercial Services & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryHuman Resource & Employment ServicesEnvironmental & Facilities Services
Market Capitalization41.67 billion USD47.31 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateAugust 26, 1983May 22, 1998
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PAYX
WCN
GSPC
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN), 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 Waste Connections (WCN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricPAYXWCN
Total Return (1Y)7.76%15.20%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)4.26%14.07%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)1.96%7.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricPAYXWCN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)30.84%25.62%
Beta (5Y)0.790.41
Max Drawdown (5Y)-44.95%-24.90%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.88M1.56M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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PAYX and WCN 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 Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricPAYXWCN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.110.43
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.160.69

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Paychex (PAYX) at 47.06% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Waste Connections (WCN) at 14.19% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for PAYX.

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%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

14.19%

Max
47.06%
Q3
25.43%
WCN
14.19%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
Min
-20.15%
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Paychex (PAYX) at 27.35% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Waste Connections (WCN) at 11.40% also retains a top-quartile share.

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%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

11.40%

Max
23.28%
WCN
11.40%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
Min
-8.60%
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 38.50% and Waste Connections (WCN) at 20.77% 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

38.50%

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

20.77%

Max
38.50%
WCN
20.77%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricPAYXWCN
ROE (TTM)47.06%14.19%
ROA (TTM)10.19%5.68%
Net Margin (TTM)27.35%11.40%
Operating Margin (TTM)38.50%20.77%
Gross Margin (TTM)74.39%42.62%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Paychex (PAYX) at 16.88% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Waste Connections (WCN) at 6.14% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for PAYX.

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

EPS Growth

Waste Connections (WCN) at 74.48% 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 WCN.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricPAYXWCN
Revenue Growth (YoY)16.88%6.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.15%9.49%
EPS Growth (YoY)6.77%74.48%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.38%8.78%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Paychex (PAYX) at 1.28 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Waste Connections (WCN) at 0.67 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WCN.

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.67

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
WCN
0.67
Min
0.45
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 1.25 and Waste Connections (WCN) at 1.24 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.24

Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
WCN
1.24
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): 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 Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricPAYXWCN
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.280.67
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.251.24
Net Debt / EBITDA1.203.01

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Paychex (PAYX) at 3.80% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Waste Connections (WCN) at 0.73% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PAYX the richer one.

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%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.73%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
WCN
0.73%
Median
0.60%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Waste Connections (WCN) at 31.39% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Paychex (PAYX) at 90.08% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

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%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.39%

Max
99.58%
Q3
41.99%
WCN
31.39%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricPAYXWCN
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.80%0.73%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)90.08%31.39%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Paychex (PAYX) at 23.23 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Waste Connections (WCN) at 42.39 sits in the richer quartile — WCN needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

42.39

Max
49.47
WCN
42.39
Q3
33.76
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 6.31 and Waste Connections (WCN) at 4.76 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

4.76

Max
7.17
WCN
4.76
Q3
3.35
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Waste Connections (WCN) at 6.00 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.

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

6.00

Max
11.25
Q3
6.08
WCN
6.00
Median
2.92
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78
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Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricPAYXWCN
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.2342.39
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.314.76
P/B Ratio (MRQ)11.256.00
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.53%2.28%