Seek Returns

PAYX vs. WM: Paychex vs. Waste Management Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Management (WM)
Profile ItemPAYXWM
NamePaychex Inc.Waste Management Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
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 USD93.95 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateAugust 26, 1983June 22, 1988
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PAYX
WM
GSPC
Loading price history…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Management (WM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Management (WM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricPAYXWM
Total Return (1Y)7.76%19.43%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)4.26%13.45%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)1.96%9.97%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PAYX
WM
GSPC
Loading price history…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Management (WM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricPAYXWM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)30.84%21.31%
Beta (5Y)0.790.37
Max Drawdown (5Y)-44.95%-18.14%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.88M2.24M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
PAYX and WM 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 Management (WM)
MetricPAYXWM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.110.71
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.161.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 47.06% and Waste Management (WM) at 31.68% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

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%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.68%

Max
47.06%
WM
31.68%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
Min
-20.15%
Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Management (WM) at 11.78% 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%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

11.78%

Max
23.28%
WM
11.78%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
Min
-8.60%
Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Management (WM) at 19.08% 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%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

19.08%

Max
38.50%
WM
19.08%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%
Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricPAYXWM
ROE (TTM)47.06%31.68%
ROA (TTM)10.19%6.69%
Net Margin (TTM)27.35%11.78%
Operating Margin (TTM)38.50%19.08%
Gross Margin (TTM)74.39%40.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 16.88% and Waste Management (WM) at 14.24% sit in the top peer quartile for revenue growth, so each is growing its top line faster than typical industry peers.

Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 6.77% and Waste Management (WM) at -1.62% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricPAYXWM
Revenue Growth (YoY)16.88%14.24%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.15%8.56%
EPS Growth (YoY)6.77%-1.62%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.38%7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Paychex (PAYX) at 1.28 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Waste Management (WM) at 0.82 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WM.

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

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.82

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
WM
0.82
Min
0.45
Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Waste Management (WM) at 2.37 uses more debt funding than most peers.

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

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.37

WM
2.37
Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Management (WM)
MetricPAYXWM
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.280.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.252.37
Net Debt / EBITDA1.202.94

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Paychex (PAYX) at 3.80% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Waste Management (WM) at 1.52% 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%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.52%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
WM
1.52%
Median
0.60%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 90.08% and Waste Management (WM) at 48.03% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

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%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

48.03%

Max
99.58%
WM
48.03%
Q3
41.99%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%
Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricPAYXWM
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.80%1.52%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)90.08%48.03%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 23.23 and Waste Management (WM) at 31.01 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

23.23

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
Median
24.16
PAYX
23.23
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.01

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
WM
31.01
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89
Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Management (WM) at 3.60 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

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.60

Max
7.17
WM
3.60
Q3
3.35
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11
Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Paychex (PAYX) at 11.25 and Waste Management (WM) at 9.52 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

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

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

9.52

Max
11.25
WM
9.52
Q3
6.08
Median
2.92
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78
Loading chart…
Paychex (PAYX) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Paychex (PAYX) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricPAYXWM
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.2331.01
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.313.60
P/B Ratio (MRQ)11.259.52
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.53%2.64%