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PAYX vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

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Here’s a clear look at PAYX and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

PAYX is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

SymbolPAYXZTO
Company NamePaychex, Inc.ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc.
CountryUnited StatesChina
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS IndustryProfessional ServicesAir Freight & Logistics
Market Capitalization50.03 billion USD15.86 billion USD
ExchangeNasdaqGSNYSE
Listing DateAugust 26, 1983October 27, 2016
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of PAYX and ZTO 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.

PAYX vs. ZTO: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

SymbolPAYXZTO
5-Day Price Return1.01%-1.28%
13-Week Price Return-12.21%13.58%
26-Week Price Return-6.56%1.98%
52-Week Price Return10.92%2.50%
Month-to-Date Return-3.78%1.84%
Year-to-Date Return-0.96%2.25%
10-Day Avg. Volume2.19M3.39M
3-Month Avg. Volume2.13M2.52M
3-Month Volatility26.16%39.66%
Beta0.950.85

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.

ZTO

15.30%

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
35.27%
Q3
18.47%
Median
11.35%
Q1
7.21%
Min
2.53%

ZTO’s Return on Equity of 15.30% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

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.

ZTO

20.76%

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
10.27%
Q3
6.18%
Median
3.96%
Q1
2.32%
Min
0.61%

ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 20.76% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

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.

ZTO

25.33%

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
17.40%
Q3
8.87%
Median
5.89%
Q1
3.03%
Min
0.62%

ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 25.33% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

SymbolPAYXZTO
Return on Equity (TTM)41.38%15.30%
Return on Assets (TTM)13.58%10.15%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)29.74%20.76%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)39.01%25.33%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)90.67%29.65%

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.

ZTO

1.05

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
1.83
Q3
1.47
Median
1.29
Q1
1.05
Min
0.62

ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.05 falls into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

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.

ZTO

0.27

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
1.57
Q3
1.06
Median
0.72
Q1
0.30
Min
0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.27 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

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.

ZTO

--

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
49.07
Q3
23.59
Median
8.56
Q1
5.97
Min
-0.60

Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

SymbolPAYXZTO
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.281.05
Quick Ratio (MRQ)1.220.87
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)1.200.27
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)55.47--

Growth

Revenue Growth

PAYX vs. ZTO: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

PAYX vs. ZTO: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

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.

ZTO

0.00%

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
6.43%
Q3
3.10%
Median
2.40%
Q1
0.46%
Min
0.00%

ZTO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

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.

ZTO

0.00%

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
160.95%
Q3
92.80%
Median
54.10%
Q1
0.19%
Min
0.00%

ZTO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

SymbolPAYXZTO
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.88%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)87.40%0.00%

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.

ZTO

12.01

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
34.55
Q3
23.34
Median
16.33
Q1
13.38
Min
6.36

In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.01 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

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.

ZTO

2.49

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
2.13
Q3
1.16
Median
0.59
Q1
0.36
Min
0.18

With a P/S Ratio of 2.49, ZTO trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

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.

ZTO

1.82

Air Freight & Logistics Industry

Max
3.13
Q3
2.81
Median
1.82
Q1
1.20
Min
0.74

ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.82 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

PAYX vs. ZTO: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Professional Services and Air Freight & Logistics industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

SymbolPAYXZTO
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)30.3612.01
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)9.032.49
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)13.751.82
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)29.969.58