PAYX Analyst Ratings

Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) operates in the Industrials sector, specifically the Staffing & Employment Services industry, with a market capitalization near $37.79B, listed on NASDAQ, employing roughly 17,600 people, carrying a beta of 0.85 to the broader market. Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Rochester, New York, Paychex, Inc. Led by John Gibson Jr., public since 1983-08-26.

Analyst Ratings

In the October 2026 monthly count, 19 analysts rated PAYX: 0 Strong Buy, 2 Buy, 15 Hold, 2 Sell and 0 Strong Sell.

Twelve months earlier, in October 2025: 17 analysts, 0 Strong Buy, 1 Buy, 13 Hold, 2 Sell and 1 Strong Sell.

Price Targets

Average Target

$111.00

Median Target

$111.00

High

$115.00

Low

$107.00

Targets Published, Last 12 Months

20

Recent Price Targets

The 5 most recent of 20 price targets published in the last 12 months.

Recent Upgrades & Downgrades

Quantitative Rating

PAYX carries a model grade of B+ (overall score 3 of 5), computed from six valuation and financial measures (discounted cash flow, return on equity, return on assets, debt to equity, price to earnings and price to book), each scored 1 to 5. It is not an analyst rating.

How to Read PAYX Analyst Coverage

Sell-side equity analysts publish three primary outputs: ratings (Strong Buy / Buy / Hold / Sell / Strong Sell, or firm-specific equivalents), price targets, and EPS / revenue estimate revisions. Rating consensus moves slowly relative to price; it reflects 12-month directional conviction rather than near-term momentum. Price targets are more responsive but typically drift behind realized price during sharp moves. The most actionable signal for options traders is a cluster of ratings actions across multiple firms within a short window, which compresses or expands implied volatility on a horizon of days to weeks and shifts the put-call skew toward the directional consensus. The recent-actions table above shows the five most recent firm-level changes; longer histories live behind aggregator sources.

For event-driven options sizing, pair the consensus rating and target distribution with the implied-volatility surface and dealer-positioning view. Aggressive target hikes from multiple firms tend to tighten put skew (downside protection becomes relatively cheaper); aggressive cuts widen put skew. The size of the IV response in the hours after a rating change is visible on the per-ticker volatility skew page and the gamma-exposure page, both of which show how dealer hedging propagates the analyst-driven flow into the listed options chain.

Learn how analyst ratings is reported and how to read the data →

Frequently asked PAYX analyst ratings questions

What is the PAYX consensus price target?

As of the latest aggregator update, Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) carries a consensus 12-month price target of $111.00. Target ranges run from a low of $107.00 to a high of $115.00. The target is the average of the price targets published by sell-side equity analysts covering the name.

What is the analyst rating consensus on PAYX?

In the October 2026 monthly count, 19 analysts rated PAYX, and the distribution is concentrated at Hold: 0 Strong Buy, 2 Buy, 15 Hold, 2 Sell and 0 Strong Sell. Rating consensus moves slowly relative to price; it reflects sell-side conviction over a 12-month horizon rather than near-term momentum.

What recent ratings actions has PAYX seen?

The five most recent ratings actions on PAYX appear on the page above. Sell-side rating changes are watched for two reasons: an upgrade or downgrade with a meaningful target revision moves the consensus and can trigger short-term positioning shifts, and the firm-level rating cluster (multiple firms moving in the same direction within a short window) is a clearer signal than any single action. Options markets often price the implied-vol response within minutes of the announcement.

How do analyst targets affect PAYX options pricing?

Analyst target revisions tend to be priced in by the lit options market within minutes of publication, but persistent target drift over weeks does correlate with implied-volatility movement. Aggressive target hikes from multiple firms inside a single quarter tighten put skew (downside protection becomes cheaper relative to upside speculation); aggressive cuts widen put skew. The most actionable read is the implied-vol response in the hours after a target change, which is visible on the per-ticker volatility skew page.