Analyzing the stock…
70
Gathering technical, fundamental, and market data — a few seconds
Technology · ·
$218.58
▼ $2.00 (-0.9%)
Market data updated: 09/30 09:31 AM
Fundamentals updated: 09/30/2026
News analyzed: 09/30/2026
Market Cap
$9.85B
Day Range
$212.42 - $220.52
52-Week Range
$104.90 - $244.98
Beta
—
Next Earnings
03.11.2026
Support
$136.80
Resistance
$244.98
PAYC is a stock from the Technology sector — Software, hardware, chip, and computing-services companies — revenue tied to the pace of innovation and upgrade cycles.
+0.2% (1Y)
Strengths: 11/30 factors positiveRisk: High
This score and all analysis on this page are for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. Read the full disclaimer
Weighted: Technical 25% · Fundamental 20% · Growth 15% · Valuation 15% · News 10% · Quality 10% · Risk 5%
Overall Score
🟡 Mixed
Technical Trend
🔴 Bearish
Insiders
🔴 Bearish
Computed directly from the same signals behind the score above — not AI-generated.
Biggest positive driver
Operating margin stability
Operating margin is stable or improving over time
Quality
Biggest negative driver
DCF Fair Value
Estimated fair value: $149.24 vs. price $218.58 (-31.7%)
Fair Value
What to watch next
When today echoes the past.
NO RELIABLE ECHO FOUND
Only 3 historical analog(s) found after removing overlapping dates — too few for a statistically meaningful comparison.
Historical matches considered: 3
TIME ECHO identifies historical situations that resemble the current market state. Historical outcomes are not guarantees of future performance. Similarity does not imply causation, and results may change as new data becomes available.
🗓️ What Changed This Week
🌱 Building History
We don't have a real data point from a week ago for this stock yet. The weekly comparison will appear once enough history has accumulated.
📊 Score History
56
Today
—
30D
—
90D
—
1Y
🐂🐻 Investment Thesis
🐂 Bull Case
🐻 Bear Case
🔍 What Could Prove This Wrong
This isn't a price-direction forecast — just a synthesis of real, already-computed data, and future conditions that could change the picture.
🧬 STOCK DNA
This stock's profile across 8 real dimensions — a research tool, not a recommendation
Growth
45
Quality
58
Value
38
Momentum
42
Risk
42
Sentiment
100
Fundamental
76
Institutional
0
Stocks with a similar DNA right now
This stock hasn't been analyzed by StockIQAI's movement engine yet — coverage is still expanding. Check back soon.
Recent media coverage of Paycom Software, Inc. has centered on its strong financial performance and investor optimism. Headlines highlight its recent earnings beat, raised guidance, and significant stock appreciation—including a near-doubling since April—driven by aggressive share buybacks and robust cash flow. Analysts suggest the company’s AI-driven automation and payroll software strengths may further justify its valuation, with some estimating it could be up to 50% undervalued. The focus remains on growth potential amid market volatility.
AI summary based on English-language news sources only — not investment advice.
Everyone's writing about Paycom Software, Inc.. News trend score: 100. Reason: 14 of the last 20 articles are positive, versus 3 negative.
News trend analysis is based on article sentiment only, and is not investment advice or financial counsel. Read the full disclaimer
🌡️ Emotional Temperature
45
🎯 Conviction (vs. Emotion)
40
Psychology
55
Fundamentals
76
Technical
42
Valuation
38
Extreme momentum, price far above its moving average, and a large premium over fair value.
The stock is moving in lockstep with its peers at the same intensity, rather than on its own data.
The price rise has far outpaced the actual improvement in fundamental data.
Price, volume, and sentiment accelerating together — a sign investors are chasing the price, not just following it.
A sharp drop, unusual volume, and negative news sentiment all at once — selling pressure that looks emotional.
Price (3M)
+63%
Market Narrative
76
Fundamental Reality
40
Narrative Gap
+36
🔀 Psychology Acceleration
News attention/sentiment is running well ahead of the price move itself.
🧠 StockIQ Psychologist
The market behavior for PAYC suggests a dominant euphoric state, fueled by strong momentum, extreme valuation above fair value, and overwhelmingly positive sentiment. Overconfidence is also elevated, as price momentum far exceeds fundamental growth, indicating investors may be overestimating upside potential. The narrative gap—where optimism vastly exceeds objective reality—further supports detached, speculative behavior. The key open question is whether this disconnect between valuation and fundamentals will persist or if a correction may emerge to realign expectations.
Updated: 09/08/2026, 08:22 AM
What could change this?
👥 What the crowd believes
"Paycom Software's earnings beat and higher guidance reframed its AI automation narrative (Simply Wall St., #1)"
"The stock has nearly doubled since April after buying back 20% of its shares (24/7 Wall St., #9)"
"Paycom (PAYC) stock may be 50% undervalued on cash flow (Simply Wall St., #3)"
"Earnings beat and raised guidance sent Paycom shares higher (FX Empire, #7)"
Signal classification confidence: High (confidence in the behavioral read, not a price prediction). Describes observable market behavior, not what any individual investor thinks, and is not a buy/sell signal.
🏛️ Investor DNA — Historical Investors
A Historical Strategy Simulation: assuming each investor follows their documented principles, how would they rate this stock today? This is not a prediction of what they would actually do.
🟢 Best match
Samuel Armstrong Nelson — 79/100
🔴 Weakest match
Benjamin Graham — 1/100
🗣️ Why do they disagree?
This stock splits historical methodologies into two stark camps: the bullish, growth-oriented investors who see potential versus the deeply cautious, risk-averse ones who see red flags. At the top, Edgar Lawrence Smith and Philip Fisher both rate it favorably—Smith calls it a 'buy and hold for a decade' candidate, while Fisher deems it solid, though not exceptional. Their focus on long-term quality and industry trends aligns with a more optimistic view, even if Fisher’s bar is higher. Meanwhile, Jesse Livermore and Morgan Housel sit in the middle, with Livermore’s indecision reflecting his preference for clear trends and Housel’s moderate rating suggesting it’s holdable but not effortless. The divide widens sharply below: Peter Lynch and Howard Marks (both cycle and general) flag it as late-stage or overvalued, while Benjamin Graham and Charles Mackay dismiss it outright—Graham’s low score reflects its failure of defensive metrics, and Mackay’s warning hints at speculative crowd behavior. The contrast underscores a fundamental tension: growth-focused strategists see structural appeal, while value and risk-conscious investors prioritize caution or outright avoidance.
Samuel Armstrong Nelson
The ABC of Stock Speculation (1903)
🟢 79
Cycle position looks favorable — closer to oversold than overbought
Key question
Is the price overextended, or is there still room to move?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Edgar Lawrence Smith
Common Stocks as Long-Term Investments (1924)
🟢 73
Looks like a real 'buy and hold for a decade' candidate
Key question
Is this a stock I'd be happy to hold and forget about for a decade?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Philip Fisher
Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits (1958)
🟢 65
Solid, but not the exceptional quality Fisher looked for
Key question
How exceptional is this business, really?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Morgan Housel
The Psychology of Money (2020)
🟡 56
Moderate — holdable, but not effortless
Key question
Could I live with this volatility long enough for compounding to actually work?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Jesse Livermore
Reminiscences of a Stock Operator (1923) / How to Trade in Stocks (1940)
🟡 50
No clear trend — Livermore preferred to stay out of this
Key question
What is the price telling me right now?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Burton Malkiel & John Bogle
A Random Walk Down Wall Street (1973) / The Little Book of Common Sense Investing (2007)
🟡 47
Mixed case — the evidence for picking this stock over an index is not strong
Key question
Do I actually have an edge here, or do I just think I do?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Walter Bagehot
Lombard Street (1873)
🟡 41
Liquidity position Bagehot would flag as a real risk
Key question
Does this company have enough liquidity to survive real stress?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Jack Schwager
Market Wizards (1989)
🟡 39
No real setup here — the discipline Schwager's wizards shared would say stay out
Key question
What's the risk/reward here, and where is my exit point?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Howard Marks (Market Cycle)
Mastering the Market Cycle (2018)
🟡 39
Looks late-cycle — the position Marks would treat with extra caution
Key question
Where are we in the cycle right now — near a hot extreme, or a cold one?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Thorstein Veblen
The Theory of Business Enterprise (1904)
🟡 36
Pattern Veblen would flag as growth pursued for its own sake
Key question
Is management building real value, or just building itself?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Charles Mackay
Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841)
🔴 34
Pattern consistent with a crowd delusion Mackay would flag
Key question
Am I being swept along with the crowd, or thinking for myself?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Gerald M. Loeb
The Battle for Investment Survival (1935)
🔴 32
Risk profile Loeb would flag as a real threat to capital
Key question
How much capital could I lose here if I'm wrong?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Peter Lynch
One Up on Wall Street (1989)
🔴 30
Doesn't clear Lynch's growth-at-a-reasonable-price bar
Key question
Is the growth worth the price?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Howard Marks
The Most Important Thing (2011) / Mastering the Market Cycle (2018)
🔴 16
Risk/valuation combination Marks would flag as a caution sign
Key question
What is the market probably misunderstanding about the risk here?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Benjamin Graham (Enterprising Investor)
The Intelligent Investor (1949) — the Enterprising Investor chapters
🔴 9
Not statistically cheap enough for the Enterprising Investor's looser safety bar
Key question
Is the stock statistically cheap enough to justify the extra risk?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Benjamin Graham
Security Analysis (1934) / The Intelligent Investor (1949)
🔴 1
Fails most of Graham's defensive criteria
Key question
Where is my margin of safety?
Fact → Principle → Simulation
Based on the last 289 trading days, calculated from real price data. Click an indicator for details and a chart.
🔴 Most indicators support a downtrend (4 bullish · 7 bearish · 1 neutral)
A market-structure read based purely on real price and volume data — not full classic Wyckoff schematic identification (Phase A-E), but a quantitative analysis of what can reliably be computed: trading ranges, "effort vs. result", volume within the range, and Spring/Upthrust detection.
The stock is in a clear uptrend with no defined trading range in the period examined.
Medium confidence
The Wyckoff Method, developed by Richard Wyckoff in the early 20th century, reads the balance of supply and demand through price and volume, based on the premise that large investors ("smart money") quietly accumulate shares before rallies and quietly distribute them before declines. The read here is based solely on real price and volume data — full, precise identification of classic Wyckoff patterns (such as Phases A-E) requires human chart-reading experience and judgment, so this is an approximate algorithmic read, not a substitute for professional analysis. This should not be considered investment advice.
Gross Margin
83.2%
Operating Margin
27.6%
Net Margin
22.1%
EBITDA Margin
36.2%
ROE
26.2%
ROA
6.0%
ROIC
—
EPS
$8.13
Cash
$370.00M
Total Debt
—
Current Ratio
1.09
Debt/Equity
—
Total dividend per share paid each year, over the last 5 years.
| Ex-Dividend Date | Amount per Share |
|---|---|
| 24.8.2026 | $0.375 |
| 26.5.2026 | $0.375 |
| 25.5.2026 | $0.375 |
| 9.3.2026 | $0.375 |
| 8.3.2026 | $0.375 |
| 24.11.2025 | $0.375 |
| 23.11.2025 | $0.375 |
| 25.8.2025 | $0.375 |
| 24.8.2025 | $0.375 |
| 27.5.2025 | $0.375 |
| 26.5.2025 | $0.375 |
| 10.3.2025 | $0.375 |
How is Fair Value calculated? →
Current Price
$218.58
Estimated Fair Value (DCF)
$149.24
Model estimate — not a price target. Highly sensitive to growth/discount-rate assumptions.
Gap
-31.7%
🔴 Appears expensive relative to estimated value
Year 1 Growth Rate
14.4%
Discount Rate (WACC)
9.0%
Terminal Growth Rate
2.5%
Projection Years
5
| Year | Growth Rate | Projected FCF | Present Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14.4% | $466.88M | $428.33M |
| 2 | 11.4% | $520.34M | $437.96M |
| 3 | 8.5% | $564.39M | $435.81M |
| 4 | 5.5% | $595.33M | $421.75M |
| 5 | 2.5% | $610.22M | $396.60M |
Base FCF (last actual year)
$408.00M
Terminal Value
$9.62B
Present Value of Terminal Value
$6.25B
Enterprise Value
$8.37B
Net Debt
$0
Equity Value
$8.37B
*The DCF model is an estimate based on assumptions — not a guaranteed forecast. You can change the assumptions to examine different scenarios.
Book Value per Share
$30.86
Tangible Book Value per Share (Tangible NAV)
$29.26
Sentiment based on basic keywords (not AI) — 14 positive, 3 neutral, 3 negative out of the last 20 articles.
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Paycom Software, Inc. (PAYC) currently has a StockIQ AI score of 56/100, rated "Moderate". The score is a weighted average across up to 7 categories (technical, fundamental, growth, fair value, news, quality, risk), based on real data only.
PAYC currently scores 56/100 (Moderate) across the categories we measure. StockIQ doesn't give buy/sell recommendations — use this as one data point in your own research, not as investment advice.
Per StockIQ's DCF model, PAYC's estimated fair value is $149.24, which is 31.7% below the current price of $218.58. This is one valuation model among several signals in the fair-value category, not a price target.
PAYC's technical score is 42/100, which currently reads as neutral — based on real price/volume signals (moving averages, RSI, MACD, and more), not a prediction of what happens next.
Based on the real signals StockIQ computed: Operating margin is stable or improving over time; Return on equity (ROE): 26.2% — strong; Price is above the 50-day average.
Based on the real signals StockIQ computed: Estimated fair value: $149.24 vs. price $218.58 (-31.7%); SMA 50 recently crossed below SMA 200; Calmar: -0.10 (3y annualized return -5.6% / max drawdown 59.2%).
Yes — PAYC has a real recorded dividend payment history on StockIQ. See the Dividends section on this page for the actual per-share amounts and dates.
Real transactions by officers and insiders, as reported to the SEC on Form 4 — 0 purchases and 8 sales out of the last 25 filings.
| Name | Transaction Type | Date | Shares | Change | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hadlock Terrell Shane | Open Market Sale | 28.8.2026 | 69,911 | -241 | $240.07 |
| Hadlock Terrell Shane | Open Market Sale | 28.8.2026 | 241 | -241 | $240.07 |
| Hadlock Terrell Shane | Open Market Sale | 27.8.2026 | 70,152 | -938 | $238.66 |
| Hadlock Terrell Shane | Open Market Sale | 27.8.2026 | 71,090 | -1,639 | $237.00 |
| Hadlock Terrell Shane | Open Market Sale | 27.8.2026 | 938 | -938 | $238.66 |
| Hadlock Terrell Shane | Open Market Sale | 27.8.2026 | 1,639 | -1,639 | $237.00 |
| Boelte Craig E. | Gift | 10.8.2026 | 1,000 | -1,000 | — |
| Boelte Craig E. | Gift | 10.8.2026 | 175,353 | -1,000 | — |
| Boelte Craig E. | Grant/Award from Employer | 8.7.2026 | 1,353 | +1,353 | — |
| KERBER WILLIAM XAVIER III | Grant/Award from Employer | 8.7.2026 | 1,353 | +1,353 | — |
| Boelte Craig E. | Grant/Award from Employer | 8.7.2026 | 176,353 | +1,353 | — |
| KERBER WILLIAM XAVIER III | Grant/Award from Employer | 8.7.2026 | 6,341 | +1,353 | — |
| Richison Chad R. | Gift | 15.6.2026 | 12,500 | -12,500 | — |
| Richison Chad R. | Gift | 15.6.2026 | 12,500 | +12,500 | — |
| Richison Chad R. | Gift | 15.6.2026 | 0 | -12,500 | — |
| Richison Chad R. | Gift | 15.6.2026 | 2,774,921 | +12,500 | — |
| Peck Randall | Open Market Sale | 18.5.2026 | 2,500 | -2,500 | $140.50 |
| Peck Randall | Open Market Sale | 18.5.2026 | 55,355 | -2,500 | $140.50 |
| Peck Randall | Tax Withholding in Shares | 10.5.2026 | 336 | -336 | $138.44 |
| Hadlock Terrell Shane | Tax Withholding in Shares | 10.5.2026 | 2,728 | -2,728 | $138.44 |
| Peck Randall | Tax Withholding in Shares | 10.5.2026 | 57,855 | -336 | $138.44 |
| Hadlock Terrell Shane | Tax Withholding in Shares | 10.5.2026 | 72,729 | -2,728 | $138.44 |
| BINZ JOSEPH LEO | Grant/Award from Employer | 4.5.2026 | 1,890 | +1,890 | — |
| TURNEY SHAREN J | Grant/Award from Employer | 4.5.2026 | 1,890 | +1,890 | — |
| WATTS J C JR | Grant/Award from Employer | 4.5.2026 | 1,890 | +1,890 | — |
Official FINRA data — the number of shares open in short positions, plus daily short-sale activity.
2,655,517 shares short as of 2026-09-15 · vs. 2,367,261 on 2026-08-31
Official biweekly report (FINRA Rule 4560) — no real higher-frequency data exists for this metric.
62.1% of trading volume this week was short selling, vs. 64.0% the prior week
Based on daily short-sale volume (Reg SHO) — a different metric from the open short interest above: this is daily trading volume, not an open position, so it updates weekly rather than biweekly.
Full breakdown of every data type and its source: Data Sources · Methodology