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Paychex (PAYX) Reports Q3 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say

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Paychex (PAYX - Free Report) reported $1.81 billion in revenue for the quarter ended February 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 19.9%. EPS of $1.71 for the same period compares to $1.49 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.78 billion, representing a surprise of +1.36%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +1.99%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.68.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Paychex performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
  • Revenue- Management Solutions: $1.35 billion versus $1.34 billion estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +23.1% change.
  • Revenue- Interest on funds held for clients: $56.8 million compared to the $48.78 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +32.4% year over year.
  • Revenue- Total service revenue: $1.75 billion compared to the $1.74 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +19.5% year over year.
  • Revenue- PEO and Insurance Solutions: $397.5 million versus $391.28 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +8.8% change.

View all Key Company Metrics for Paychex here>>>

Shares of Paychex have returned +2.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -4.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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