Compare Akamai Technologies, Inc. (AKAM) vs Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) Price & Performance
Price performance
Price movement over the last 24 hours
Key statistics
Key statistics
Akamai Technologies, Inc. vs Paychex, Inc. — how do they compare? Akamai Technologies, Inc. trades at $122.85 (market cap $16.63B), while Paychex, Inc. trades at $106.44 (market cap $38.44B). The key difference: Paychex, Inc. is far larger — about 2.3× Akamai Technologies, Inc.'s market cap, and Paychex, Inc. pays a 4.4% dividend while Akamai Technologies, Inc. pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AKAM | PAYX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $16.63B | $38.44B |
Sector | Technology | Industrials |
52-Week High | $161.14 | $147.99 |
52-Week Low | $70.53 | $85.57 |
Enterprise Value | $21.56B | $41.92B |
Dividend Yield | — | 4.4% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Akamai Technologies (AKAM) trades at $114.37, up 1.06% on the day but down significantly from its 26-year high of $165.45 in May 2026. The stock faces a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. Revenue growth has slowed to 5% annually, with net income margin declining from 14.47% in 2022 to 10.74% in 2025. The company continues strategic moves in cybersecurity, completing the LayerX acquisition and expanding its NVIDIA partnership for AI security.
While analyst consensus remains positive with a $170.20 price target, near-term headwinds include declining profitability, high valuation multiples, and competitive pressures. The stock's current pullback presents a potential entry point for long-term investors believing in its cybersecurity and cloud computing positioning, though execution risks and margin compression require monitoring.
Paychex (PAYX) trades at $108.12, up 1.66% today, showing strong momentum with three consecutive quarterly earnings beats. The stock exhibits bullish technical signals with moving averages supporting upward movement, though RSI suggests mild overbought conditions. Fundamentally, the company maintains robust profitability with 27% net margins and 44.8% ROE, supported by steady revenue growth and strong cash flow generation.
The outlook remains positive with analyst consensus at $110 target and continued AI-driven growth initiatives. However, elevated valuation multiples and potential macroeconomic headwinds to small business hiring present risks. The stock offers a compelling combination of growth execution and shareholder returns through dividends.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Akamai Technologies, Inc.
Akamai operates a content delivery network, or CDN, which entails locating servers at the edges of networks so its customers, which store content on Akamai servers, can reach their own customers faster, more securely, and with better quality. Akamai has over 325,000 servers distributed over 4,000 points of presence in more than 1,000 cities worldwide. Its customers generally include media companies, which stream video content or make video games available for download, and other enterprises that run interactive or high-traffic websites, such as e-commerce firms and financial institutions. Akamai also has a significant security business, which is integrated with its core web and media businesses to protect its customers from cyberthreats.
Read more on AKAM →About Paychex, Inc.
Paychex is a leading provider of payroll, human capital management, and insurance solutions servicing small and midsize clients primarily in the United States. The company, established in 1979, services over 730,000 clients and pays over 1 in 12 U.S. private-sector workers. Alongside its traditional payroll services, Paychex offers HCM solutions such as benefits administration and time and attendance software, as well as human resources outsourcing and insurance agency services.
Read more on PAYX →
