Fastly Inc vs Paychex, Inc. — how do they compare? Fastly Inc trades at $28.69 (market cap $4.58B), while Paychex, Inc. trades at $121.38 (market cap $43.14B). The key difference: Paychex, Inc. is far larger — about 9.4× Fastly Inc's market cap, and Paychex, Inc. pays a 3.92% dividend while Fastly Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| FSLY | PAYX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $4.58B | $43.14B |
Sector | Technology | Industrials |
52-Week High | $33.50 | $140.81 |
52-Week Low | $6.91 | $85.57 |
Enterprise Value | $4.65B | $46.63B |
Dividend Yield | — | 3.92% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Fastly (FSLY) trades at $28.59, up 3.03% today, with strong technical momentum and bullish moving averages. The company reported consecutive earnings beats, with Q2 2026 EPS of $0.15 surpassing estimates, and raised its 2026 outlook driven by security and AI demand. Revenue growth is robust at 23% year-over-year, though the company remains unprofitable with a net income margin of -11.8%.
The outlook is positive given accelerating revenue growth and strategic positioning in edge cloud and AI infrastructure, but risks include persistent losses, high valuation multiples, and competitive pressures. Analyst consensus is cautious with a hold-heavy rating and a $28.25 price target, slightly below the current price.
Paychex (PAYX) trades at $120.34, down 0.69% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought RSI readings. The company shows strong profitability with a 27.03% net income margin and consistent earnings beats, though valuation ratios like a P/E of 24.81 are elevated. Recent news highlights steady small business employment data and product expansion, supporting its core HR services business.
The outlook is mixed: solid fundamentals and dividend payments offer stability, but high valuation and analyst caution (63.33% hold rating) suggest limited near-term upside. Risks include economic sensitivity and debt levels, yet long-term growth in HR outsourcing remains a tailwind for patient investors.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Fastly operates a content delivery network, which is necessary for entities to provide faster and more reliable online content. Fastly's strategy differs from traditional CDNs, which focused on locating servers in as many locations as possible to store copies of files that consumers most use. Fastly has far fewer sites than traditional CDNs, but it houses servers in the most network-dense data centers. Instead of simply storing static content, it allows its customers to program on its platform, enabling edge computing and better service of the more dynamic content that was traditionally not well served by CDNs. Fastly gears its service to the largest, most sophisticated enterprises rather than small companies and generated about two thirds of its revenue in the United States in 2020.
Read more on FSLY →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 →