Lumen Technologies Inc vs Paycom Software Inc — how do they compare? Lumen Technologies Inc trades at $6.77 (market cap $6.47B), while Paycom Software Inc trades at $144.2 (market cap $6.98B). The key difference: Lumen Technologies Inc and Paycom Software Inc are close in size by market cap, and Paycom Software Inc pays a 1% dividend while Lumen Technologies Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LUMN | PAYC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $6.47B | $6.98B |
Sector | Media | Technology |
52-Week High | $11.83 | $238.80 |
52-Week Low | $3.70 | $113.59 |
Enterprise Value | $18.10B | $7.59B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
LUMN trades at $6.275, down 0.08% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but oversold RSI readings. The company reported a net loss of $1.74B in 2025 despite beating EPS estimates in two of the last three quarters. Recent news highlights strategic acquisitions like Alkira to bolster its AI networking capabilities, while the balance sheet shows high debt levels of $17.49B long-term.
The outlook remains challenging due to persistent losses and heavy debt, though cost-cutting initiatives and a $13B contract backlog offer potential upside. Analyst consensus is cautious with a $8.25 price target, but the stock's deep value (P/S 0.52) may attract contrarians if EBITDA improves. Key risks include execution on turnaround plans and interest expense pressure.
Paycom Software (PAYC) trades at $149.71, up 1.2% with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company shows strong profitability with 22.44% net income margin and 37.15% ROE, though recent Q3 2025 EPS slightly missed expectations. Recent developments include new asset management tool launches and board appointments, while analyst consensus sits at $151 price target with 47% buy ratings.
PAYC presents a balanced investment case with solid fundamentals and moderate valuation (P/E 17.12), though execution risks and competitive pressures in HCM software require monitoring. The stock's proximity to resistance at $152 suggests near-term consolidation potential, while earnings growth remains the key catalyst for further upside.
Trailing returns across standard periods
With 450,000 route miles of fiber, including over 35,000 route miles of subsea fiber connecting Europe, Asia, and Latin America, Lumen Technologies is one of the United States' largest telecommunications carriers serving global enterprises. Its merger with Level 3 further shifted the company's operations toward businesses (over 70% of revenue) and away from its legacy consumer business. Lumen offers businesses a full menu of communications services, providing colocation and data center services, data transportation, and end-user phone and internet service. On the consumer side, Lumen provides broadband and phone service across 37 states, where it has 4.5 million broadband customers.
Read more on LUMN →Paycom is a fast-growing provider of payroll and human capital management, or HCM, software primarily targeting clients with 50-10,000 employees in the United States. Paycom was established in 1998 and services about 18,000 clients as of 2021, based on parent company grouping. Alongside its core payroll software, Paycom offers various HCM add-on modules, including time and attendance, talent management, and benefits administration.
Read more on PAYC →