Compare Palo Alto Networks Inc (PANW) vs Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Palo Alto Networks Inc vs Paychex, Inc. — how do they compare? Palo Alto Networks Inc trades at $414.2 (market cap $331.76B), while Paychex, Inc. trades at $104.78 (market cap $37.19B). The key difference: Palo Alto Networks Inc is far larger — about 8.9× Paychex, Inc.'s market cap, and Paychex, Inc. pays a 4.56% dividend while Palo Alto Networks Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Palo Alto Networks Inc for 82 Days and Paychex, Inc. for 56 Days on average.
| PANW | PAYX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $331.76B | $37.19B |
Volume | 3,886,927 | 3,344,316 |
Sector | Technology | Industrials |
52-Week High | $419.91 | $128.59 |
52-Week Low | $141.67 | $85.57 |
Typical Hold Time | 82 Days | 56 Days |
Enterprise Value | $331.19B | $40.87B |
Dividend Yield | — | 4.56% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Palo Alto Networks (PANW) trades at $414.27, up 2.19% today and near its 52-week high, with strong technical momentum and bullish moving average signals. The company has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters, with Q3 2026 results pending. Revenue growth remains robust, climbing from $5.5B in 2022 to $9.2B in 2025, though net income margins have compressed from 32.1% to 2.67% as the company invests heavily in AI-driven security platforms.
The outlook remains positive given strong AI cybersecurity demand and platformization strategy, but premium valuations (P/E 1,013.93, P/S 26.99) and rising costs present risks. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 72% buy ratings and a $398.70 price target, though current price exceeds the target, suggesting near-term caution may be warranted despite long-term growth potential.
Paychex (PAYX) trades at $101.55, up 0.52% on the day, with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows strong profitability with a 27.35% net income margin and 47.06% ROE, but valuation ratios like P/E of 20.73 and P/S of 5.67 appear elevated. Recent news highlights mixed sentiment, with earnings outperformance offset by concerns over dividend sustainability and labor market cooling.
The outlook is cautious; while fundamentals remain solid with consistent revenue growth, high debt levels and bearish technicals pose risks. Analyst consensus leans hold with a $111 price target, suggesting limited upside. Key opportunities include dividend yield and PEO growth, but investors face headwinds from economic sensitivity and competitive pressures.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Investor sentiment on Pluang
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Investor sentiment on Pluang
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
No sentiment data available yet.
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
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About Palo Alto Networks Inc
Palo Alto Networks is a pure-play cybersecurity vendor that sells security appliances, subscriptions, and support into enterprises, government entities, and service providers. The company's product portfolio includes firewall appliances, virtual firewalls, endpoint protection, cloud security, and cybersecurity analytics. The Santa Clara, California, firm was established in 2005 and sells its products worldwide.
Read more on PANW →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 →
