Paycom Software Inc vs Ross Stores, Inc. — how do they compare? Paycom Software Inc trades at $214.7 (market cap $9.88B), while Ross Stores, Inc. trades at $225 (market cap $73.25B). The key difference: Ross Stores, Inc. is far larger — about 7.4× Paycom Software Inc's market cap, and Ross Stores, Inc. pays the higher dividend (0.78%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| PAYC | ROST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $9.88B | $73.25B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $240.52 | $255.23 |
52-Week Low | $113.59 | $144.67 |
Enterprise Value | $10.66B | $73.70B |
Dividend Yield | 0.68% | 0.78% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Paycom Software (PAYC) trades at $219.16, down 5.4% today but maintains strong fundamentals with consistent earnings beats and robust profitability. The stock shows a bullish technical signal despite recent weakness, supported by positive analyst sentiment and institutional accumulation. Recent Q2 2026 results exceeded expectations with EPS of $2.78 beating estimates of $2.38, driving management's raised full-year guidance.
Outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $231.70 offering 5.7% upside potential. Key opportunities include sustained revenue growth and expanding margins, while risks involve competitive pressures and market volatility. The company's strong cash flow generation and shareholder returns through dividends and buybacks support long-term value creation.
Ross Stores (ROST) trades at $229.31, down 0.6% on the day, showing bearish technical signals despite strong fundamental performance. The company reported three consecutive quarterly earnings beats, with Q2 2026 EPS of $2.66 beating expectations by 36%. Revenue growth accelerated to 13% in Q2 2026, with comparable store sales surging 10% driven by increased traffic and margin expansion. The stock faces technical resistance near $234 while maintaining strong analyst support with a $271.33 consensus price target.
ROST presents a compelling growth story with robust fundamentals but faces near-term technical headwinds. The company's value-focused retail strategy resonates with cost-conscious consumers, driving consistent earnings outperformance. Key risks include competitive pressures in off-price retail and macroeconomic sensitivity. With 64% of analysts maintaining buy ratings and a 19% upside to consensus targets, the stock offers growth potential for investors comfortable with current technical weakness.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Ross Stores is a leading American off-price apparel and home fashion retailer, operating over 1,920 stores (at the end of fiscal 2021) across the Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts banners. Ross offers a variety of name-brand products and targets undercutting conventional retailers' regular prices by 20%-70%. The company uses an opportunistic, flexible merchandising approach
Read more on ROST →