ASUR vs PCTY

For growth investors, Asure Software, Inc.

(ASUR) is the stronger pick with 17. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 13. 7% for Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY). Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) offers the better valuation at 27. 1x trailing P/E (14. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Asure Software, Inc. (ASUR) a "Buy" — based on 18 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On forward P/E, Asure Software, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 10. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Asure Software, Inc.

(ASUR) delivered a total return of +11. 0%, compared to -35. 2% for Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PCTY returned +218. 2% versus ASUR's +70. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

43β versus Asure Software, Inc. 's 1. 14β — meaning ASUR is approximately 167% more volatile than PCTY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 18% versus 40% for Asure Software, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Asure Software, Inc.

(ASUR) is pulling ahead at 17. 3% versus 13. 7% for Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Paylocity Holding Corporation grew EPS 10. 7% year-over-year, compared to -6. 7% for Asure Software, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, PCTY leads at 23. 2% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) is the more profitable company, earning 14.

2% net margin versus -9. 3% for Asure Software, Inc. — meaning it keeps 14. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PCTY leads at 19. 1% versus -6. 0% for ASUR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PCTY leads at 68. 8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Asure Software, Inc.

(ASUR) trades at 10. 6x forward P/E versus 14. 0x for Paylocity Holding Corporation — 3. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ASUR: 60. 7% to $14. 75.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

43), +218. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PCTY: +218. 2%, ASUR: +70. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: ASUR is a small-cap high-growth stock; PCTY is a small-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.