BILL vs INTU vs PAYC vs PCTY vs PAYX

For growth investors, Intuit Inc.

(INTU) is the stronger pick with 15. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 6% for Paychex, Inc. (PAYX). Paycom Software, Inc. (PAYC) offers the better valuation at 17. 1x trailing P/E (13. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Bill. com Holdings, Inc. (BILL) a "Buy" — based on 32 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 trailing P/E, Paycom Software, Inc.

(PAYC) is the cheapest at 17. 1x versus Bill. com Holdings, Inc. at 163. 6x. On forward P/E, Paycom Software, Inc. is actually cheaper at 13. 2x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Paycom Software, Inc. wins at 0. 49x versus Paychex, Inc. 's 2. 01x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Paychex, Inc.

(PAYX) delivered a total return of +10. 7%, compared to -75. 6% for Bill. com Holdings, Inc. (BILL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: INTU returned +326. 4% versus BILL's +6. 0%. 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), Paychex, Inc.

(PAYX) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 39β versus Bill. com Holdings, Inc. 's 1. 89β — meaning BILL is approximately 388% more volatile than PAYX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Paycom Software, Inc. (PAYC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 9% versus 122% for Paychex, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Intuit Inc.

(INTU) is pulling ahead at 15. 6% versus 5. 6% for Paychex, Inc. (PAYX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Bill. com Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 185. 2% year-over-year, compared to -9. 4% for Paycom Software, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BILL leads at 31. 6% 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.

Paychex, Inc.

(PAYX) is the more profitable company, earning 29. 7% net margin versus 1. 6% for Bill. com Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 29. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PAYX leads at 39. 6% versus -5. 5% for BILL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BILL leads at 81. 4%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Paycom Software, Inc. (PAYC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 49x versus Paychex, Inc. 's 2. 01x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Paycom Software, Inc. (PAYC) trades at 13. 2x forward P/E versus 17. 5x for Intuit Inc. — 4. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for INTU: 63. 9% to $666. 75.

In this comparison, PAYX (4.

2% yield), PAYC (1. 1% yield), INTU (1. 0% yield) pay a dividend. BILL, PCTY do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Paychex, Inc.

(PAYX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 39), 4. 2% yield, +135. 4% 10Y return). Bill. com Holdings, Inc. (BILL) carries a higher beta of 1. 89 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (PAYX: +135. 4%, BILL: +6. 0%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (BILL (Technology) and INTU (Technology) and PAYC (Technology) and PCTY (Technology) and PAYX (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: BILL is a small-cap quality compounder stock; INTU is a mid-cap high-growth stock; PAYC is a small-cap deep-value stock; PCTY is a small-cap quality compounder stock; PAYX is a mid-cap income-oriented stock. INTU, PAYC, PAYX pay a dividend while BILL, PCTY do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.