The capital structure has shifted significantly, with total debt rising to $4.6 billion by 2026Q4, resulting in a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23 compared to historically lower levels.
| Metric | May'26 | May'25 | May'24 | May'23 | May'22 | May'21 | May'20 | May'19 | May'18 | May'17 | May'16 | May'15 | May'14 | May'13 | May'12 | May'11 | May'10 | May'09 | May'08 | May'07 | May'06 | May'05 | May'04 | May'03 | May'02 | May'01 | May'00 | May'99 | May'98 | May'97 |
|---|
| Total Current Assets | 8.61B | 8.92B | 7.25B | 7.53B | 6.58B | 6.17B | 5.46B | 5.68B | 5.78B | 5.27B | 4.86B | 5.1B | 5.01B | 4.83B | 5.08B | 4.26B | 4.16B | 4.24B | 4.47B | 4.86B | 4.44B | 3.69B | 3.28B | 3.03B | 2.81B | 2.79B | 2.36B | 1.79B | 1.48B | 1.14B |
| Cash & Short-Term Investments | 1.18B | 1.66B | 1.5B | 1.6B | 1.22B | 1.03B | 932.4M | 712.6M | 424.2M | 323.4M | 352.1M | 536.6M | 551.2M | 505.5M | 316.3M | 464M | 366.81M | 492.48M | 392.96M | 591.13M | 577.43M | 707.61M | 523.84M | 381.2M | 61.9M | 45.78M | 47.14M | 52.7M | 35.6M | 50.2M |
| Cash Only | 1.14B | 1.63B | 1.47B | 1.22B | 370M | 995.2M | 905.2M | 673.6M | 358.2M | 184.6M | 131.5M | 170M | 152.5M | 107.3M | 108.8M | 119M | 284.32M | 472.77M | 164.24M | 79.35M | 137.42M | 280.94M | 219.49M | 79.87M | 61.9M | 45.78M | 47.14M | 52.7M | 35.6M | 50.2M |
| Short-Term Investments | 36.3M | 34.5M | 33.9M | 373.4M | 853.9M | 36.7M | 27.2M | 39M | 66M | 138.8M | 220.6M | 366.6M | 398.7M | 398.2M | 207.5M | 345M | 82.5M | 19.71M | 228.73M | 511.77M | 440.01M | 426.67M | 304.35M | 301.33M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Accounts Receivable | 2.21B | 1.98B | 1.63B | 1.43B | 1.32B | 1.05B | 790.3M | 854.2M | 524.6M | 543.4M | 444.7M | 214.5M | 185.7M | 165.8M | 173M | 190.5M | 215.26M | 205.68M | 219.12M | 239.9M | 227.97M | 192.96M | 158.33M | 141.3M | 135.17M | 128.92M | 110.04M | 81M | 67.8M | 56M |
| Days Sales Outstanding | 123.75 | 129.38 | 112.39 | 103.97 | 104.33 | 94.79 | 71.39 | 82.65 | 56.64 | 62.94 | 54.99 | 28.58 | 26.91 | 26.02 | 28.32 | 33.36 | 39.27 | 36.05 | 38.71 | 46.4 | 49.69 | 48.74 | 44.65 | 49.3 | 51.67 | 54.1 | 55.16 | 25.15 | 24.91 | 27.82 |
| Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Days Inventory Outstanding | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Current Assets | 5.22B | 5.24B | 4.08B | 4.46B | 4.01B | 4.05B | 3.73B | 4.09B | 4.75B | 4.36B | 4.06B | 4.32B | 4.26B | 4.11B | 4.58B | 3.6B | 3.57B | 3.54B | 3.84B | 4.02B | 3.63B | 3B | 2.58B | 2.5B | 2.61B | 2.61B | 2.2B | 1.66B | 1.38B | 1.03B |
| Total Non-Current Assets | 7.56B | 7.65B | 3.13B | 3.02B | 3.05B | 3.06B | 3.09B | 3.01B | 1.68B | 1.56B | 1.58B | 1.38B | 1.36B | 1.33B | 1.4B | 1.14B | 1.07B | 887.59M | 843.88M | 1.39B | 1.11B | 690.05M | 669.76M | 658.14M | 138.5M | 115.92M | 93M | 80M | 71M | 60.6M |
| Property, Plant & Equipment | 652.8M | 575.3M | 458.6M | 457.8M | 480M | 498.8M | 522.2M | 408.7M | 393.5M | 337.2M | 353M | 353.9M | 342.2M | 346M | 324.3M | 308.7M | 267.58M | 274.53M | 275.3M | 256.09M | 234.66M | 205.32M | 171.35M | 159.04M | 121.57M | 96.08M | 75.38M | 65.9M | 64.7M | 54.2M |
| Fixed Asset Turnover | 9.98x | 9.68x | 11.51x | 10.94x | 9.61x | 8.13x | 7.74x | 9.23x | 8.59x | 9.35x | 8.36x | 7.74x | 7.36x | 6.72x | 6.88x | 6.75x | 7.48x | 7.59x | 7.51x | 7.37x | 7.14x | 7.04x | 7.55x | 6.58x | 7.86x | 9.05x | 9.66x | 17.84x | 15.35x | 13.56x |
| Goodwill | 4.53B | 4.51B | 1.88B | 1.83B | 1.83B | 1.82B | 1.79B | 1.78B | 814M | 657.1M | 657.1M | 561.5M | 540.3M | 533.9M | 517.4M | 513.7M | 421.56M | 433.32M | 433.32M | 407.71M | 405.84M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Intangible Assets | 1.68B | 1.95B | 194.5M | 187.4M | 224.6M | 275.8M | 330.6M | 399.1M | 141.4M | 57.6M | 69.5M | 32.4M | 40.6M | 45.2M | 55.8M | 77.2M | 63.26M | 76.64M | 74.5M | 67.21M | 60.7M | 477.45M | 490.2M | 492.05M | 9.04M | 9.61M | 5.58M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Long-Term Investments | 0 | 0 | 3.7M | 3.8M | 5M | 7.1M | 10.2M | 18.3M | 295.5M | 454M | 441.1M | 399.8M | 385.6M | 369.1M | 473.7M | 207.3M | 290.11M | 82.23M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Current Assets | 697M | 610.9M | 592.1M | 535.3M | 512.5M | 455.3M | 432M | 397.6M | 34.9M | 55.8M | 56.5M | 31.7M | 12.9M | 2.8M | 3.3M | 3.6M | 3.59M | 4.38M | 46.95M | 638.98M | 391.01M | 7.28M | 8.21M | 7.06M | 7.89M | 8.87M | 9.55M | 14.1M | 6.3M | 6.4M |
| Total Assets | 16.17B | 16.56B | 10.38B | 10.55B | 9.64B | 9.23B | 8.55B | 8.68B | 7.46B | 6.83B | 6.44B | 6.48B | 6.37B | 6.16B | 6.48B | 5.39B | 5.23B | 5.13B | 5.31B | 6.25B | 5.55B | 4.38B | 3.95B | 3.69B | 2.95B | 2.91B | 2.46B | 1.87B | 1.55B | 1.2B |
| Asset Turnover | 0.40x | 0.34x | 0.51x | 0.47x | 0.48x | 0.44x | 0.47x | 0.43x | 0.45x | 0.46x | 0.46x | 0.42x | 0.40x | 0.38x | 0.34x | 0.39x | 0.38x | 0.41x | 0.39x | 0.30x | 0.30x | 0.33x | 0.33x | 0.28x | 0.32x | 0.30x | 0.30x | 0.63x | 0.64x | 0.61x |
| Asset Growth % | -2.35% | 59.53% | -1.55% | 9.46% | 4.42% | 7.91% | -1.52% | 16.33% | 9.22% | 6.1% | -0.64% | 1.76% | 3.35% | -4.88% | 20.13% | 3.21% | 1.93% | -3.43% | -15% | 12.56% | 26.72% | 10.86% | 7.03% | 24.98% | 1.58% | 18.39% | 31.1% | 20.86% | 29.01% | 445.55% |
| Total Current Liabilities | 6.84B | 6.96B | 5.31B | 5.81B | 5.27B | 4.94B | 4.43B | 4.84B | 5.3B | 4.73B | 4.37B | 4.57B | 4.44B | 4.27B | 4.75B | 3.79B | 3.74B | 3.7B | 4.04B | 4.24B | 3.84B | 2.94B | 2.72B | 2.59B | 2.02B | 2.14B | 1.89B | 1.43B | 1.22B | 946M |
| Accounts Payable | 154.8M | 129.8M | 104.3M | 84.7M | 105.7M | 89M | 79.4M | 75.9M | 73.7M | 57.2M | 56.7M | 51.7M | 48.8M | 42.7M | 69.7M | 45.4M | 37.3M | 37.33M | 40.25M | 46.96M | 46.67M | 30.39M | 22.59M | 22.21M | 14.1M | 16.38M | 17.09M | 10.33M | 10.5M | 5.6M |
| Days Payables Outstanding | 33.74 | 30.76 | 25.73 | 21.28 | 28.45 | 25.55 | 22.63 | 23.52 | 26.43 | 22.7 | 24.15 | 23.35 | 24.32 | 23.22 | 37.37 | 25.35 | 20.83 | 20.02 | 22.24 | 27.85 | 30.4 | 33.66 | 27.17 | 31.47 | 23.33 | 29.84 | 45.52 | 5.41 | 6.34 | 4.77 |
| Short-Term Debt | 0 | 418.4M | 18.7M | 10.2M | 8.7M | 7.4M | 5.1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.48B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Revenue (Current) | 69.4M | 69.4M | 50.2M | 47.3M | 38.4M | 0 | 39.2M | 40.3M | 24.3M | 22.9M | 26.3M | 0 | 6.9M | 5.2M | 3M | 3M | 3.45M | 9.54M | 10.33M | 7.76M | 5.81M | 4.27M | 3.65M | 3.65M | 4.14M | 4.42M | 4.72M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Current Liabilities | 5.52B | 5.42B | 4.34B | 4.69B | 4.21B | 4.02B | 4.25B | 4B | 4.93B | 4.36B | 4.04B | 4.31B | 4.2B | 4.22B | 4.53B | 3.55B | 41.23M | 3.5B | 3.85B | 4.06B | 3.66B | 2.8B | 2.61B | 2.49B | 1.94B | 2.06B | 1.81B | 1.42B | 1.21B | 940.4M |
| Current Ratio | 1.26x | 1.28x | 1.37x | 1.30x | 1.25x | 1.25x | 1.23x | 1.17x | 1.09x | 1.12x | 1.11x | 1.12x | 1.13x | 1.13x | 1.07x | 1.12x | 1.11x | 1.15x | 1.11x | 1.15x | 1.16x | 1.25x | 1.21x | 1.17x | 1.39x | 1.30x | 1.25x | 1.25x | 1.22x | 1.21x |
| Quick Ratio | 1.26x | 1.28x | 1.37x | 1.30x | 1.25x | 1.25x | 1.23x | 1.17x | 1.09x | 1.12x | 1.11x | 1.12x | 1.13x | 1.13x | 1.07x | 1.12x | 1.11x | 1.15x | 1.11x | 1.15x | 1.16x | 1.25x | 1.21x | 1.17x | 1.39x | 1.30x | 1.25x | 1.25x | 1.22x | 1.21x |
| Cash Conversion Cycle | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total Non-Current Liabilities | 5.6B | 5.48B | 1.27B | 1.25B | 1.28B | 1.34B | 1.34B | 1.21B | 261.9M | 153.3M | 163.2M | 124M | 154.2M | 121.8M | 129.4M | 109.3M | 82.14M | 84.04M | 75.88M | 56.8M | 56.09M | 51.62M | 28.33M | 25.89M | 5.69M | 5.51M | 5.2M | 5M | 4.5M | 3.8M |
| Long-Term Debt | 4.56B | 4.55B | 798.6M | 798.2M | 797.7M | 797.3M | 796.8M | 796.4M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Capital Lease Obligations | 52.2M | 55.5M | 49M | 57.3M | 74.8M | 92.4M | 96.9M | 13M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Tax Liabilities | 543.3M | 444.7M | 86M | 112.1M | 165.5M | 218M | 240.8M | 223.1M | 154.4M | 33.9M | 22.1M | 16.8M | 69M | 53.3M | 40.6M | 23.1M | 7.8M | 12.77M | 9.6M | 9.57M | 15.48M | 17.76M | 14.4M | 7.04M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Current Liabilities | 447.2M | 431.2M | 339.4M | 280.2M | 242.8M | 233.3M | 207.9M | 179M | 107.5M | 119.4M | 141.1M | 107.2M | 98.5M | 68.5M | 88.8M | 86.2M | 74.3M | 71.27M | 66.28M | 47.23M | 40.61M | 33.86M | 13.93M | 18.84M | 5.69M | 5.51M | 5.2M | 4.96M | 4.5M | 3.8M |
| Total Liabilities | 12.44B | 12.44B | 6.58B | 7.05B | 6.55B | 6.28B | 5.77B | 6.06B | 5.56B | 4.88B | 4.53B | 4.7B | 4.59B | 4.39B | 4.88B | 3.9B | 3.82B | 3.79B | 4.11B | 4.29B | 3.89B | 2.99B | 2.75B | 2.61B | 2.03B | 2.15B | 1.89B | 1.44B | 1.22B | 949.8M |
| Total Debt | 4.61B | 5.02B | 866.3M | 865.7M | 881.2M | 926M | 898.8M | 809.4M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Net Debt | 3.47B | 3.39B | -602.6M | -356.3M | 511.2M | -69.2M | -6.4M | 135.8M | -358.2M | -184.6M | -131.5M | -170M | -152.5M | -107.3M | -108.8M | -119M | -284.3M | -472.77M | -164.24M | -79.35M | -137.42M | -77.67M | -219.49M | -79.87M | -61.9M | -45.78M | -47.14M | -52.69M | -35.6M | -50.2M |
| Debt / Equity | 1.23x | 1.22x | 0.23x | 0.25x | 0.29x | 0.31x | 0.32x | 0.31x | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Debt / EBITDA | 1.56x | 2.08x | 0.37x | 0.39x | 0.43x | 0.56x | 0.54x | 0.52x | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.17x | 1.40x | -0.26x | -0.16x | 0.25x | -0.04x | -0.00x | 0.09x | -0.25x | -0.14x | -0.10x | -0.15x | -0.14x | -0.11x | -0.11x | -0.14x | -0.35x | -0.52x | -0.18x | -0.10x | -0.18x | -0.12x | -0.43x | -0.17x | -0.15x | -0.12x | -0.16x | -0.24x | -0.22x | -0.43x |
| Interest Coverage | 9.32x | 21.64x | 60.46x | 56.81x | 50.85x | 41.06x | 37.64x | 78.22x | 331.15x | 504.64x | 1047.45x | 1515.29x | 899.27x | 9115.00x | 8604.00x | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total Equity | 3.74B | 4.13B | 3.8B | 3.49B | 3.09B | 2.95B | 2.78B | 2.62B | 2.02B | 1.96B | 1.91B | 1.79B | 1.78B | 1.77B | 1.6B | 1.5B | 1.4B | 1.34B | 1.2B | 1.95B | 1.65B | 1.39B | 1.2B | 1.08B | 923.98M | 757.84M | 563.43M | 435.8M | 329.6M | 251.5M |
| Equity Growth % | -9.52% | 8.6% | 8.81% | 13.22% | 4.65% | 5.99% | 6.18% | 29.39% | 3.54% | 2.28% | 7.07% | 0.48% | 0.19% | 10.55% | 7.24% | 6.72% | 4.51% | 12.1% | -38.7% | 17.97% | 19.43% | 15.48% | 11.38% | 16.6% | 21.92% | 34.5% | 29.29% | 32.22% | 31.05% | 31.81% |
| Book Value per Share | 10.38 | 11.40 | 10.50 | 9.64 | 8.50 | 8.14 | 7.70 | 7.24 | 5.60 | 5.39 | 5.27 | 4.90 | 4.85 | 4.86 | 4.42 | 4.13 | 3.88 | 3.72 | 3.24 | 5.10 | 4.34 | 3.65 | 3.17 | 2.85 | 2.44 | 2.01 | 1.50 | 1.18 | 0.90 | 0.69 |
| Total Shareholders' Equity | 3.74B | 4.13B | 3.8B | 3.49B | 3.09B | 2.95B | 2.78B | 2.62B | 2.02B | 1.96B | 1.91B | 1.79B | 1.78B | 1.77B | 1.6B | 1.5B | 1.4B | 1.34B | 1.2B | 1.95B | 1.65B | 1.39B | 1.2B | 1.08B | 923.98M | 757.84M | 563.43M | 435.8M | 329.6M | 251.5M |
| Common Stock | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.7M | 3.6M | 3.6M | 3.62M | 3.61M | 3.6M | 3.82M | 3.8M | 3.79M | 3.78M | 3.77M | 3.76M | 3.74M | 3.72M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Retained Earnings | 1.81B | 2.28B | 2.21B | 2.02B | 1.67B | 1.45B | 1.43B | 1.41B | 930.3M | 901.7M | 926.2M | 894.3M | 957.5M | 1.09B | 1B | 919.5M | 856.29M | 829.5M | 745.35M | 1.6B | 1.38B | 1.15B | 971.74M | 846.2M | 718.19M | 601.14M | 469.38M | 362.3M | 278.1M | 212.9M |
| Treasury Stock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Accumulated OCI | -49.9M | -53.7M | -145.1M | -159.9M | -133.9M | 51.8M | 56.5M | 100K | -36.2M | 20M | 29.2M | 7.5M | 21.5M | 22M | 37.7M | 37.5M | 42.41M | 41.94M | 16.05M | -9.66M | -14.33M | -6.42M | -2.71M | 28.7M | 17.02M | 13.07M | -8.57M | -102.6M | -87.4M | -72.1M |
| Minority Interest | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Leverage and Goodwill Concentration
According to recent financial statements, Paychex's total debt increased from $866.3 million in 2024Q4 to $4.6 billion by 2026Q4, driving the debt-to-equity ratio to 1.23, which suggests a departure from the company's historically conservative, near-debt-free capital structure in favor of more aggressive financing.
The rapid expansion of debt obligations warrants close monitoring, as it indicates a potential shift toward utilizing leverage to fund growth or capital returns. While the company maintains strong cash-generative capabilities, investors should evaluate whether this increased debt burden limits future financial flexibility in a higher-interest-rate environment.
Based on reported figures, goodwill has surged from $1.9 billion in 2024Q3 to $4.5 billion in 2026Q4, representing a significant portion of the $16.2 billion total asset base, which implies that a substantial part of the company's valuation is tied to past acquisition premiums.
The concentration of goodwill suggests that the balance sheet is increasingly sensitive to impairment risks if acquired businesses fail to meet performance expectations. Analysts should scrutinize the underlying assumptions of these acquisitions to determine if the carrying value of these intangible assets remains justified by future cash flows.
As reported in quarterly filings, the current ratio has fluctuated between 1.24 and 1.39 over the last ten quarters, indicating that Paychex maintains an adequate liquidity buffer to cover short-term obligations despite the recent increase in total liabilities and debt-related interest requirements.
The stability of the current ratio suggests that management has successfully managed working capital requirements even as the balance sheet has expanded. This liquidity profile provides a necessary cushion against potential volatility in payroll tax collections and client fund disbursements that characterize the company's operational model.
Data from recent SEC filings reveals that a significant portion of the $1.1 billion in cash reported for 2026Q4 is restricted as funds held for clients, which may lead to an overestimation of the company's true discretionary liquidity available for corporate operations or debt service.
Investors should distinguish between restricted client funds and corporate cash to accurately assess the company's financial health. The reliance on interest income from these restricted funds creates a structural dependency that could mask underlying operational weaknesses if interest rates were to decline unexpectedly.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying PAYX stock.
As of 2026, Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) had total assets of $16.17B including $8.61B in current assets.
Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) carries total debt of $4.61B, offset by $1.18B in cash and short-term investments. Comparing total debt to cash helps evaluate the company's debt burden and net leverage.
Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) has total shareholders' equity (book value) of $3.74B ($10.38 book value per share). Book value represents the net worth of the company belonging to common stock holders.
Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) reported a current ratio of 1.26x. A current ratio above 1.0x indicates that the company has more current assets than current liabilities, suggesting sufficient short-term liquidity.