Elastic N.V. (ESTC) vs Paycom Software (PAYC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Elastic N.V. (ESTC) has outperformed Paycom Software (PAYC) over the past year, gaining 15.8% versus a gain of 10.8%. Over five years, ESTC leads with a -45.8% price change compared with -56.5% for PAYC. Paycom Software is the larger company by market cap ($10.08 billion vs $9.77 billion), about 1.0 times the size, while Elastic N.V. is growing revenue faster (+17.3% vs +8.9%).
On valuation, Paycom Software trades at a lower forward P/E (16.0x vs 23.5x for Elastic N.V.). Paycom Software pays a dividend yielding 0.67%, while Elastic N.V. does not currently pay one. Paycom Software converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 22.1% versus 21.1%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ESTC | PAYC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $93.10 | $223.58 |
| Market cap | $9.77B | $10.08B |
| 1-day change | -1.59% | +0.51% |
| YTD return | +23.41% | +41.62% |
| 1-year return | +15.80% | +10.78% |
| 5-year return | -45.83% | -56.50% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 26.60 | 23.66 |
| Forward P/E | 23.54 | 16.01 |
| EPS (TTM) | $3.50 | $9.45 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.67% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $1.50 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $1.74B | $2.05B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +17.26% | +8.95% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $367.77M | $453.40M |
| Gross margin | 76.07% | 83.17% |
| Operating margin | -1.92% | 27.65% |
| Net margin | 21.14% | 22.10% |
| 52-week high | $108.00 | $244.98 |
| 52-week low | $42.05 | $104.90 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -13.80% | -8.74% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +18.89% | -1.49% |
| Average volume | 2.27M | 794.48K |
| Shares outstanding | 104.99M | 45.07M |
| Employees | 3,834 | 5,770 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Computer Software: Prepackaged Software | Computer Software: Prepackaged Software |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Elastic N.V. grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+17.26% vs +8.95%).
About Elastic N.V.
ESTC stock →Elastic N.V., a search artificial intelligence (AI) company, provides software platforms to run in hybrid, public or private clouds, and multi-cloud environments in the United States and internationally. It primarily offers Elasticsearch Platform, a set of software products that ingest and store data from various sources and formats, as well as performs search, analysis, and visualization on that data.
Technology · Computer Software: Prepackaged Software · 3,834 employees
About Paycom Software
PAYC stock →Paycom Software, Inc. provides cloud-based human capital management (HCM) solution delivered as software-as-a-service for small to mid-sized companies in the United States.
Technology · Computer Software: Prepackaged Software · 5,770 employees
ESTC vs PAYC FAQ
Which is bigger, Elastic N.V. or Paycom Software?
Paycom Software (PAYC) is larger, with a market capitalization of $10.08B compared with $9.77B for Elastic N.V. (ESTC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ESTC or PAYC?
ESTC returned +15.80% over the past 12 months, compared with +10.78% for PAYC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ESTC or PAYC?
PAYC has the lower trailing P/E at 23.7, versus 26.6 for ESTC. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Elastic N.V. or Paycom Software?
Paycom Software pays a dividend yielding 0.67%, while Elastic N.V. does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Elastic N.V. and Paycom Software in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Computer Software: Prepackaged Software industry within the Technology sector.