Paycom Software (PAYC) vs Workday (WDAY)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Paycom Software (PAYC) has outperformed Workday (WDAY) over the past year, gaining 9.8% versus a loss of 21.0%. Over five years, WDAY leads with a -32.0% price change compared with -56.9% for PAYC. Workday is the larger company by market cap ($45.26 billion vs $10.36 billion), about 4.4 times the size.
On valuation, Workday trades at a lower forward P/E (14.2x vs 16.5x for Paycom Software). Paycom Software pays a dividend yielding 0.65%, while Workday does not currently pay one. Paycom Software converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 22.1% versus 7.3%.
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 | PAYC | WDAY |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $229.90 | $187.81 |
| Market cap | $10.36B | $45.26B |
| 1-day change | +2.83% | +1.93% |
| YTD return | +40.30% | -14.21% |
| 1-year return | +9.75% | -20.98% |
| 5-year return | -56.90% | -32.00% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 24.33 | 38.25 |
| Forward P/E | 16.46 | 14.19 |
| EPS (TTM) | $9.45 | $4.91 |
| Dividend yield | 0.65% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $1.50 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $2.05B | $9.55B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +8.95% | +13.09% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $453.40M | $693.00M |
| Gross margin | 83.17% | — |
| Operating margin | 27.65% | 7.55% |
| Net margin | 22.10% | 7.26% |
| 52-week high | $244.98 | $247.40 |
| 52-week low | $104.90 | $110.36 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -6.16% | -24.09% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | -4.20% | +10.89% |
| Average volume | 785.41K | 3.89M |
| Shares outstanding | 45.07M | 196.00M |
| Employees | 5,770 | 20,896 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Computer Software: Prepackaged Software | EDP Services |
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
- Workday is about 4.4 times larger than Paycom Software by market value ($45.26B vs $10.36B).
- PAYC has outperformed WDAY by 30.7 percentage points over the past year.
- Workday trades at a higher earnings multiple (38.3x vs 24.3x trailing P/E).
- Paycom Software is more profitable, keeping 22.1 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 7.3 cents for Workday.
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
About Workday
WDAY stock →Workday, Inc. provides enterprise cloud applications in the United States and internationally.
Technology · EDP Services · 20,896 employees
PAYC vs WDAY FAQ
Which is bigger, Paycom Software or Workday?
Workday (WDAY) is larger, with a market capitalization of $45.26B compared with $10.36B for Paycom Software (PAYC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, PAYC or WDAY?
PAYC returned +9.75% over the past 12 months, compared with -20.98% for WDAY (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, PAYC or WDAY?
PAYC has the lower trailing P/E at 24.3, versus 38.3 for WDAY. 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, Paycom Software or Workday?
Paycom Software pays a dividend yielding 0.65%, while Workday does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Paycom Software and Workday in the same industry?
Both are in the Technology sector, but in different industries: Computer Software: Prepackaged Software for Paycom Software and EDP Services for Workday.