Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX) Price Target Cut to $96.00 by Analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald

Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX) had its price target decreased by Cantor Fitzgerald from $112.00 to $96.00 in a report issued on Monday,Benzinga reports. Cantor Fitzgerald currently has an underweight rating on the business services provider’s stock.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on PAYX. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price target on shares of Paychex from $120.00 to $110.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 24th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Paychex from $107.00 to $109.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and issued a $130.00 price objective on shares of Paychex in a report on Thursday, September 24th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Paychex from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on Paychex from $118.00 to $113.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $127.59.

Paychex Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ PAYX opened at $99.30 on Monday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $118.20 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $104.15. The stock has a market cap of $35.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.70, a PEG ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23. Paychex has a 12 month low of $85.45 and a 12 month high of $130.32.

Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, September 23rd. The business services provider reported $1.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.32 by $0.02. Paychex had a net margin of 27.35% and a return on equity of 52.78%. The firm had revenue of $1.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.63 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.22 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Paychex has set its FY 2027 guidance at 5.896-6.006 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Paychex will post 5.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Paychex Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 28th. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 28th were given a dividend of $1.19 per share. This represents a $4.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.8%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, July 28th. Paychex’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 94.44%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Paychex news, CFO Robert Schrader sold 2,600 shares of Paychex stock in a transaction on Monday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.09, for a total value of $299,234.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 18,547 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,134,574.23. The trade was a 12.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Paychex

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. EFG International AG purchased a new stake in shares of Paychex during the second quarter worth approximately $1,494,000. Western Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Paychex in the 1st quarter valued at $1,174,000. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Paychex during the 2nd quarter worth $7,296,000. Callan Family Office LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Paychex during the second quarter worth $2,928,000. Finally, BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Paychex in the second quarter valued at about $2,728,970,000. 83.47% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Paychex News

Here are the key news stories impacting Paychex this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management highlighted strong PEO performance and continued investment in artificial intelligence during its earnings call. The AI initiatives could improve product capabilities, customer retention, and long-term operating efficiency. Paychex Earnings Call Highlights Strong PEO, AI Push
• Positive Sentiment: Paychex received a five-star rating on Newsweek’s America’s Greatest Companies 2026 list, recognizing financial strength, market performance, innovation, and sustainability. The recognition reinforces the company’s brand and reputation with customers and employees. Paychex Earns 5-Star Rating on Newsweek’s America’s Greatest Companies 2026 List
• Neutral Sentiment: Paychex’s customer loyalty and recurring revenue model continue to support its profile as a dividend-oriented business. However, the article provides no new earnings or guidance catalyst. These 4 Dividend Stocks Turn Customer Loyalty Into Growing Income
• Neutral Sentiment: Robert W. Baird lowered its price target to $110 from $125 but maintained a neutral rating. The revised target remains above the current trading level, limiting the severity of the signal. Paychex Stock Price Target Lowered at Robert W. Baird
• Negative Sentiment: Investors were caught off guard by a shift in Paychex’s segment mix. Although management left its financial guidance unchanged, the mix change raised questions about near-term margins and growth quality. Paychex Segment Mix Shift Caught the Street Off Guard
• Negative Sentiment: Cantor Fitzgerald cut its price target to $96 from $112 and assigned an underweight rating, signaling concern that the stock’s valuation and outlook do not adequately compensate investors for execution or growth risks.
• Negative Sentiment: TD Cowen also reduced its price target to $105, adding to the broader pattern of analyst caution following the earnings update. TD Cowen Cuts Paychex Price Target

Paychex Company Profile

Paychex, Inc is a provider of payroll, human resources, and workforce management solutions for businesses of varying sizes. Its offerings include payroll processing, tax administration, time and attendance tracking, employee benefits administration, retirement services, workers’ compensation and business insurance, recruiting, and compliance support.

The company also provides professional employer organization services, helping businesses manage employment administration and human resources through an integrated platform.