Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX) Stock Price Target Lowered at Robert W. Baird

Posted by Stanley Muller on Sep 29th, 2026

Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX – Free Report) had its target price trimmed by Robert W. Baird from $125.00 to $110.00 in a report published on Monday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The firm currently has a neutral rating on the business services provider’s stock.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Paychex from $107.00 to $109.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “underweight” rating and issued a $107.00 price objective on shares of Paychex in a research note on Monday, July 20th. UBS Group dropped their price objective on Paychex from $125.00 to $115.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, September 24th. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on Paychex from $117.00 to $105.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Paychex from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $105.00 to $115.00 in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Paychex presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $127.59.

View Our Latest Analysis on PAYX

Paychex Trading Down 2.0%

PAYX stock opened at $99.30 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $35.32 billion, a PE ratio of 19.70, a P/E/G ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 0.82. Paychex has a 12 month low of $85.45 and a 12 month high of $130.32. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $118.20 and its 200 day moving average is $104.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 1.28 and a quick ratio of 1.28.

Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, September 23rd. The business services provider reported $1.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.32 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.63 billion. Paychex had a net margin of 27.35% and a return on equity of 52.78%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.22 EPS. Paychex has set its FY 2027 guidance at 5.896-6.006 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Paychex will post 5.96 EPS for the current year.

Paychex Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 28th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, July 28th were given a $1.19 dividend. This represents a $4.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, July 28th. Paychex’s dividend payout ratio is presently 94.44%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Robert Schrader sold 2,600 shares of Paychex stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.09, for a total transaction of $299,234.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 18,547 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,134,574.23. This trade represents a 12.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Paychex

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of PAYX. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Paychex in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Field & Main Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Paychex during the 2nd quarter worth $33,000. Leonteq Securities AG boosted its position in Paychex by 2,669.2% during the first quarter. Leonteq Securities AG now owns 360 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 347 shares in the last quarter. Castleark Management LLC bought a new stake in Paychex during the second quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Elevation Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in Paychex by 45.5% in the second quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 400 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.47% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Paychex

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

About Paychex

(Get Free Report)

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.