Paychex Inc Stock Price, News & Analysis

Paychex (PAYX) has announced it will release its fiscal 2025 second quarter financial results, covering the period ended November 30, 2024, before market open on Thursday, December 19, 2024. The company will host a conference call at 9:30 a.m. ET the same day, featuring president and CEO John Gibson and senior vice president and CFO Bob Schrader. The call will be accessible via live broadcast on the Paychex Investor Relations portal, with an on-demand webcast available for approximately 90 days afterward.

The Paychex Small Business Employment Watch reports steady job growth in November 2024, with an index of 99.91 and an average of 100.25 through the first 11 months. Hourly earnings growth remained below 3% at 2.97%, while weekly earnings growth stayed at 2.84%. Notable hurricane recovery efforts were observed in the Southeast, with Florida's construction job growth increasing by 2.55 points. Texas led state job growth at 101.60, while the Midwest maintained its position as the top region for the sixth consecutive month. Tennessee ranked first in hourly earnings growth at 3.98%.

Paychex has launched HR Analytics Premium Plus, a new solution combining real-time data with generative AI capabilities. The platform, integrated into Paychex Flex and powered through Visier, enables businesses to benchmark workforce data against industry standards. The solution includes three components: HR Analytics Premium for workforce analytics, HR Analytics Premium Plus for compensation benchmarking using data from 20M+ employee records, and AI Insights, a generative AI assistant. This enhancement aims to help small and medium-sized businesses make data-driven decisions and compete more effectively with larger enterprises in talent acquisition and retention.

Paychex has launched Paychex Funding Solutions, a new financial service offering quick access to capital for small and mid-sized businesses through invoice factoring. The solution, which includes Paychex companies Advance Partners and Alterna Capital Solutions, provides upfront capital based on business assets without requiring users to be Paychex payroll clients. Unlike traditional bank loans, the approval process is streamlined and based partly on the creditworthiness of a business's customers. The service includes one-on-one consultation, ongoing access to funding specialists, quick funding access, and full-service team support.

The Paychex Small Business Employment Watch reported a national index level of 100.06 for small business job growth in October 2024. The jobs index averaged 100.29 through the first 10 months, showing modest growth in businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Hourly earnings growth reached 3.02%, while weekly earnings remained below 3% for nine consecutive months. The report highlighted significant impacts from hurricanes Milton and Helene, with Florida's index falling below 100 for the first time since March 2021, and Tampa experiencing a 1.81 percentage-point decrease. The Midwest led regional growth at 100.79, driven by gains in Education and Health Services.

Paychex has been recognized as a 'Leader' in NelsonHall's 2024 Vendor Evaluation and Assessment Tool (NEAT) report for payroll service providers, marking the eighth consecutive year for this acknowledgment. The recognition is specifically for Paychex Flex®, the company's cloud-based SaaS solution.

NelsonHall's evaluation criteria included the ability to deliver immediate client benefits and meet future requirements. Paychex was placed in the 'Leader' quadrant for Digital Payroll and Extended Services, reflecting its capability to fully meet both criteria.

In 2024, Paychex introduced new solutions like Paychex Flex® Perks, a digital marketplace for employee benefits including early access to earned wages, financial wellness solutions, and voluntary lifestyle benefits. This aligns with the critical need for timely employee pay and benefits, especially for small and mid-sized companies competing for talent against larger organizations.

Paychex Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend on Paychex common stock. The dividend amount is set at $0.98 per share. This dividend will be payable on November 27, 2024 to shareholders of record as of November 7, 2024. The announcement demonstrates Paychex's commitment to providing consistent returns to its shareholders through dividend payments.

The Paychex Small Business Employment Watch for September reveals a slight moderation in the national jobs index to 99.84, while maintaining an average of 100.31 for 2024, indicating modest employment growth. Hourly earnings growth for workers reached 3.01% in September, with the three-month annualized growth remaining below 3% for five consecutive months.

Key highlights include:

• 29 out of 50 states reported an index of 100 or higher
• The Midwest region led in small business employment growth at 100.39
• Indiana topped state rankings at 101.29
• The West region led in hourly earnings growth at 3.54%
• Education and Health Services sector led industries at 100.95

Paychex CEO John Gibson noted the impact of external factors like the upcoming election and potential rate cuts on employment growth fluctuations.

Paychex, Inc. reported solid first quarter results for fiscal 2025, with total revenue increasing 3% to $1.3 billion. Excluding the impact of the Employee Retention Tax Credit expiration and one less payroll processing day, revenue growth was 7%. Diluted earnings per share grew 2% to $1.18, while adjusted diluted earnings per share also increased 2% to $1.16.

Key highlights include:

• Management Solutions revenue up 1% to $961.7 million
• PEO and Insurance Solutions revenue increased 7% to $319.3 million
• Interest on funds held for clients grew 15% to $37.5 million
• Operating income increased 2% to $546.7 million

The company launched new digital solutions, including Paychex Flex® Engage, Paychex Flex Perks, and Paychex Recruiting Copilot, to help businesses attract and retain talent.