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PCTY vs WDAY
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Paylocity (PCTY) vs. Workday (WDAY) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Paylocity (PCTY) delivered fiscal 2026 revenue of $1.771 billion, an 11% year-over-year increase, with recurring revenue growing 12.2% and strong Adjusted EBITDA margins.
- Workday (WDAY) reported first-quarter revenue of $2.54 billion, up 13% year over year, amid significant stock volatility driven by acquisition speculation.
- Both companies operate in the human capital management (HCM) software sector and have accelerated artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives, including new product launches and targeted acquisitions.
- PCTY shares have traded near $153 recently with a market capitalization of approximately $8.14 billion, showing resilience after earlier weakness.
- WDAY shares recently approached $200 with a market capitalization near $49.4 billion, reflecting heightened momentum from potential private-equity interest.
- Relative positioning highlights trade-offs between PCTY’s focused mid-market stability and WDAY’s larger enterprise scale and event-driven catalysts.
Introduction
Paylocity (PCTY) and Workday (WDAY) are established providers of cloud-based human capital management and financial software solutions. This comparison examines their recent performance, business models, and market positioning within the broader technology sector. Institutional investors and active traders evaluating software-as-a-service (SaaS) names with HCM exposure may find the analysis relevant for assessing relative momentum and risk profiles amid evolving macroeconomic conditions.
PCTY Overview and Recent Performance
Paylocity Holding Corporation provides cloud-based payroll and human capital management solutions primarily to small and mid-sized businesses. In recent weeks, the company reported fiscal 2026 results that exceeded expectations, with total revenue reaching $1.771 billion, reflecting 11% growth, and recurring revenue advancing 12.2%. Adjusted EBITDA margins expanded, supported by operating leverage and higher average revenue per client. Management highlighted the rollout of Ignite AI capabilities and strategic acquisitions that enhance automation in recruiting, payroll, and leave management. Stock price action has reflected measured optimism, with shares trading around $153 amid broader sector rotation and a noted golden-cross technical signal.
WDAY Overview and Recent Performance
Workday, Inc. delivers enterprise cloud applications for human resources and finance to large organizations worldwide. Recent market activity has centered on robust quarterly results and heightened M&A speculation. First-quarter revenue climbed 13% to $2.54 billion, while the company advanced its AI roadmap with a dedicated research team and new learning tools. Shares experienced sharp volatility following reports of private-equity interest, contributing to a substantial three-month advance. With a market capitalization near $49.4 billion, the stock has traded around $200 in recent sessions, underscoring both its scale and sensitivity to external catalysts.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Paylocity (PCTY) focuses on the mid-market HCM segment with a recurring-revenue model that emphasizes client retention and incremental product adoption. Workday (WDAY) targets large enterprises with a broader suite that includes financial management, supporting higher absolute revenue but greater exposure to longer sales cycles. Recent momentum favors WDAY following acquisition-related catalysts, while PCTY has demonstrated steadier earnings execution and margin expansion. Risk factors include PCTY’s sensitivity to small-business hiring trends and WDAY’s larger valuation multiple alongside potential integration or regulatory considerations in any M&A scenario. Sector exposure remains aligned in HCM software, yet relative positioning reflects contrasting scale, growth cadence, and event-driven versus fundamentals-driven narratives.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as recent trend consistency, earnings stability, and catalyst visibility, Tickeron’s AI models currently assign a modestly higher probabilistic edge to Workday (WDAY). The combination of scale, AI product momentum, and event-driven attention has produced more pronounced short-term positioning compared with Paylocity (PCTY)’s measured recovery trajectory. Market participants should monitor upcoming earnings releases and macroeconomic indicators for shifts in relative dynamics.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is PCTY is a Hold and WDAY is a Hold.
| PCTY | WDAY | PCTY / WDAY | |
| Capitalization | 7.52B | 44.8B | 17% |
| EBITDA | 498M | 1.76B | 28% |
| Gain YTD | -7.108 | -13.539 | 52% |
| P/E Ratio | 28.79 | 37.82 | 76% |
| Revenue | 1.77B | 10.2B | 17% |
| Total Cash | 272M | 3.4B | 8% |
| Total Debt | 133M | 3.77B | 4% |
PCTY | WDAY | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 71 | 77 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 72 Overvalued | 70 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | 100 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 44 | 54 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 43 | 40 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 80 | 97 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | n/a |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
WDAY's Valuation (70) in the Information Technology Services industry is in the same range as PCTY (72) in the Packaged Software industry. This means that WDAY’s stock grew similarly to PCTY’s over the last 12 months.
WDAY's Profit vs Risk Rating (100) in the Information Technology Services industry is in the same range as PCTY (100) in the Packaged Software industry. This means that WDAY’s stock grew similarly to PCTY’s over the last 12 months.
PCTY's SMR Rating (44) in the Packaged Software industry is in the same range as WDAY (54) in the Information Technology Services industry. This means that PCTY’s stock grew similarly to WDAY’s over the last 12 months.
WDAY's Price Growth Rating (40) in the Information Technology Services industry is in the same range as PCTY (43) in the Packaged Software industry. This means that WDAY’s stock grew similarly to PCTY’s over the last 12 months.
PCTY's P/E Growth Rating (80) in the Packaged Software industry is in the same range as WDAY (97) in the Information Technology Services industry. This means that PCTY’s stock grew similarly to WDAY’s over the last 12 months.
| PCTY | WDAY | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 62% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 69% | 2 days ago 63% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 73% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 68% | 2 days ago 69% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 72% | 2 days ago 71% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 72% | 2 days ago 64% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 23 days ago 62% | 10 days ago 58% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 71% | 3 days ago 71% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 67% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 58% | 2 days ago 68% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
PCTY’s FA Score shows that 0 FA rating(s) are green while WDAY’s FA Score has 0 green FA rating(s).
- PCTY’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- WDAY’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
PCTY’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WDAY’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- PCTY’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
- WDAY’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
PCTY (@Packaged Software) experienced а -6.96% price change this week, while WDAY (@Packaged Software) price change was -5.15% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Packaged Software industry was -4.16%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -6.20%, and the average quarterly price growth was +3.48%.
Reported Earning Dates
PCTY is expected to report earnings on Oct 29, 2026.
WDAY is expected to report earnings on Dec 01, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Packaged Software (-4.16% weekly)Packaged software comprises multiple software programs bundled together and sold as a group. For example, Microsoft Office includes multiple applications such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. In some cases, buying a bundled product is cheaper than purchasing each item individually[s20] . Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corp. and Adobe are some major American packaged software makers.
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PCTY and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, PCTY has been closely correlated with ADP. These tickers have moved in lockstep 77% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if PCTY jumps, then ADP could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To PCTY | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCTY | 100% | -0.84% | ||
| ADP - PCTY | 77% Closely correlated | +0.99% | ||
| PAYX - PCTY | 75% Closely correlated | +0.54% | ||
| WDAY - PCTY | 71% Closely correlated | +0.33% | ||
| MANH - PCTY | 67% Closely correlated | -1.56% | ||
| FRSH - PCTY | 66% Closely correlated | +0.17% | ||
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WDAY and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, WDAY has been closely correlated with CRM. These tickers have moved in lockstep 77% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if WDAY jumps, then CRM could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To WDAY | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WDAY | 100% | +0.33% | ||
| CRM - WDAY | 77% Closely correlated | +1.94% | ||
| ADBE - WDAY | 75% Closely correlated | +1.37% | ||
| FRSH - WDAY | 73% Closely correlated | +0.17% | ||
| INTU - WDAY | 73% Closely correlated | +2.81% | ||
| PCTY - WDAY | 71% Closely correlated | -0.84% | ||
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