The end of earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and look at who’s excelling (and who’s not so good). Let’s take a look at how HR software stocks fared in the third quarter, starting with Paylocity (NASDAQ:PCTY).
Modern HR software has two powerful benefits: cost savings and ease of use. To save costs, businesses of all sizes much prefer the flexibility of cloud-based software delivered through a web browser and paid for on a subscription basis, rather than the hassle and complexity of purchasing and managing business software on-premises. In terms of usability, the consumerization of enterprise software creates seamless experiences that merge multiple standalone processes, such as payroll and compliance, into a single, easy-to-use platform.
The six HR software stocks we track reported a mixed third quarter. As a group, revenues were in line with analyst consensus estimates, while revenues for the next quarter were 1.7% below.
Fortunately, HR software stocks have performed well, with share prices up an average of 15.5% since the last earnings results.
Founded in 1997 by payroll software veteran Steve Sarowitz, Paylocity (NASDAQ:PCTY) is a provider of payroll and HR software for small and medium-sized businesses.
Paylocity reported revenue of $363 million, up 14.3% year over year. This print exceeded analyst expectations by 1.9%. Overall, it was a strong quarter for the company, with a solid improvement in analyst EBITDA estimates and revenue guidance for next quarter exceeding analyst expectations.
“Fiscal 25 is off to a strong start, with recurring and other revenue and total revenue growth of 14% in the first quarter, combined with a significant increase in year-over-year profitability, as our differentiated value proposition around the most modern software in the industry continues to resonate on the market.” said Toby Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer of Paylocity.
Paylocity achieved the highest indication increase for the entire year of the entire group. Unsurprisingly, the stock is up 18.7% since reporting and is currently trading at $211.88.
Is Now the Time to Buy Paylocity? See our full analysis of earnings results here. It’s free.
Founded in 1990 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Paycor (NASDAQ: PYCR) provides software for small businesses to manage their payroll and HR needs in one place.
Paycor reported revenue of $167.5 million, up 16.6% year over year, and beat analyst expectations by 3.3%. The company had a strong quarter with a solid gain in analyst EBITDA estimates and an impressive gain in analyst billing estimates.
Paycor delivered the highest analyst estimates and the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The market seems pleased with the results, as the stock is up 5.9% since reporting. It is currently trading at $17.66.
Is Now the Time to Buy Paycor? See our full analysis of earnings results here. It’s free.
Asure (NASDAQ:ASUR), formed from the merger of two small workforce management companies in 2007, offers cloud-based payroll and HR software for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
Asure reported revenue of $29.3 million, flat year-over-year, falling 6.5% short of analyst expectations. It was a disappointing quarter, as revenue expectations for the following quarter did not match analyst expectations.
Asure delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates, the slowest revenue growth and the weakest full-year forecast update in the group. As expected, the stock is down 2.8% since the results and is currently trading at $9.65.
Read our full analysis of Asure’s results here.
Founded in 1998 as one of the first online payroll companies, Paycom (NYSE:PAYC) provides software for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to manage their payroll and HR needs in one place.
Paycom reported revenue of $451.9 million, up 11.2% year over year. This result exceeded analyst expectations by 1.1%. Overall, it was a strong quarter, as it also delivered an impressive profit versus analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
The stock is up 37.4% since reporting and is currently trading at $236.79.
Read our full, actionable report on Paycom here. It’s free.
Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX), one of the oldest service providers in the industry, offers payroll and HR software solutions to its customers.
Paychex reported revenue of $1.32 billion, up 2.5% year over year. This print met analysts’ expectations. Overall, it was a satisfying quarter, as it also significantly beat analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
The stock is up 8.9% since reporting and is currently trading at $146.07.
Read our full, actionable report on Paychex here. It’s free.
In response to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been gradually declining from its post-pandemic peak and moving closer to the Fed’s 2% target. Despite higher borrowing costs, the economy has avoided flashy recession signals. This is the much-desired soft landing that many investors were hoping for. The recent interest rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November 2024) have boosted the stock market, making 2024 a strong year for equities. Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November fueled additional market gains, sending indexes to record highs in the days following his victory. However, debates over possible corporate tax rates and adjustments continue, raising questions about economic stability in 2025.
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