AMGN vs PAYX Stock Comparison
Compare AMGN and PAYX across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between AMGN and PAYX?
PAYX leads the current stock comparison as Paychex, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from risk resilience and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Amgen Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.
PAYX leads
PAYX leads by 9 AIQ points, primarily on Risk Resilience and Momentum, and the lead has widened from 2 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors AMGN on target upside.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support PAYX, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Amgen Inc.
Paychex, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors PAYX over AMGN, 53 versus 44 as of Sep 11, 2026. PAYX's advantage is driven primarily by stronger risk resilience and momentum. PAYX also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors AMGN. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor PAYX today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. PAYX lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 2 to 9 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Amgen Inc. and Paychex, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare AMGN and PAYX against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Risk Resilience39 vs 57PAYX +18
- Momentum15 vs 28PAYX +13
- Quality70 vs 81PAYX +11
- Value44 vs 45Even
3 of 6 evidence groups favor PAYX. PAYX’s edge is concentrated in risk resilience and momentum.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
PAYX's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — AMGN and PAYX both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
PAYX (Paychex, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by risk resilience and momentum.
AMGN (Amgen Inc.): the counter-case, on fundamentals, analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 40.9% against 31.4%.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
PAYXPAYX on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
AMGNAMGN on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
EvenThe two are level on Value.
Momentum
PAYXPAYX on the Momentum factor, by 13 points.
Lower downside
PAYXPAYX on Risk Resilience, by 18 points.
Analyst upside
AMGNAMGN on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors PAYX, analyst targets favor AMGN. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | AMGN | PAYX | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | -0.2% | -7% | AMGN has more room |
| Target dispersion | +61.1% | +15.8% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 18 | 4 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor PAYX. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | PAYX | 44 vs 53 |
| Fundamentals | AMGNon balance | revenue growth 16.7% vs -11.2%; EPS growth 30.6% vs -24.4%; TTM ROE 89.3% vs 45.1%; gross margin 72.7% vs 74.3%; operating margin 33.2% vs 38.6% — AMGN takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | Even | Value 44 vs 45 |
| Technicals | PAYX | Price vs 50-day -5.4% vs -1.3%; vs 200-day 6.5% vs 10.6% |
| Risk Resilience | PAYX | Risk Resilience 39 vs 57 |
| Analyst expectations | AMGN | Target upside -0.2% vs -7% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of AMGN and PAYX and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 9 points.
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on PAYX.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10PAYX lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 2 to 9 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- PAYX +9
- 44 vs 53
- 7 sessions ago
- PAYX +5
- 58 vs 63
- 30 sessions ago
- PAYX +2
- 63 vs 65
- 90 sessions ago
- PAYX +5
- 61 vs 66
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Aug 19 when PAYX moved ahead of AMGN.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
4 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (11.03%)
- BB Lower Band Breach — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- Keltner Channel Breakdown — bearish, volatility, short horizon
2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (12.70%)
- Keltner Channel Breakdown — bearish, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
PAYX leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -1.34%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.54%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1AMGN closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 18 points behind, the largest single contributor to PAYX's edge.
- 2AMGN's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it.
- 3PAYX's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
AMGN leads on balance| Metric | AMGN | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 16.7% | -11.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 30.6% | -24.4% |
| Gross margin | 72.7% | 74.3% |
| Operating margin | 33.2% | 38.6% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 89.3% | 45.1% |
| Debt to equity | 4.9 | 1.24 |
Performance
PAYX leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | AMGN | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -8.5% | -7.1% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -8.1% | -4.3% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 13.2% | 13.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 1.3% | 22.5% |
| Year to date | 16.9% | 2.7% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 36.5% | -15% |
Technicals
PAYX has the stronger structure| Metric | AMGN | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 24.4 | 32.3 |
| ADX (14) | 40 | 28.2 |
| Price vs 50-day | -5.4% | -1.3% |
| Price vs 200-day | 6.5% | 10.6% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 40.9% | 31.4% |
Risk
PAYX is the more resilient| Metric | AMGN | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.54 | 0.01 |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.07 | -0.54 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.64 | -0.83 |
| Max drawdown | -16.6% | -36.8% |
| Current drawdown | -13.9% | -15% |
| Annualized volatility | 29.6% | 28.4% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.5% | -2.8% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, AMGN or PAYX?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, PAYX is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 53 against AMGN's 44. The edge comes from risk resilience and momentum. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is AMGN or PAYX the better buy right now?
PAYX carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor PAYX over AMGN?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. PAYX leads Risk Resilience by 18 points; PAYX leads Momentum by 13 points; PAYX leads Quality by 11 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, AMGN or PAYX?
Analyst price targets imply -0.2% upside for AMGN and -7% for PAYX, so the Street currently favors AMGN. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors PAYX. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, AMGN or PAYX?
Neither name separates on the peer-relative Value factor. The two are level on Value. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, AMGN or PAYX?
AMGN on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, AMGN or PAYX?
PAYX on the Momentum factor, by 13 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, AMGN or PAYX?
PAYX is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. PAYX on Risk Resilience, by 18 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is AMGN more profitable than PAYX?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 72.7% vs 74.3%; operating margin 33.2% vs 38.6%; ttm roe 89.3% vs 45.1%. AMGN leads on one measure and PAYX on two measures, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is PAYX's lead over AMGN getting stronger or weaker?
PAYX lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 2 to 9 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-19, when PAYX moved ahead of AMGN.
What would change the AMGN vs PAYX verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: AMGN closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 18 points behind, the largest single contributor to PAYX's edge; AMGN's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it; PAYX's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about AMGN and PAYX?
AMGN: 4 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. PAYX: 2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on AMGN is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On PAYX it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare AMGN and PAYX with others
Continue your research
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How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.