KEYS vs PAYX Stock Comparison
Compare KEYS and PAYX across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between KEYS and PAYX?
KEYS leads the current stock comparison as Keysight Technologies, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Keysight Technologies, Inc. vs Paychex, Inc.
KEYS leads
KEYS leads by 8 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum, having only recently taken the lead back from PAYX.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support KEYS, the lead recently changed hands, and its signal state is cleanly positive.
Keysight Technologies, Inc.
Paychex, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors KEYS over PAYX, 61 versus 53 as of Sep 11, 2026. KEYS's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum, while PAYX holds the stronger quality profile. KEYS also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor KEYS today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. KEYS lead: Reversed — PAYX led by 13 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; KEYS now leads by 8.
Compare Keysight Technologies, 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 KEYS 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.
- Momentum71 vs 28KEYS +43
- Quality73 vs 81PAYX +8
- Value41 vs 45PAYX +4
- Risk Resilience60 vs 57Even
3 of 6 evidence groups favor KEYS. KEYS’s edge is concentrated in momentum; PAYX keeps a meaningful quality edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum -2
No new signals fired.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
KEYS's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — KEYS and PAYX both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
KEYS (Keysight Technologies, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum.
PAYX (Paychex, Inc.): the counter-case, on quality, value, fundamentals.
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
KEYSKEYS on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
KEYSKEYS on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
PAYXPAYX on the peer-relative Value factor, by 4 points.
Momentum
KEYSKEYS on the Momentum factor, by 43 points.
Lower downside
PAYXPAYX carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility.
Analyst upside
KEYSKEYS on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | KEYS | PAYX | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +17.9% | -7% | KEYS has more room |
| Target dispersion | +33.8% | +15.8% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 8 | 4 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor KEYS. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | KEYS | 61 vs 53 |
| Fundamentals | PAYXon balance | revenue growth 7.5% vs -11.2%; EPS growth 13.4% vs -24.4%; TTM ROE 20.1% vs 45.1%; gross margin 64.7% vs 74.3%; operating margin 20.3% vs 38.6% — PAYX takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | PAYX | Value 41 vs 45 |
| Technicals | KEYS | Price vs 50-day 4% vs -1.3%; vs 200-day 12% vs 10.6% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 60 vs 57 |
| Analyst expectations | KEYS | Target upside 17.9% vs -7% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of KEYS 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 8 points.
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has swung materially session to session. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)
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 KEYS.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10KEYS lead: Reversed — PAYX led by 13 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; KEYS now leads by 8.
- Today
- KEYS +8
- 61 vs 53
- 7 sessions ago
- PAYX +9
- 54 vs 63
- 30 sessions ago
- PAYX +13
- 52 vs 65
- 90 sessions ago
- PAYX +22
- 44 vs 66
The lead changed hands 9 times in this window, most recently on Sep 9 when KEYS moved ahead of PAYX.
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.
3 bullish / 0 bearish
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (11.92%)
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, 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 is conflicted, so the timing case there is weaker than the score alone suggests.
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 +3.99%, 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.
- 1PAYX closes the Momentum gap — currently 43 points behind, the largest single contributor to KEYS's edge.
- 2PAYX's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it.
- 3KEYS's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
- 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
PAYX leads on balance| Metric | KEYS | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 7.5% | -11.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 13.4% | -24.4% |
| Gross margin | 64.7% | 74.3% |
| Operating margin | 20.3% | 38.6% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 20.1% | 45.1% |
| Debt to equity | 0.42 | 1.24 |
Performance
Split across windows| Metric | KEYS | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 1.3% | -7.1% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -8.1% | -4.3% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 0.5% | 13.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 14.6% | 22.5% |
| Year to date | 60.3% | 2.7% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 92.4% | -15% |
Technicals
KEYS has the stronger structure| Metric | KEYS | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 58.3 | 32.3 |
| ADX (14) | 12.7 | 28.2 |
| Price vs 50-day | 4% | -1.3% |
| Price vs 200-day | 12% | 10.6% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 36.3% | 31.4% |
Risk
Split| Metric | KEYS | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1.85 | 0.01 |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.62 | -0.54 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.63 | -0.83 |
| Max drawdown | -20.5% | -36.8% |
| Current drawdown | -12.8% | -15% |
| Annualized volatility | 43.9% | 28.4% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3.7% | -2.8% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, KEYS or PAYX?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, KEYS is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 61 against PAYX's 53. The edge comes from momentum. PAYX is not without a case — it holds the better quality profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. 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 KEYS or PAYX the better buy right now?
KEYS 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 KEYS over PAYX?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. KEYS leads Momentum by 43 points; PAYX leads Quality by 8 points; PAYX leads Value by 4 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, KEYS or PAYX?
Analyst price targets imply +17.9% upside for KEYS and -7% for PAYX, so the Street currently favors KEYS. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, KEYS or PAYX?
PAYX is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. PAYX on the peer-relative Value factor, by 4 points. 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, KEYS or PAYX?
KEYS 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, KEYS or PAYX?
KEYS on the Momentum factor, by 43 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, KEYS or PAYX?
PAYX is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. PAYX carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is KEYS more profitable than PAYX?
PAYX leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 64.7% vs 74.3%; operating margin 20.3% vs 38.6%; ttm roe 20.1% vs 45.1%.
Is KEYS's lead over PAYX getting stronger or weaker?
KEYS lead: Reversed — PAYX led by 13 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; KEYS now leads by 8. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 9 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-09, when KEYS moved ahead of PAYX.
What would change the KEYS vs PAYX verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: PAYX closes the Momentum gap — currently 43 points behind, the largest single contributor to KEYS's edge; PAYX's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it; KEYS's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; 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 KEYS and PAYX?
KEYS: 3 bullish / 0 bearish. 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 KEYS is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On PAYX it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare KEYS and PAYX with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
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.