INTC vs PAYX Stock Comparison
Compare INTC and PAYX across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between INTC and PAYX?
PAYX leads the current stock comparison as Paychex, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Intel Corp. vs Paychex, Inc.
PAYX leads
PAYX leads by 9 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Risk Resilience, but the lead has narrowed from 27 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors INTC on target upside.
Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support PAYX, its lead is narrowing, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Intel Corp.
Paychex, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors PAYX over INTC, 53 versus 44 as of Sep 11, 2026. PAYX's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and risk resilience, while INTC holds the stronger momentum profile. PAYX also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors INTC. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor PAYX today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the leader's advantage has been narrowing. PAYX lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 27 to 9 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Intel Corp. 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 INTC 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.
- Momentum77 vs 28INTC +49
- Quality39 vs 81PAYX +42
- Risk Resilience28 vs 57PAYX +29
- Value30 vs 45PAYX +15
4 of 6 evidence groups favor PAYX. PAYX’s edge is concentrated in quality and risk resilience; INTC keeps a meaningful momentum 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 -8
New signals
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
PAYX's lead widened by 2 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — INTC and PAYX both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
PAYX (Paychex, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and risk resilience.
INTC (Intel Corp.): the counter-case, on momentum, technicals, analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 58.9% 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
PAYXPAYX on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
PAYXPAYX on the peer-relative Value factor, by 15 points.
Momentum
INTCINTC on the Momentum factor, by 49 points.
Lower downside
PAYXPAYX on Risk Resilience, by 29 points.
Analyst upside
INTCINTC 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 INTC. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | INTC | PAYX | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | -0.1% | -7% | INTC has more room |
| Target dispersion | +136.1% | +15.8% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 27 | 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
4 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 | PAYXon balance | revenue growth 18.8% vs -11.2%; EPS growth -195.9% vs -24.4%; TTM ROE -10.8% vs 45.1%; gross margin 38.9% vs 74.3% — PAYX takes 3 of 4 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | PAYX | Value 30 vs 45 |
| Technicals | INTC | Price vs 50-day 4.2% vs -1.3%; vs 200-day 33.4% vs 10.6% |
| Risk Resilience | PAYX | Risk Resilience 28 vs 57 |
| Analyst expectations | INTC | Target upside -0.1% vs -7% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of INTC 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.
- The leader's advantage has been narrowing. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has swung materially session to session. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- 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: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 27 to 9 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- PAYX +9
- 44 vs 53
- 7 sessions ago
- PAYX +28
- 35 vs 63
- 30 sessions ago
- PAYX +27
- 38 vs 65
- 90 sessions ago
- PAYX +33
- 33 vs 66
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
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 / 0 bearish / 1 neutral
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (31.44%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long 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.
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 2 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +2.61%, AIQ -2 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.
- 1INTC closes the Quality gap — currently 42 points behind, the largest single contributor to PAYX's edge.
- 2INTC's existing bullish trend signals translate into factor-score gains — the rules are already firing, but the scores have not yet followed.
- 3PAYX's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
- 4The narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 18 points over 30 sessions, and a further 9-point move would eliminate PAYX's advantage entirely.
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 | INTC | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 18.8% | -11.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -195.9% | -24.4% |
| Gross margin | 38.9% | 74.3% |
| Operating margin | 0.1% | 38.6% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | -10.8% | 45.1% |
| Debt to equity | 0.58 | 1.24 |
Performance
INTC leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | INTC | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 11.4% | -7.1% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -0.6% | -4.3% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -6.3% | 13.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 109.1% | 22.5% |
| Year to date | 171.9% | 2.7% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 309.8% | -15% |
Technicals
INTC has the stronger structure| Metric | INTC | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 61.3 | 32.3 |
| ADX (14) | 15.5 | 28.2 |
| Price vs 50-day | 4.2% | -1.3% |
| Price vs 200-day | 33.4% | 10.6% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 58.9% | 31.4% |
Risk
PAYX is the more resilient| Metric | INTC | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 2.89 | 0.01 |
| Sharpe ratio | 2.12 | -0.54 |
| Sortino ratio | 3.98 | -0.83 |
| Max drawdown | -41.9% | -36.8% |
| Current drawdown | -28.8% | -15% |
| Annualized volatility | 79.9% | 28.4% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -6.2% | -2.8% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, INTC or PAYX?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, PAYX is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 53 against INTC's 44. The edge comes from quality and risk resilience. INTC is not without a case — it holds the better momentum 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 INTC or PAYX the better buy right now?
PAYX carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the leader's advantage has been narrowing. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor PAYX over INTC?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. INTC leads Momentum by 49 points; PAYX leads Quality by 42 points; PAYX leads Risk Resilience by 29 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, INTC or PAYX?
Analyst price targets imply -0.1% upside for INTC and -7% for PAYX, so the Street currently favors INTC. 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, INTC or PAYX?
PAYX is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. PAYX on the peer-relative Value factor, by 15 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, INTC or PAYX?
PAYX 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, INTC or PAYX?
INTC on the Momentum factor, by 49 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, INTC or PAYX?
PAYX is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. PAYX on Risk Resilience, by 29 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 INTC more profitable than PAYX?
PAYX leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 38.9% vs 74.3%; operating margin 0.1% vs 38.6%; ttm roe -10.8% vs 45.1%.
Is PAYX's lead over INTC getting stronger or weaker?
PAYX lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 27 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 not changed hands in that window.
What would change the INTC vs PAYX verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: INTC closes the Quality gap — currently 42 points behind, the largest single contributor to PAYX's edge; INTC's existing bullish trend signals translate into factor-score gains — the rules are already firing, but the scores have not yet followed; PAYX's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once; the narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 18 points over 30 sessions, and a further 9-point move would eliminate PAYX's advantage entirely.
What do the current signals say about INTC and PAYX?
INTC: 4 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral. 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 INTC is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On PAYX it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare INTC 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.