PAYX vs TRMB Stock Comparison
Paychex, Inc. vs Trimble Inc.
PAYX leads
PAYX leads by 2 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Risk Resilience. Wall Street currently favors TRMB on target upside.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support PAYX, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Paychex, Inc.
Trimble Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors PAYX over TRMB, 63 versus 61 as of Sep 5, 2026. PAYX's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and risk resilience, while TRMB holds the stronger value profile. PAYX also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors TRMB. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor PAYX today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. PAYX lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 2 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Paychex, Inc. and Trimble Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Compare PAYX and TRMB against another ticker
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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.
- Quality30%81 vs 56PAYX +25
- Value30%45 vs 67TRMB +22
- Risk Resilience15%59 vs 52PAYX +7
- Momentum25%66 vs 67Even
3 of 6 evidence groups favor PAYX. PAYX’s edge is concentrated in quality and risk resilience; TRMB keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-04, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-03.
Largest factor move: Momentum -1
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum +5
No new signals fired.
PAYX's lead narrowed by 2 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — PAYX and TRMB both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
PAYX (Paychex, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and risk resilience.
TRMB (Trimble Inc.): the counter-case, on value, valuation, analyst expectations.
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 at 30% each.
Growth
TRMBTRMB on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
TRMBTRMB on the peer-relative Value factor, by 22 points.
Momentum
EvenThe two are level on Momentum.
Lower downside
PAYXPAYX on Risk Resilience, by 7 points.
Analyst upside
TRMBTRMB 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 TRMB. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | PAYX | TRMB | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | -12.1% | +23.6% | TRMB has more room |
| Target dispersion | +15.9% | +25.9% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 5 | 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 | Even | 63 vs 61 |
| Fundamentals | PAYXon balance | revenue growth -11.2% vs 3.4%; EPS growth -24.4% vs -5.8%; TTM ROE 45.1% vs -1.9%; gross margin 74.3% vs 68.4%; operating margin 38.6% vs 17.5% — PAYX takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | TRMB | Value 45 vs 67 |
| Technicals | PAYX | Price vs 50-day 4.6% vs 6.1%; vs 200-day 17% vs -8.2% |
| Risk Resilience | PAYX | Risk Resilience 59 vs 52 |
| Analyst expectations | TRMB | Target upside -12.1% vs 23.6% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of PAYX and TRMB 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 narrow at 2 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (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
120 daily snapshots · Apr 23 – Sep 4PAYX lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 2 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- PAYX +2
- 63 vs 61
- 7 sessions ago
- PAYX +3
- 66 vs 63
- 30 sessions ago
- PAYX +4
- 67 vs 63
- 90 sessions ago
- Level
- 61 vs 61
The lead changed hands 2 times in this window, most recently on May 6 when PAYX moved ahead of TRMB.
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 / 1 bearish, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (11.87%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
0 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (15.61%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short 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 and the AIQ Score both moved down over the latest session (price -2.69%, AIQ -1 points).
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -1.05%, AIQ +1 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.
- 1TRMB closes the Quality gap — currently 25 points behind, the largest single contributor to PAYX's edge.
- 2TRMB's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3PAYX's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, 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 | PAYX | TRMB |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -11.2% | 3.4% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -24.4% | -5.8% |
| Gross margin | 74.3% | 68.4% |
| Operating margin | 38.6% | 17.5% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 45.1% | -1.9% |
| Debt to equity | 1.24 | 0.29 |
Performance
PAYX leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | PAYX | TRMB |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -4.2% | -2.5% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 1.4% | -0.1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 21.1% | 9.7% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 20.7% | -15.1% |
| Year to date | 8.5% | -24.1% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -10.3% | -24.3% |
Technicals
PAYX has the stronger structure| Metric | PAYX | TRMB |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 58.4 | 64.9 |
| ADX (14) | 30.9 | 24.1 |
| Price vs 50-day | 4.6% | 6.1% |
| Price vs 200-day | 17% | -8.2% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 27.6% | 31.5% |
Risk
PAYX is the more resilient| Metric | PAYX | TRMB |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | -0.01 | 1.13 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.43 | -0.88 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.67 | -1.22 |
| Max drawdown | -37.7% | -41.5% |
| Current drawdown | -11.4% | -28.8% |
| Annualized volatility | 28.1% | 32% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.8% | -3.5% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, PAYX or TRMB?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, PAYX is the stronger of the two as of Sep 5, 2026, scoring 63 against TRMB's 61. The edge comes from quality and risk resilience. TRMB is not without a case — it holds the better value 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 PAYX or TRMB the better buy right now?
PAYX carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 5, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor PAYX over TRMB?
The composite weights Quality at 30%, Value at 30%, Momentum at 25% and Risk Resilience at 15%. PAYX leads Quality by 25 points; TRMB leads Value by 22 points; PAYX leads Risk Resilience by 7 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, PAYX or TRMB?
Analyst price targets imply -12.1% upside for PAYX and +23.6% for TRMB, so the Street currently favors TRMB. 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, PAYX or TRMB?
TRMB is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. TRMB on the peer-relative Value factor, by 22 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, PAYX or TRMB?
TRMB 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, PAYX or TRMB?
The two are level on Momentum. Momentum carries 25% of 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, PAYX or TRMB?
PAYX is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. PAYX on Risk Resilience, by 7 points. The Risk Resilience factor weights 15% of the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is PAYX more profitable than TRMB?
PAYX leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 74.3% vs 68.4%; operating margin 38.6% vs 17.5%; ttm roe 45.1% vs -1.9%.
Is PAYX's lead over TRMB getting stronger or weaker?
PAYX lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 2 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-04-23 and 2026-09-04. The lead has changed hands 2 times in that window, most recently on 2026-05-06, when PAYX moved ahead of TRMB.
What would change the PAYX vs TRMB verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: TRMB closes the Quality gap — currently 25 points behind, the largest single contributor to PAYX's edge; TRMB's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; PAYX's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about PAYX and TRMB?
PAYX: 3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. TRMB: 0 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral. 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 PAYX is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On TRMB it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare PAYX and TRMB with others
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality (30%), Value (30%), Momentum (25%) and Risk (15%). 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.