Paychex (PAYX)
S&P 500 · Nasdaq-100 · Tech Top 100 · Industrials · data since 1983-08-26 · last close 2026-09-09
Paychex (PAYX) monthly returns (%)
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | -7.1 | -9.2 | -1.6 | 0.6 | 6.0 | 1.4 | 18.8 | 9.0 | -9.9 | · | · | · |
| 2025 | 5.3 | 3.4 | 1.7 | -4.6 | 8.1 | -7.9 | -0.0 | -3.4 | -9.1 | -7.7 | -3.6 | 0.4 |
| 2024 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 0.1 | -3.3 | 2.0 | -1.3 | 8.0 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 5.7 | -4.1 |
| 2023 | 0.3 | -4.1 | 3.8 | -4.1 | -3.7 | 6.6 | 12.2 | -1.9 | -5.7 | -3.7 | 10.7 | -2.3 |
| 2022 | -13.2 | 1.1 | 14.6 | -7.1 | -1.6 | -8.0 | 12.7 | -3.3 | -9.0 | 5.4 | 5.6 | -6.8 |
| 2021 | -5.6 | 4.3 | 7.6 | -0.5 | 4.4 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 0.6 | -1.8 | 10.2 | -3.3 | 14.5 |
| 2020 | 1.6 | -9.7 | -18.8 | 8.9 | 6.5 | 4.8 | -4.2 | 6.3 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 13.3 | 0.0 |
| 2019 | 9.5 | 8.8 | 4.1 | 5.1 | 2.5 | -4.1 | 1.7 | -1.6 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 3.0 | -1.2 |
| 2018 | 1.0 | -4.6 | -5.4 | -1.7 | 9.3 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 6.1 | 0.6 | -10.3 | 8.1 | -7.9 |
| 2017 | -0.2 | 1.9 | -4.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | -3.9 | 2.5 | -1.4 | 5.1 | 7.2 | 5.5 | 1.1 |
| 2016 | -8.7 | 7.4 | 5.1 | -3.5 | 4.9 | 9.7 | 0.4 | 2.3 | -4.6 | -3.8 | 6.8 | 3.3 |
| 2015 | -1.2 | 10.1 | -0.4 | -2.5 | 2.9 | -5.1 | -0.1 | -3.8 | 6.7 | 9.2 | 5.2 | -2.5 |
| 2014 | -7.4 | -0.1 | 2.0 | -1.9 | -0.8 | 1.1 | -0.4 | 1.6 | 6.1 | 7.1 | 1.0 | -2.6 |
| 2013 | 5.0 | 1.4 | 5.9 | 3.9 | 2.3 | -1.9 | 9.0 | -1.9 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 3.5 | 4.1 |
| 2012 | 5.7 | -0.7 | -1.0 | -0.0 | -2.2 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 1.7 | 0.1 | -1.6 | 0.4 | -2.5 |
| 2011 | 4.5 | 5.1 | -6.7 | 5.2 | -1.3 | -4.9 | -7.1 | -4.4 | -2.3 | 11.7 | -0.1 | 3.4 |
| 2010 | -4.4 | 3.3 | 2.6 | 0.5 | -6.6 | -9.0 | 1.2 | -4.2 | 10.4 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 8.3 |
| 2009 | -6.4 | -9.2 | 16.4 | 6.4 | 1.2 | -7.8 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 2.7 | -1.1 | 10.3 | -2.3 |
| 2008 | -8.9 | -3.9 | 8.9 | 7.0 | -5.0 | -9.5 | 6.2 | 3.5 | -3.1 | -12.6 | -1.0 | -7.0 |
| 2007 | 1.7 | 1.6 | -6.8 | -1.5 | 8.9 | -3.2 | 6.5 | 7.4 | -7.7 | 2.6 | -6.7 | -7.1 |
| 2006 | -4.2 | 10.2 | 4.0 | -2.7 | -9.1 | 6.2 | -11.9 | 5.2 | 2.5 | 7.7 | -0.2 | 0.3 |
| 2005 | -10.2 | 4.7 | 2.8 | -6.4 | -5.6 | 12.6 | 7.8 | -2.2 | 8.7 | 4.9 | 9.4 | -10.1 |
| 2004 | 1.1 | -14.5 | 11.1 | 4.8 | 0.9 | -9.7 | -9.0 | -3.4 | 1.6 | 9.2 | 1.1 | 2.8 |
| 2003 | -9.4 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 13.8 | -2.0 | -3.7 | 10.6 | 11.2 | -5.4 | 14.5 | -1.2 | -3.2 |
| 2002 | 5.7 | 0.7 | 7.4 | -5.7 | -7.2 | -9.7 | -15.6 | -11.1 | 3.7 | 19.2 | 1.3 | -4.5 |
| 2001 | -7.0 | -11.5 | -7.2 | -6.5 | 11.2 | 4.1 | -1.5 | -5.7 | -15.0 | 2.1 | 9.2 | -0.5 |
| 2000 | 10.4 | 13.6 | 4.6 | 0.7 | -0.2 | 20.0 | 9.1 | -2.5 | 17.6 | 8.2 | 2.5 | -16.3 |
| 1999 | -5.2 | -13.0 | 11.9 | 7.8 | -13.0 | 7.6 | -11.8 | 4.9 | 15.9 | 15.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
| 1998 | -5.4 | 8.0 | 11.7 | -5.7 | -0.6 | 13.0 | -0.5 | -6.0 | 35.7 | -3.3 | 0.0 | 3.4 |
| 1997 | -5.5 | -10.3 | -5.5 | 14.1 | 17.8 | 3.4 | 6.4 | -15.2 | 1.8 | 9.6 | 7.5 | 23.5 |
| 1996 | 4.2 | 6.3 | 6.1 | 16.0 | -2.6 | 9.4 | -4.8 | 16.9 | 8.4 | -1.6 | -6.1 | -3.9 |
| 1995 | -3.5 | 5.1 | 12.2 | 3.7 | -7.1 | 22.9 | 2.9 | 10.1 | 12.8 | -6.0 | 4.0 | 10.5 |
| 1994 | 14.5 | -2.5 | -8.0 | -2.3 | -8.6 | -8.6 | 14.7 | -2.2 | 15.3 | -0.4 | -4.7 | 13.3 |
| 1993 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 10.8 | -6.9 | 5.6 | 1.9 | 4.4 | 10.5 | 6.3 | 4.7 | -7.9 | 8.5 |
| 1992 | 5.9 | 3.4 | -11.8 | 7.6 | 5.2 | -8.9 | 6.2 | 11.8 | 6.4 | 17.4 | 8.1 | -4.1 |
| 1991 | 3.7 | 10.5 | 8.3 | -11.9 | 15.6 | 1.6 | -8.3 | 10.5 | 18.9 | 2.9 | -3.5 | 24.1 |
| 1990 | -4.9 | -5.4 | -5.7 | -1.3 | -3.1 | 1.6 | -7.6 | -14.4 | 15.8 | -2.2 | 22.8 | 5.0 |
| 1989 | 11.6 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 13.4 | 3.2 | 1.2 | -4.1 | 4.3 | -2.9 | -10.6 | -7.1 |
| 1988 | 0.0 | 13.6 | -1.3 | -2.7 | -16.7 | 18.3 | -12.7 | 6.5 | 7.6 | 2.8 | -8.1 | 4.5 |
| 1987 | 18.3 | 1.8 | -6.3 | -10.0 | 6.9 | 4.0 | 1.9 | -3.7 | 13.6 | -27.4 | -6.5 | 24.5 |
| 1986 | 10.5 | 7.1 | 1.1 | 24.2 | 8.0 | 21.7 | -19.2 | 12.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -1.1 | 4.5 |
| 1985 | 28.0 | 6.3 | -13.7 | 9.1 | 12.5 | 5.6 | 15.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 17.4 | -6.2 |
| 1984 | -10.4 | -27.9 | 16.1 | -5.6 | 14.7 | -2.6 | -2.6 | 0.0 | 2.7 | -10.5 | 2.9 | 7.1 |
| 1983 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | -4.2 | 6.5 | 8.2 | -11.3 | 2.1 |
| Avg | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 1.6 |
Values in %. Current and first-listed months are partial (greyed).
returnsview.com
PAYX seasonality — average by calendar month
Paychex has monthly history back to 1983. Its strongest month by median is September — positive in 31 of 43 years, median +3.7%, and higher in 5 of the last 9. April is the soft spot, down in 23 of 43 with a median of -0.5%. Across its full record it has closed 58% of months higher, swings ±8.2% in an average month and has fallen 64.9% peak to trough.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | +0.5% | +0.5% | +1.9% | +1.1% | +1.7% | +2.0% | +1.5% | +1.1% | +4.4% | +2.5% | +2.2% | +1.6% |
| Win rate | 51%/43 | 63%/43 | 63%/43 | 47%/43 | 56%/43 | 58%/43 | 60%/43 | 48%/44 | 72%/43 | 63%/43 | 60%/43 | 53%/43 |
Win rate = share of positive months / sample size.
PAYX risk & extremes
PAYX drawdown & rolling returns
Percent below the all-time high at each month-end — how far underwater the asset was.
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Frequently asked questions
What was Paychex's best month?+
Paychex's strongest completed month on record is September 1998, at +35.69%.
What was Paychex's worst month?+
Its weakest completed month on record is February 1984, at -27.91%.
Is Paychex up this year?+
Paychex is up 4.68% year to date, measured from its last close before 1 January.
What is Paychex's 1-year return?+
-11.79% over the past twelve months, comparing the latest close with the most recent close on or before the same date a year earlier.
What is Paychex's biggest drawdown?+
The deepest peak-to-trough fall on record is 64.9%, measured on month-end closes since 1983.
Which calendar month is historically best for Paychex?+
September has the highest average return across every completed September since 1983. An average is not a forecast.
About Paychex
Paychex is an S&P 500 company, an industrials business worth about $41 billion. It measures its order book in years, not quarters — with price receipts on this site going back to 1983. And the long game: $100 at its first close here (1983) would be about $148,294 today.
Did you know?
- Its best month on record was September 1998 at +35.69%; its worst, February 1984 at -27.91%.
- It has closed September in the green 31 out of 43 times — past performance, future shrug.
Trivia for entertainment — the numbers come from our price data; the jokes don't.