Trailing Dividend / Share
$4.42
Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) Dividend History
Income profile from 1988 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
4.1%
Payout Ratio
90.3%
At Risk
Dividend Streak
15 years
PAYX Dividend Income Check
Safety
90.3% payout ratio with at risk safety profile.
Consistency
15 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 4.7% and trend is rising.
PAYX Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield4.1%
Trailing DPS$4.42
FrequencySemi-Annual
Payments / 12M4
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout90.3%
Earnings SafetyAt Risk
FCF Payout67.6%
FCF SafetyAdequate
Piotroski F-Score7/9
Growth
Growth Streak15 years
3Y CAGR11.7%
5Y CAGR11.2%
Yield on Cost (5Y)4.7%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield1.6%
Total Shareholder Yield5.7%
1Y Total Return-22.7%
5Y Total Return15.0%
Div Contribution (5Y)16.5%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$10,97310Y ago$22,99220Y ago$35,051
Uses precomputed total return metrics from screening data (not lot-by-lot dividend reinvestment transactions). Different time windows can produce different outcomes depending on market regime and entry point.
PAYX Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (39 years of payments)
PAYX Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Get PAYX's next ex-dividend date and payout in your inbox
Monthly dividend calendar — upcoming ex-dates for stocks you follow.
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Paychex, Inc. distributes 90.3% of earnings as dividends (At Risk). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 67.6%, rated "Adequate".
Piotroski F-Score: 7/9 — strong financial health.
Growth Track Record
PAYX has raised its dividend for 15 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 11.7% and 5-year CAGR of 11.2%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, PAYX returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 4.1% dividend yield, 1.6% buyback yield, 5.7% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 4.7% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 15.0%, with dividends contributing 16.5% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $22,992 today.
Elevated payout ratio — dividend sustainability should be monitored closely.
PAYX Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Semi-Annual
TTM Total$18.13
Avg/Payment$0.9065
Latest Change+10.2%
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2026Latest | $1.1900 | ↑ +10.2% | 4.93% | May 29, 2026 |
| Jan 28, 2026 | $1.0800 | — | 4.22% | Feb 27, 2026 |
| Nov 7, 2025 | $1.0800 | — | 3.77% | Nov 26, 2025 |
| Jul 21, 2025 | $1.0800 | — | 2.89% | Aug 29, 2025 |
| May 12, 2025 | $1.0800 | ↑ +10.2% | 2.65% | May 29, 2025 |
| Feb 7, 2025 | $0.9800 | — | 2.67% | Feb 27, 2025 |
| Nov 7, 2024 | $0.9800 | — | 2.61% | Nov 27, 2024 |
| Aug 8, 2024 | $0.9800 | — | 3.01% | Aug 29, 2024 |
PAYX Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#4 yield in peer group
Div Yield
4.1%
#4 of 7
Safety
At Risk
90.3% payout
Streak
15Y
11.2% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
5.7%
#5 of 7
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAYXPaychex, Inc. | $38.4B | 4.1% | 90.3% | 15 | At Risk |
 ADPAutomatic Data Proce… | $98.9B | 2.4% | 58.8% | 43 | Sustainable |
 PAYCPaycom Software, Inc… | $7.8B | 1.1% | 18.7% | 0 | Sustainable |
 TNETTriNet Group, Inc. | $2.6B | 1.9% | 33.5% | 2 | Sustainable |
2nd  NSPInsperity, Inc. | $1.7B | 5.2% | — | 15 | Unknown |
3rd  HCKTThe Hackett Group, I… | $271M | 4.4% | 99.7% | 1 | At Risk |
1st  ALITAlight, Inc. | $502M | 17.1% | — | 2 | Unknown |
PAYX Annual Dividend History (1988–2026)
39 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $2.27 | — | 2 | $4.89 | 46.4% | 2.15x | 2.5% |
| 2025 | $4.22 | 10.2% | 4 | $4.58 | 92.1% | 1.09x | 4.7% |
| 2024 | $3.83 | 10.7% | 4 | $4.67 | 82.0% | 1.22x | 4.2% |
| 2023 | $3.46 | 14.2% | 4 | $4.30 | 80.5% | 1.24x | 3.8% |
| 2022 | $3.03 | 16.5% | 4 | $3.84 | 78.9% | 1.27x | 3.4% |
| 2021 | $2.60 | 4.8% | 4 | $3.03 | 85.8% | 1.17x | 2.9% |
| 2020 | $2.48 | 2.5% | 4 | $3.04 | 81.6% | 1.23x | 2.7% |
| 2019 | $2.42 | 11.0% | 4 | $2.86 | 84.6% | 1.18x | 2.7% |
| 2018 | $2.18 | 13.5% | 4 | $2.58 | 84.5% | 1.18x | 2.4% |
| 2017 | $1.92 | 9.1% | 4 | $2.25 | 85.3% | 1.17x | 2.1% |
Consensus-Based Analysis Tools
Intrinsic Valuation
DCF models, multiple analysis, and analyst estimates.
Check Valuation
Historical Returns
38+ years return with dividends reinvested.
Calculate
DCA Calculator
See how regular investing compounds over time.
Run Numbers
Peer Comparison
Compare growth, multiples, and margins vs sector.
Compare
PAYX — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying PAYX stock.
How much dividend does PAYX pay per share?
Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $4.42 per share, with a current dividend yield of +4.1%. Payments are made Semi-Annual.
When is PAYX's next ex-dividend date?
PAYX's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. PAYX typically pays dividends Semi-Annual.
Is PAYX's dividend safe?
PAYX's dividend safety is rated "At Risk" based on an earnings payout ratio of +90.3% and FCF payout ratio of +67.6%. With 15 consecutive years of dividend growth, the track record supports sustainability.
Is PAYX a Dividend Achiever?
Yes, Paychex, Inc. is classified as a Dividend Achiever with 15 consecutive years of dividend increases. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +11.2%, demonstrating above-inflation dividend growth.
How often does PAYX pay dividends?
Paychex, Inc. pays dividends Semi-Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $4.42 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 38+ years from 1988 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in PAYX grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in PAYX five years ago would be worth approximately $10,973 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is PAYX's yield on cost for long-term holders?
PAYX's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +4.7% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +4.1% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.