PAYX vs. SAM
PAYX (Paychex, Inc.) and SAM (The Boston Beer Company, Inc.) are both stocks. PAYX operates in Staffing & Employment Services (Industrials), while SAM operates in Beverages - Brewers (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, PAYX returned 9.33%/yr vs 1.16%/yr for SAM. At a 0.23 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
PAYX vs. SAM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PAYX achieves a -10.61% return, which is significantly lower than SAM's -7.44% return. Over the past 10 years, PAYX has outperformed SAM with an annualized return of 9.33%, while SAM has yielded a comparatively lower 1.16% annualized return.
PAYX
- 1D
- 2.15%
- 1M
- 1.02%
- YTD
- -10.61%
- 6M
- -12.11%
- 1Y
- -32.55%
- 3Y*
- -0.06%
- 5Y*
- 1.78%
- 10Y*
- 9.33%
SAM
- 1D
- 1.69%
- 1M
- -4.99%
- YTD
- -7.44%
- 6M
- -7.13%
- 1Y
- -8.63%
- 3Y*
- -16.72%
- 5Y*
- -29.26%
- 10Y*
- 1.16%
PAYX vs. SAM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PAYX Paychex, Inc. | -10.61% | -17.49% | 21.31% | 6.21% | -13.16% | 50.16% | 13.25% | 34.53% | -1.08% | 15.41% |
SAM The Boston Beer Company, Inc. | -7.44% | -34.95% | -13.20% | 4.88% | -34.76% | -49.20% | 163.14% | 56.89% | 26.03% | 12.51% |
Correlation
The correlation between PAYX and SAM is 0.21, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 21, 1995 | 0.23 |
Fundamentals
PAYX:
$35.34B
SAM:
$1.89B
PAYX:
$4.53
SAM:
-$5.70
PAYX:
5.59
SAM:
0.93
PAYX:
8.80
SAM:
2.77
PAYX:
$6.33B
SAM:
$2.09B
PAYX:
$4.68B
SAM:
$947.28M
PAYX:
$2.09B
SAM:
$23.70M
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Return for Risk
PAYX vs. SAM — Risk / Return Rank
PAYX
SAM
PAYX vs. SAM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) and The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| PAYX | SAM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.98 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.61 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.80 | 0.99 | -0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.77 | -0.23 | -0.55 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.22 | -0.62 | -0.59 |
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Drawdowns
PAYX vs. SAM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PAYX drawdown since its inception was -64.85%, smaller than the maximum SAM drawdown of -87.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PAYX and SAM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PAYX | SAM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -64.85% | -87.67% | +22.82% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -42.23% | -38.06% | -4.17% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -44.95% | -59.09% | +14.14% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -44.95% | -84.48% | +39.53% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.95% | -87.67% | +42.72% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -36.15% | -86.17% | +50.02% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.97% | -40.76% | +22.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 26.82% | 13.90% | +12.92% |
Volatility
PAYX vs. SAM - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) is 9.49%, while The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM) has a volatility of 12.09%. This indicates that PAYX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SAM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PAYX | SAM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.49% | 12.09% | -2.60% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 21.07% | 28.14% | -7.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.05% | 37.12% | -10.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.81% | 39.84% | -16.03% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.28% | 40.82% | -15.54% |
Dividends
PAYX vs. SAM - Dividend Comparison
PAYX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.52%, while SAM has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PAYX Paychex, Inc. | 4.52% | 3.76% | 2.73% | 2.90% | 2.62% | 1.90% | 2.66% | 2.85% | 3.35% | 2.82% | 2.89% | 3.03% |
SAM The Boston Beer Company, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
PAYX vs. SAM - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Paychex, Inc. and The Boston Beer Company, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
PAYX vs. SAM - Profitability Comparison
PAYX - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Paychex, Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.38B and revenue of 1.81B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 76.2%.
SAM - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Boston Beer Company, Inc. reported a gross profit of 213.96M and revenue of 461.58M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 46.4%.
PAYX - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Paychex, Inc. reported an operating income of 792.00M and revenue of 1.81B, resulting in an operating margin of 43.8%.
SAM - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Boston Beer Company, Inc. reported an operating income of -190.46M and revenue of 461.58M, resulting in an operating margin of -41.3%.
PAYX - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Paychex, Inc. reported a net income of 560.30M and revenue of 1.81B, resulting in a net margin of 31.0%.
SAM - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Boston Beer Company, Inc. reported a net income of -145.26M and revenue of 461.58M, resulting in a net margin of -31.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions
PAYX and SAM have a correlation of 0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SAM has higher volatility (12.09%) compared to PAYX (9.49%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PAYX dropped -64.85% vs SAM's -87.67%.
SAM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.23 vs -1.21), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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