PCTY vs. ADBE
PCTY (Paylocity Holding Corporation) and ADBE (Adobe Inc) are both stocks. Both are in the Technology sector — PCTY in Software - Application, ADBE in Software - Infrastructure. Over the past 10 years, PCTY returned 11.43%/yr vs 10.01%/yr for ADBE. A 0.53 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
PCTY vs. ADBE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with PCTY having a -26.02% return and ADBE slightly lower at -26.79%. Over the past 10 years, PCTY has outperformed ADBE with an annualized return of 11.43%, while ADBE has yielded a comparatively lower 10.01% annualized return.
PCTY
- 1D
- -4.26%
- 1M
- 3.48%
- YTD
- -26.02%
- 6M
- -22.63%
- 1Y
- -40.85%
- 3Y*
- -14.63%
- 5Y*
- -7.49%
- 10Y*
- 11.43%
ADBE
- 1D
- -2.24%
- 1M
- 0.90%
- YTD
- -26.79%
- 6M
- -21.59%
- 1Y
- -37.88%
- 3Y*
- -16.26%
- 5Y*
- -12.67%
- 10Y*
- 10.01%
PCTY vs. ADBE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PCTY Paylocity Holding Corporation | -26.02% | -23.55% | 21.00% | -15.14% | -17.74% | 14.69% | 70.43% | 100.66% | 27.67% | 57.15% |
ADBE Adobe Inc | -26.79% | -21.29% | -25.46% | 77.28% | -40.65% | 13.38% | 51.64% | 45.78% | 29.10% | 70.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between PCTY and ADBE is 0.60, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 20, 2014 | 0.53 |
The correlation between PCTY and ADBE shifts across timeframes, from 0.41 (3 years) to 0.60 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
PCTY:
$6.21B
ADBE:
$105.31B
PCTY:
$4.64
ADBE:
$17.19
PCTY:
24.32
ADBE:
14.91
PCTY:
0.71
ADBE:
1.05
PCTY:
3.63
ADBE:
4.39
PCTY:
5.26
ADBE:
9.21
PCTY:
$1.73B
ADBE:
$24.45B
PCTY:
$1.20B
ADBE:
$21.82B
PCTY:
$394.81M
ADBE:
$9.71B
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Return for Risk
PCTY vs. ADBE — Risk / Return Rank
PCTY
ADBE
PCTY vs. ADBE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) and Adobe Inc (ADBE). 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.
| PCTY | ADBE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.04 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.01 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.81 | 0.80 | +0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.80 | -0.83 | +0.03 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.38 | -1.41 | +0.03 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| PCTY | ADBE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -1.10 | -1.13 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.18 | -0.35 | +0.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.27 | 0.29 | -0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.31 | 0.41 | -0.10 |
Drawdowns
PCTY vs. ADBE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PCTY drawdown since its inception was -68.90%, smaller than the maximum ADBE drawdown of -79.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PCTY and ADBE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PCTY | ADBE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -68.90% | -79.89% | +10.99% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -51.15% | -45.95% | -5.20% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -58.08% | -64.50% | +6.42% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -68.90% | -67.26% | -1.64% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -68.90% | -67.26% | -1.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -63.10% | -62.78% | -0.32% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -22.60% | -25.97% | +3.37% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 29.63% | 26.83% | +2.80% |
Volatility
PCTY vs. ADBE - Volatility Comparison
Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) has a higher volatility of 15.26% compared to Adobe Inc (ADBE) at 13.95%. This indicates that PCTY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ADBE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PCTY | ADBE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.26% | 13.95% | +1.31% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 31.81% | 28.02% | +3.79% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 37.41% | 33.69% | +3.72% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 40.70% | 36.32% | +4.38% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 41.77% | 34.33% | +7.44% |
Dividends
PCTY vs. ADBE - Dividend Comparison
Neither PCTY nor ADBE has paid dividends to shareholders.
Financials
PCTY vs. ADBE - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Paylocity Holding Corporation and Adobe 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
PCTY vs. ADBE - Profitability Comparison
PCTY - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Paylocity Holding Corporation reported a gross profit of 363.19M and revenue of 502.29M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 72.3%.
ADBE - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Adobe Inc reported a gross profit of 5.73B and revenue of 6.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 89.6%.
PCTY - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Paylocity Holding Corporation reported an operating income of 156.76M and revenue of 502.29M, resulting in an operating margin of 31.2%.
ADBE - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Adobe Inc reported an operating income of 2.42B and revenue of 6.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 37.8%.
PCTY - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Paylocity Holding Corporation reported a net income of 111.25M and revenue of 502.29M, resulting in a net margin of 22.2%.
ADBE - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Adobe Inc reported a net income of 1.89B and revenue of 6.40B, resulting in a net margin of 29.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions
PCTY and ADBE have a correlation of 0.60, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PCTY has higher volatility (15.26%) compared to ADBE (13.95%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PCTY dropped -68.90% vs ADBE's -79.89%.
PCTY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-1.10 vs -1.13), 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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