PCTY vs. MSFT
PCTY (Paylocity Holding Corporation) and MSFT (Microsoft Corporation) are both stocks. Both are in the Technology sector — PCTY in Software - Application, MSFT in Software - Infrastructure. Over the past 10 years, PCTY returned 11.43%/yr vs 25.03%/yr for MSFT. At a 0.45 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
PCTY vs. MSFT - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PCTY achieves a -26.02% return, which is significantly lower than MSFT's -11.24% return. Over the past 10 years, PCTY has underperformed MSFT with an annualized return of 11.43%, while MSFT has yielded a comparatively higher 25.03% 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%
MSFT
- 1D
- -3.17%
- 1M
- 3.54%
- YTD
- -11.24%
- 6M
- -10.15%
- 1Y
- -6.96%
- 3Y*
- 9.26%
- 5Y*
- 12.17%
- 10Y*
- 25.03%
PCTY vs. MSFT - 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% |
MSFT Microsoft Corporation | -11.24% | 15.58% | 12.93% | 58.19% | -28.02% | 52.48% | 42.53% | 57.56% | 20.80% | 40.73% |
Correlation
The correlation between PCTY and MSFT is 0.27, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 20, 2014 | 0.45 |
The correlation between PCTY and MSFT shifts across timeframes, from 0.27 (1 year) to 0.49 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
PCTY:
$6.21B
MSFT:
$3.18T
PCTY:
$4.64
MSFT:
$16.79
PCTY:
24.32
MSFT:
25.45
PCTY:
0.71
MSFT:
1.78
PCTY:
3.63
MSFT:
10.01
PCTY:
5.26
MSFT:
7.68
PCTY:
$1.73B
MSFT:
$318.27B
PCTY:
$1.20B
MSFT:
$217.41B
PCTY:
$394.81M
MSFT:
$200.96B
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
PCTY vs. MSFT — Risk / Return Rank
PCTY
MSFT
PCTY vs. MSFT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) and Microsoft Corporation (MSFT). 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 | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.82 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.41 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.81 | 0.97 | -0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.80 | -0.21 | -0.60 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.38 | -0.44 | -0.94 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| PCTY | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -1.10 | -0.28 | -0.82 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.18 | 0.46 | -0.64 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.27 | 0.93 | -0.65 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.31 | 0.75 | -0.43 |
Drawdowns
PCTY vs. MSFT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PCTY drawdown since its inception was -68.90%, roughly equal to the maximum MSFT drawdown of -69.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PCTY and MSFT.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| PCTY | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -68.90% | -69.38% | +0.48% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -51.15% | -33.91% | -17.24% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -58.08% | -33.91% | -24.17% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -68.90% | -37.15% | -31.75% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -68.90% | -37.15% | -31.75% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -63.10% | -20.67% | -42.43% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -22.60% | -21.78% | -0.82% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 29.63% | 15.95% | +13.68% |
Volatility
PCTY vs. MSFT - Volatility Comparison
Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) has a higher volatility of 15.26% compared to Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at 9.95%. This indicates that PCTY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MSFT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| PCTY | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.26% | 9.95% | +5.31% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 31.81% | 22.34% | +9.47% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 37.41% | 25.12% | +12.29% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 40.70% | 26.63% | +14.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 41.77% | 27.04% | +14.73% |
Dividends
PCTY vs. MSFT - Dividend Comparison
PCTY has not paid dividends to shareholders, while MSFT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.83%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSFT Microsoft Corporation | 0.83% | 0.70% | 0.73% | 0.74% | 1.06% | 0.68% | 0.94% | 1.20% | 1.69% | 1.86% | 2.37% | 2.33% |
PCTY Paylocity Holding Corporation | 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
PCTY vs. MSFT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Paylocity Holding Corporation and Microsoft Corporation. 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. MSFT - 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%.
MSFT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported a gross profit of 56.06B and revenue of 82.89B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 67.6%.
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%.
MSFT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported an operating income of 38.40B and revenue of 82.89B, resulting in an operating margin of 46.3%.
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%.
MSFT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported a net income of 31.78B and revenue of 82.89B, resulting in a net margin of 38.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions
PCTY and MSFT have a correlation of 0.27, 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 MSFT (9.95%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PCTY dropped -68.90% vs MSFT's -69.38%.
MSFT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.28 vs -1.10), 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.
Find the right allocation for PCTY and MSFT
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer