PCTY vs. WDAY
PCTY (Paylocity Holding Corporation) and WDAY (Workday, Inc.) are both stocks. Both operate in the Software - Application industry within the Technology sector. Over the past 10 years, PCTY returned 9.62%/yr vs 4.51%/yr for WDAY. A 0.55 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
PCTY vs. WDAY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PCTY achieves a -33.84% return, which is significantly higher than WDAY's -46.40% return. Over the past 10 years, PCTY has outperformed WDAY with an annualized return of 9.62%, while WDAY has yielded a comparatively lower 4.51% annualized return.
PCTY
- 1D
- 1.39%
- 1M
- -10.73%
- YTD
- -33.84%
- 6M
- -33.64%
- 1Y
- -43.26%
- 3Y*
- -17.05%
- 5Y*
- -12.08%
- 10Y*
- 9.62%
WDAY
- 1D
- 1.85%
- 1M
- -10.15%
- YTD
- -46.40%
- 6M
- -46.56%
- 1Y
- -51.34%
- 3Y*
- -19.69%
- 5Y*
- -13.79%
- 10Y*
- 4.51%
PCTY vs. WDAY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PCTY Paylocity Holding Corporation | -33.84% | -23.55% | 21.00% | -15.14% | -17.74% | 14.69% | 70.43% | 100.66% | 27.67% | 57.15% |
WDAY Workday, Inc. | -46.40% | -16.76% | -6.53% | 64.98% | -38.75% | 14.01% | 45.70% | 2.99% | 56.95% | 53.94% |
Correlation
The correlation between PCTY and WDAY is 0.68, 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 | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 19, 2014 | 0.55 |
The correlation between PCTY and WDAY shifts across timeframes, from 0.52 (3 years) to 0.68 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
PCTY:
$5.55B
WDAY:
$29.28B
PCTY:
$4.64
WDAY:
$3.20
PCTY:
21.75
WDAY:
35.94
PCTY:
0.64
WDAY:
0.03
PCTY:
3.25
WDAY:
3.09
PCTY:
4.70
WDAY:
4.38
PCTY:
$1.73B
WDAY:
$9.85B
PCTY:
$1.20B
WDAY:
$7.66B
PCTY:
$394.81M
WDAY:
$1.57B
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Return for Risk
PCTY vs. WDAY — Risk / Return Rank
PCTY
WDAY
PCTY vs. WDAY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) and Workday, Inc. (WDAY). 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.
| PCTY | WDAY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.01 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.80 | 0.78 | +0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.87 | -0.94 | +0.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.44 | -1.70 | +0.26 |
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Drawdowns
PCTY vs. WDAY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PCTY drawdown since its inception was -68.90%, which is greater than WDAY's maximum drawdown of -63.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PCTY and WDAY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PCTY | WDAY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -68.90% | -63.38% | -5.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -50.04% | -54.58% | +4.54% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -58.08% | -63.38% | +5.30% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -68.90% | -63.38% | -5.52% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -68.90% | -63.38% | -5.52% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -67.00% | -62.52% | -4.48% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -23.56% | -21.03% | -2.53% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 30.02% | 30.16% | -0.14% |
Volatility
PCTY vs. WDAY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) is 12.08%, while Workday, Inc. (WDAY) has a volatility of 19.78%. This indicates that PCTY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than WDAY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PCTY | WDAY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 12.08% | 19.78% | -7.70% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 32.12% | 37.97% | -5.85% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 37.42% | 44.16% | -6.74% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 40.73% | 39.15% | +1.58% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 41.75% | 38.92% | +2.83% |
Dividends
PCTY vs. WDAY - Dividend Comparison
Neither PCTY nor WDAY has paid dividends to shareholders.
Financials
PCTY vs. WDAY - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Paylocity Holding Corporation and Workday, 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. WDAY - 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%.
WDAY - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Workday, Inc. reported a gross profit of 2.13B and revenue of 2.54B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 83.8%.
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%.
WDAY - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Workday, Inc. reported an operating income of 338.00M and revenue of 2.54B, resulting in an operating margin of 13.3%.
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%.
WDAY - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Workday, Inc. reported a net income of 222.00M and revenue of 2.54B, resulting in a net margin of 8.7%.
Frequently Asked Questions
PCTY and WDAY have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
WDAY has higher volatility (19.78%) compared to PCTY (12.08%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PCTY dropped -68.90% vs WDAY's -63.38%.
PCTY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-1.16 vs -1.17), 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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