How profitable is Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY)?

In FY 2025 (10-K), PCTY converted $1.5B of revenue into a 74.5% gross margin, 20.7% operating margin, and $405.2M in free cash flow (27.5% FCF margin).

Stock Ratings / Technology / PCTY / financials

GTLB (69) S (65) YMM (69) PCOR (68) ⌘ Pro Terminal →

Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) Revenue-to-Profit Sankey Flow & SEC XBRL Financials

$174.09 +1.86% NASDAQ • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $174.34

Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) carries a Roarable Rating of C- (Hold) with 61/100 RQD Confidence. The composite score sits in the neutral Hold band (59–69), meaning current holders don’t need to panic-sell while prospective buyers can wait for a move into the 70+ Buy zone.

ROARABLE C- • HOLD / WATCH Cap $8.92B

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

⚡ INSTANT AI QUANT PREVIEW • $0 FREE TIER Click Any Pre-Computed AI Quant Specialist Briefing on PCTY Below — or Connect Your Own ChatGPT / Claude

🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief) Is PCTY stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

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As of 2026-11-03, Paylocity Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: PCTY) is rated C- (Hold / HOLD) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 61/100 at a spot price of $174.09 (+1.86% 1D, market cap $8.92B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 12/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 18/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 7/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 10/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 14/20. Across 715 tracked Technology issuers, PCTY ranks #194 in composite RQD confidence.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief) How does PCTY compare to GTLB and S in the Technology sector?

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Within the Technology sector (Computer Software: Prepackaged Software), PCTY carries a Roarable C- (61/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 38.7x, gross margin of 74.5%, and ROIC of 7.1%. By comparison, GTLB (GitLab Inc.) holds a C+ grade (69/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -5.3%, cap $9.01B) and S (SentinelOne Inc.) posts a C grade (65/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -15.0%, cap $8.75B). Among the 5-stock peer group, YMM leads on earnings multiple (18.2x) while YMM leads on capital efficiency (9.0% ROIC).

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief) What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for PCTY?

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Per PCTY's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-06-30, CIK 0001591698), Paylocity Holding Corporation generated $1.47B in revenue (+14.8% YoY), $227.1M in net income, and $405.2M in free cash flow against $6.97B in total assets and $2.64B in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side. Primary risk factors monitored: Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $174.33 (+0.14%)🧬 Cannibal Buyback (-1.80% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 12/20 (C-) • 27.5% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 61/100 (C-) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (+0.5% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 53.9% hit rate — wait for RQD ≥ 70 breakout).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERHOLD / WATCH • C-

Quant Analyst Panel Split (Battleground)

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR RQD RADARRw B · Rk D-

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE+1.3% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for PCTY)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±4.8%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (61/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY PCTY SCORES 61/100 (C-) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Whale & Options Positioning+18/20 pts (30% of score)

20D Institutional Volume Accumulation (±4.8% realized swing band)

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: Insider Conviction & Share Dilution+14/20 pts (23% of score)

SEC Form 4 / 13F Thermometer: 70% Net Buy • Cannibal Buyback (-1.80% YoY Shares)

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: SEC 10-K Forensic Risk7/20 pts (-13 pt drag)

Balance-sheet & 10-K footnote risk deducts 13 pts from forensic ceiling

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade C-$159.10+6.4% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade C$169.33-0.5% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade C$168.50+3.3% Next Q

Current

Grade C-$174.09+0.5% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: C- (53) → C- (61)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)GIDEON ASHMERE // FORENSIC SHORT & KILL-SWITCH DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: Why the PCTY Bull Thesis Could Fail

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

Even with a 61/100 (C-) score, PCTY faces multiple-compression risk if 38.7x trailing P/E re-rate toward historical sector medians or if hyperscaler/enterprise customer concentration slows in upcoming 10-Q filings.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #1

Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #2

Priced at 39x earnings—high expectations leave less room for a lukewarm quarter.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #3

Technical & Forensic Kill-Switch: A daily close below the 50D SMA ($155.29) or 200D SMA ($126.78) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($176.44) toward Bear Floor ($137.62).

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $PCTY• $4.8M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “PCTY Beats Next Quarterly Revenue & EPS Consensus + Hyperscaler AI CapEx Holds Record Pace”

YES 61%NO 39%Trade / Inspect Odds →

VISUAL REVENUE-TO-PROFIT SANKEY WATERFALL • FY 2025 (10-K)

How PCTY Turns Every Dollar of Sales Into Real Bottom-Line Profit

Free Cash Flow:$405.2M (27.5% FCF Margin)

Multi-Year SEC EDGAR XBRL Revenue, Net Profit & Free Cash Flow Trajectory

■ Revenue■ Net Profit■ Free Cash Flow

FY23

Rev $1.10B

FY24

Rev $1.28B

FY25

Rev $1.47B

Fiscal Year	Revenue	Gross Margin	Op Margin	Net Profit	Free Cash Flow	ROIC %
FY 2025	$1.47B	74.5%	20.7%	$227.1M	$405.2M	6.7%
FY 2024	$1.28B	75%	20.3%	$206.8M	$366.6M	8.1%
FY 2023	$1.10B	74.5%	14.1%	$140.8M	$233.3M	4.2%

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Forensic Quant Desk

Red-Light Warning Desk: Spotting SEC Cash-Flow & Dilution Risks Before Downgrades (Featuring PCTY)

✓Walkthrough of PCTY's RQD Radar, SEC cash-conversion gap & downside invalidation levels
✓3 asymmetric Bear/Hedge frameworks when 10-year Treasury yields stay elevated
✓Includes nightly RQD rating-change & forensic signal email alerts on your tracked stocks

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

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PCTY // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: +59.67%▲ ASCENDING CHANNEL

2026-11-03O $168.4H $174.1L $168.4C $174.1VOL 835.8K

RES: $181.4SUP: $154.9SMA50: $155.3SMA200: $126.8

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

PCTY Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 PCTY Butterfly Map → + Track PCTY →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle

29.6%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. +14.8% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on PCTY today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for PCTY. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for PCTY today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (PCTY)

Technology Rank #194 of 715 ⚔️ GTLB vs PCTY Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Technology Peer Comparison (PCTY vs. GTLB, S, YMM, PCOR)

Industry: Computer Software: Prepackaged Software (222 Tracked Issuers)

Across 715 tracked Technology securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) ranks #194 by composite RQD confidence (61/100, grade C-) and #158 by equity capitalization ($8.92B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, YMM leads on earnings valuation at 18.2x trailing P/E, while YMM leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 9.0% ROIC and 71.9% gross margin. GTLB currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 69/100 (C+) compared with PCTY at 61/100 (C-).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
PCTY ACTIVE Paylocity Holding Corporation	C-	61/100	38.7x	74.5%	7.1%	+1.86%	$8.92B	Benchmark Subject
GTLB GitLab Inc.	C+	69/100	—	87.4%	-5.3%	-3.66%	$9.01B	/gtlb-vs-pcty →
S SentinelOne Inc.	C	65/100	—	74.1%	-15.0%	-7.91%	$8.75B	/s-vs-pcty →
YMM Full Truck Alliance Co. Ltd. American	C+	69/100	18.2x	71.9%	9.0%	+4.18%	$8.68B	/ymm-vs-pcty →
PCOR Procore Technologies Inc.	C+	68/100	—	79.5%	-8.2%	+1.94%	$9.33B	/pcor-vs-pcty →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-06-30 • CIK 0001591698 ↗

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-06-30), Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) reported GAAP revenue of $1.47B (+14.8% vs. FY2024 revenue of $1.28B , and +34.0% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $227.1M, operating cash flow of $418.2M, and free cash flow of $405.2M (+10.5% YoY). On the balance sheet, PCTY closed FY2025 with $6.97B in total assets against $2.64B in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 1.49, Piotroski F-Score: 8/9).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2025-06-30	$1.47B	$227.1M	$418.2M	$405.2M	$6.97B	$2.64B
FY2024 (FY)	2024-06-30	$1.28B	$206.8M	$384.7M	$366.6M	$5.29B	$1.85B
FY2023 (FY)	2023-06-30	$1.10B	$140.8M	$282.7M	$233.3M	$4.83B	$1.13B

3. PCTY Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is PCTY stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

How does PCTY compare to GTLB and S in the Technology sector?

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for PCTY?

Where is PCTY trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

PCTY last traded at $174.09 (+1.86% on volume of 841,677 shares), positioning the stock +12.11% above its 50-day simple moving average ($155.29) and +37.32% above its 200-day simple moving average ($126.78). Across its 52-week range of $92.99 to $178.53, PCTY sits at the 94.8% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 63.4 (BULLISH MOMENTUM) and an implied next-earnings move of ±4.8% ($165.73 to $182.45).

Direct Sub-Reports: PCTY RQD Cockpit PCTY 12M Forecast PCTY Earnings & Move PCTY Dividends & DRIP PCTY Insiders & 13F PCTY Whale Options PCTY Profit Sankey PCTY News & Why

ROARABLE RATING BRIEF • RQD 61/100 (C-) ✓ SEC XBRL & RQD VERIFIED

PCTY — Paylocity Holding Corporation: What the Facts Mean to a Prospective Investor

Methodology: RQD v6.2 Deterministic 5-Pillar & SEC XBRL Audit

Updated: 2025-06-30

1. Roarable Rating Brief: What This Means to a Prospective Investor

Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 61/100, corresponding to a C- letter grade (Roarable Hold) at a spot price of $174.09 (+1.86% 1D, market capitalization $8.92B).

Fundamental Cash Engine (12/20): Anchored by return on invested capital (ROIC) of 7.1%, gross margin of 74.5%, operating margin of 20.7%, and free cash flow yield of 4.61%.
Whale 13F & Options Flow (18/20) + Insider Conviction (14/20): Tracks institutional 13F accumulation, CBOE options call/put positioning, and SEC Form 4 / Congressional PTR filings.
Macro Regime Fit (10/20) + Forensic Balance Sheet (7/20): Incorporates a 1.14x equity beta, Altman Z-Score of 1.49, Piotroski F-Score of 8/9, and Debt/Equity of 2.25x.

2. Business Model, Unit Margins & SEC Financial Trajectory

Sector: Technology. Industry: Computer Software: Prepackaged Software. Exchange: NASDAQ..8B. —: product descriptions, customer segments, and revenue model details.

In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2025-06-30), Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) reported $1.47B in annual revenue (up from $1.28B in FY2024, +14.8% YoY) and $227.1M in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($1.10B revenue, $140.8M net income) through FY2025, PCTY scaled operating cash flow to $418.2M and free cash flow to $405.2M, backed by $6.97B in total assets against $2.64B in total debt.

3. Institutional Bull vs. Bear Thesis & Valuation Tradeoff

🐂 Primary Bull Case (C- • RQD 61/100): Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side. Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction. With Fundamental Cash Engine at 12/20 and Institutional Whale Flow at 18/20, sustained execution supports upside toward the upper end of the $92.99 – $178.53 52-week range.
🐻 Primary Bear Case & Valuation Risk: Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity. Investors must weigh 38.7x trailing P/E and 35.2x EV/EBITDA against 20.7% operating margins and a 1.14x macro beta.

4. 2nd-Order Butterfly Ripples & Key Questions to Watch

—: upstream and downstream dependencies, sector correlation figures, and 2nd-order bottlenecks. Investors should note that the absence of mapped links means this dossier cannot identify ripple pathways from the source material.

Key Question #1: Can PCTY sustain or expand its 20.7% operating margin and 7.1% ROIC against Computer Software: Prepackaged Software peers over the next 4 quarters?
Key Question #2: Following FY2025 revenue of $1.47B and free cash flow of $405.2M, how will capital allocation balance growth reinvestment against $2.64B in total debt?
Key Question #3: How sensitive is PCTY's 32.5x forward P/E multiple to Technology capital spending cycles and macro interest-rate shifts (Beta 1.14x)?

PCTY Live News Feed, Press Releases & Catalyst Wire

Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below

💬 Jump to PCTY Debate Forum (3) ↓

🟡 MARKET WIRE GlobeNewswire • 1d ago

Paylocity announces Q1 FY27 earnings conference call

GlobeNewswire report covering Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE GlobeNewswire • 1d ago

Paylocity Launches AI-Powered Recruiting Optimizer to Accelerate and Scale Recruiting and Hiring Productivity

GlobeNewswire report covering Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST Yahoo • 3d ago

Is Paychex's Dividend Enough To Make Up For Its Lagging Stock?

For questions about this article or underlying research, email help@trefis.com.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST Yahoo • 4d ago

1 momentum stock with exciting potential and 2 we brush off

The stocks featured in this article are seeing some big returns. Over the past month, they’ve outpaced the market due to some combination of positive news, upbeat results, or supportive macro developments. As such, inves

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST Yahoo • 4d ago

DoubleVerify Holdings (DV) Earnings Expected to Grow: Should You Buy?

DoubleVerify (DV) possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. Get prepared with the key expectations.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST Yahoo • 4d ago

4 Software Stocks Likely to Deliver an Earnings Beat This Season

Affirm Holdings, Paylocity, Block and BILL Holdings gear up for quarterly earnings, with AI and cloud growth supporting potential beats.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST ChartMill • 4d ago

Paylocity Holding (NASDAQ:PCTY): A Quality Stock With Strong Metrics and Valuation Checks

Paylocity passes key quality-screen tests with strong growth, high ROIC and low debt, though valuation remains the main risk investors should watch.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST Benzinga • 4d ago

Cantor Fitzgerald Maintains Overweight on Paylocity Holding, Raises Price Target to $200

Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Matthew Vanvliet maintains Paylocity Holding (NASDAQ:PCTY) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $165 to $200.

Read Full Source ↗

🔥 THE ROAR PIT • LIVE COMMUNITY DEBATE 3 Active Posts & Replies

PCTY Bull vs. Bear Conversation Board — What's Your Call at $174.09?

🐂 67% BULLISH CONVICTION COMMUNITY TUG-OF-WAR ON PCTY 🐻 33% BEARISH CONVICTION

BR BreakoutHunter RQD DEBATE OPENER • Swing & Catalyst Trader 🐂 BULLISH 🎯 Target: $201.67 (+18.0%)

📌 Pinned Debate

Institutional whale flow scores 17 of 20 and the Piotroski F-Score is 8/9, signaling strong institutional support and fundamental-quali

Here is why I am bullish on PCTY here at $170.91: Institutional whale flow scores 17 of 20 and the Piotroski F-Score is 8/9, signaling strong institutional support and fundamental-quality checks.. Compare PCTY's 20.7% operating margin and 7.1% ROIC against the rest of Computer Software: Prepackaged Software. As long as cash conversion holds up, dips toward $162.36 are getting bought.

SectorRotator 🐂 BULL

@BreakoutHunter Agree on the RQD 61/100 quality, though with 1.14 beta I'm scaling in with half-size at $170.91 and keeping dry powder in case we test $158.95.

ME MeanReversion_88 RQD DEBATE OPENER • Quantitative Statistical Arb 🐻 BEARISH 🎯 Target: $135.02 (-21.0%)

Spot @ $170.91

Debt/Equity of 2.25 and an Altman Z of 1.49 on the forensic balance-sheet pillar (7 of 20) show leverage is the main constraint, compou

Debt/Equity of 2.25 and an Altman Z of 1.49 on the forensic balance-sheet pillar (7 of 20) show leverage is the main constraint, compounded by a 38.7 P/E.. Look at the math on PCTY: paying 38.7x trailing P/E for 7.1% ROIC and 20.7% operating margins leaves zero margin of safety if Computer Software: Prepackaged Software demand softens. I'd wait for a retest of $150.40 before getting long.