vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of Paycom (PAYC) and Childrens Place, Inc. (PLCE). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Paycom is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($544.3M vs $339.5M, roughly 1.6× Childrens Place, Inc.). Paycom runs the higher net margin — 20.9% vs -1.3%, a 22.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Paycom posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.2% vs -13.0%). Paycom produced more free cash flow last quarter ($122.6M vs $-3.4M). Over the past eight quarters, Paycom's revenue compounded faster (4.3% CAGR vs -13.6%).

Paycom Software, Inc., known simply as Paycom, is an online payroll and human resource software provider based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with offices throughout the United States. It is attributed with being one of the first fully online payroll providers. Founded in 1998, it reported annual revenue of $2.052 billion for 2025, up from $1.883 billion for 2024.

The Children’s Place is a retailer of clothing for children. It sells its products primarily under its proprietary brands The Children’s Place, Gymboree, Sugar & Jade, PJ Place and Crazy 8. The company has about 525 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, and also sells via two online outlets and through five franchise partners in 15 countries. Its product line includes tops, skirts, dresses, jackets, shoes, bottoms, sleepwear and backpacks. The Children’s Place is headquartered in Secauc...

PAYC vs PLCE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PAYC
PAYC
1.6× larger
PAYC
$544.3M
$339.5M
PLCE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
PAYC
PAYC
+23.2% gap
PAYC
10.2%
-13.0%
PLCE
Higher net margin
PAYC
PAYC
22.2% more per $
PAYC
20.9%
-1.3%
PLCE
More free cash flow
PAYC
PAYC
$126.0M more FCF
PAYC
$122.6M
$-3.4M
PLCE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
PAYC
PAYC
Annualised
PAYC
4.3%
-13.6%
PLCE

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Revenue
$544.3M
$339.5M
Net Profit
$113.8M
$-4.3M
Gross Margin
83.9%
33.1%
Operating Margin
28.9%
1.1%
Net Margin
20.9%
-1.3%
Revenue YoY
10.2%
-13.0%
Net Profit YoY
0.2%
-121.5%
EPS (diluted)
$2.06
$-0.19

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$544.3M
$339.5M
Q3 25
$493.3M
$298.0M
Q2 25
$483.6M
$242.1M
Q1 25
$530.5M
$408.6M
Q4 24
$493.9M
$390.2M
Q3 24
$451.9M
$319.7M
Q2 24
$437.5M
$267.9M
Q1 24
$499.9M
$455.0M
Net Profit
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$113.8M
$-4.3M
Q3 25
$110.7M
$-5.4M
Q2 25
$89.5M
$-34.0M
Q1 25
$139.4M
$-8.0M
Q4 24
$113.6M
$20.1M
Q3 24
$73.3M
$-32.1M
Q2 24
$68.0M
$-37.8M
Q1 24
$247.2M
$-128.8M
Gross Margin
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
83.9%
33.1%
Q3 25
82.7%
34.0%
Q2 25
81.9%
29.2%
Q1 25
84.1%
28.5%
Q4 24
83.1%
35.5%
Q3 24
80.5%
35.0%
Q2 24
80.8%
34.6%
Q1 24
84.3%
21.8%
Operating Margin
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
28.9%
1.1%
Q3 25
22.8%
1.4%
Q2 25
23.2%
-10.0%
Q1 25
34.9%
1.7%
Q4 24
30.1%
7.5%
Q3 24
23.2%
-6.8%
Q2 24
21.7%
-10.4%
Q1 24
57.2%
-13.6%
Net Margin
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
20.9%
-1.3%
Q3 25
22.4%
-1.8%
Q2 25
18.5%
-14.1%
Q1 25
26.3%
-2.0%
Q4 24
23.0%
5.1%
Q3 24
16.2%
-10.0%
Q2 24
15.5%
-14.1%
Q1 24
49.4%
-28.3%
EPS (diluted)
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$2.06
$-0.19
Q3 25
$1.96
$-0.24
Q2 25
$1.58
$-1.57
Q1 25
$2.48
$-0.60
Q4 24
$2.04
$1.57
Q3 24
$1.31
$-2.51
Q2 24
$1.20
$-2.98
Q1 24
$4.37
$-10.24

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$370.0M
$7.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$107.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.7B
$-8.6M
Total Assets
$7.6B
$762.5M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$370.0M
$7.3M
Q3 25
$375.0M
$7.8M
Q2 25
$532.2M
$5.7M
Q1 25
$520.8M
$5.3M
Q4 24
$402.0M
$5.7M
Q3 24
$325.8M
$9.6M
Q2 24
$346.5M
$13.0M
Q1 24
$371.3M
$13.6M
Total Debt
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$107.4M
Q3 25
$107.2M
Q2 25
$107.0M
Q1 25
$166.0M
Q4 24
$165.7M
Q3 24
$165.4M
Q2 24
$166.6M
Q1 24
$49.8M
Stockholders' Equity
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$1.7B
$-8.6M
Q3 25
$1.7B
$-4.9M
Q2 25
$1.8B
$1.4M
Q1 25
$1.7B
$-59.4M
Q4 24
$1.6B
$-49.6M
Q3 24
$1.5B
$-68.9M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$-34.9M
Q1 24
$1.4B
$-9.0M
Total Assets
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$7.6B
$762.5M
Q3 25
$4.2B
$805.1M
Q2 25
$4.0B
$779.6M
Q1 25
$4.6B
$747.6M
Q4 24
$5.9B
$888.8M
Q3 24
$3.5B
$921.4M
Q2 24
$4.3B
$848.3M
Q1 24
$4.7B
$800.3M
Debt / Equity
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
75.63×
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$196.1M
$6.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$122.6M
$-3.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
22.5%
-1.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
13.5%
2.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.72×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$408.0M
$39.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$196.1M
$6.2M
Q3 25
$177.8M
$-30.5M
Q2 25
$122.5M
$-43.0M
Q1 25
$182.5M
$121.3M
Q4 24
$160.4M
$-44.2M
Q3 24
$92.8M
$-83.9M
Q2 24
$132.1M
$-110.8M
Q1 24
$148.6M
$135.4M
Free Cash Flow
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$122.6M
$-3.4M
Q3 25
$79.8M
$-31.9M
Q2 25
$60.8M
$-46.4M
Q1 25
$144.8M
$121.2M
Q4 24
$109.0M
$-47.7M
Q3 24
$44.6M
$-91.7M
Q2 24
$86.5M
$-115.5M
Q1 24
$100.9M
$132.2M
FCF Margin
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
22.5%
-1.0%
Q3 25
16.2%
-10.7%
Q2 25
12.6%
-19.2%
Q1 25
27.3%
29.7%
Q4 24
22.1%
-12.2%
Q3 24
9.9%
-28.7%
Q2 24
19.8%
-43.1%
Q1 24
20.2%
29.1%
Capex Intensity
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
13.5%
2.8%
Q3 25
19.9%
0.5%
Q2 25
12.8%
1.4%
Q1 25
7.1%
0.0%
Q4 24
10.4%
0.9%
Q3 24
10.7%
2.4%
Q2 24
10.4%
1.8%
Q1 24
9.5%
0.7%
Cash Conversion
PAYC
PAYC
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
1.72×
Q3 25
1.61×
Q2 25
1.37×
Q1 25
1.31×
Q4 24
1.41×
-2.20×
Q3 24
1.27×
Q2 24
1.94×
Q1 24
0.60×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

PAYC
PAYC

Recurring$510.3M94%
Interest On Funds Held For Clients$27.2M5%
Implementation And Other$6.8M1%

PLCE
PLCE

The Childrens Place US$307.4M91%
The Childrens Place International$32.1M9%
Gift Cards$1.7M1%

Related Comparisons