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Side-by-side financial comparison of Paychex (PAYX) and Ulta Beauty (ULTA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
Ulta Beauty is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.9B vs $1.5B, roughly 1.9× Paychex). Paychex runs the higher net margin — 26.3% vs 8.1%, a 18.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Paychex posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (17.4% vs 12.9%). Paychex produced more free cash flow last quarter ($382.8M vs $-81.6M). Over the past eight quarters, Ulta Beauty's revenue compounded faster (7.2% CAGR vs 3.8%).
Paychex, Inc. is an American company that provides human resources, payroll, and employee benefits outsourcing services for small- to medium-sized businesses. Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Rochester, New York, the company has more than 100 offices serving approximately 800,000 payroll clients in the U.S. and Europe. Paychex is ranked 681st on the Fortune 500 list of largest corporations by revenue.
Ulta Beauty, Inc., formerly known as Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. and before 2000 as Ulta3, is an American chain of cosmetic stores headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Ulta Beauty carries both high- and low-end cosmetics, fragrances, nail products, bath and body products, beauty tools and haircare products. Each location has a beauty salon available to the public.
PAYX vs ULTA — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $1.5B | $2.9B |
| Net Profit | $395.4M | $230.9M |
| Gross Margin | 72.6% | 40.4% |
| Operating Margin | 38.0% | 10.8% |
| Net Margin | 26.3% | 8.1% |
| Revenue YoY | 17.4% | 12.9% |
| Net Profit YoY | -4.4% | -4.7% |
| EPS (diluted) | $1.10 | $5.14 |
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.
| Q4 25 | $1.5B | $2.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.5B | $2.8B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.4B | $2.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.5B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.3B | $2.5B | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.3B | $2.6B | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.3B | $2.7B | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.4B | $3.6B |
| Q4 25 | $395.4M | $230.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $383.8M | $260.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $297.2M | $305.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | $519.3M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $413.4M | $242.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $427.4M | $252.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $379.9M | $313.1M | ||
| Q1 24 | $498.6M | $394.4M |
| Q4 25 | 72.6% | 40.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | 72.3% | 39.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 71.5% | 39.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | 73.6% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 70.4% | 39.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | 70.3% | 38.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 70.1% | 39.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | 72.8% | 37.7% |
| Q4 25 | 38.0% | 10.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | 36.3% | 12.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 31.2% | 14.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | 47.2% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 42.0% | 12.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 42.7% | 12.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 38.3% | 14.7% | ||
| Q1 24 | 46.6% | 14.5% |
| Q4 25 | 26.3% | 8.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | 25.7% | 9.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 21.5% | 10.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | 35.4% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 32.3% | 9.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 33.4% | 9.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 30.2% | 11.5% | ||
| Q1 24 | 35.7% | 11.1% |
| Q4 25 | $1.10 | $5.14 | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.06 | $5.78 | ||
| Q2 25 | $0.83 | $6.70 | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.43 | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.14 | $5.14 | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.18 | $5.30 | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.05 | $6.47 | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.38 | $8.06 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $1.5B | $204.9M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $5.0B | — |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $3.9B | $2.6B |
| Total Assets | $16.5B | $7.0B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 1.28× | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $1.5B | $204.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.7B | $242.7M | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.7B | $454.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.6B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.2B | $177.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.5B | $414.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.5B | $524.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.7B | $766.6M |
| Q4 25 | $5.0B | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $5.0B | — | ||
| Q2 25 | $4.9B | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | — | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $798.6M | — | ||
| Q1 24 | — | — |
| Q4 25 | $3.9B | $2.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | $4.0B | $2.6B | ||
| Q2 25 | $4.1B | $2.4B | ||
| Q1 25 | $4.1B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $3.9B | $2.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $3.9B | $2.3B | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.8B | $2.3B | ||
| Q1 24 | $3.7B | $2.3B |
| Q4 25 | $16.5B | $7.0B | ||
| Q3 25 | $16.7B | $6.6B | ||
| Q2 25 | $16.6B | $6.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $11.2B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $10.6B | $6.0B | ||
| Q3 24 | $10.5B | $5.7B | ||
| Q2 24 | $10.4B | $5.6B | ||
| Q1 24 | $13.0B | $5.7B |
| Q4 25 | 1.28× | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.25× | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.20× | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | — | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.21× | — | ||
| 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 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $444.9M | $5.6M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $382.8M | $-81.6M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 25.5% | -2.9% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 4.1% | 3.1% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 1.13× | 0.02× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $2.0B | $-92.2M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $444.9M | $5.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $718.4M | $96.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $343.8M | $220.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $716.0M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $295.0M | $-56.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $546.1M | $199.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $221.7M | $159.3M | ||
| Q1 24 | $671.7M | $1.1B |
| Q4 25 | $382.8M | $-81.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $662.5M | $19.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $283.3M | $141.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $667.3M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $248.0M | $-171.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $510.5M | $104.3M | ||
| Q2 24 | $180.4M | $68.3M | ||
| Q1 24 | $631.0M | $994.0M |
| Q4 25 | 25.5% | -2.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 44.4% | 0.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 20.5% | 4.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | 45.5% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 19.4% | -6.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 39.9% | 4.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | 14.4% | 2.5% | ||
| Q1 24 | 45.2% | 28.0% |
| Q4 25 | 4.1% | 3.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | 3.7% | 2.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 4.4% | 2.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 3.3% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.7% | 4.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | 2.8% | 3.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.3% | 3.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | 2.9% | 3.5% |
| Q4 25 | 1.13× | 0.02× | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.87× | 0.37× | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.16× | 0.72× | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.38× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.71× | -0.23× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.28× | 0.79× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.58× | 0.51× | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.35× | 2.84× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
PAYX
| Management Solutions | $1.2B | 78% |
| Peo And Insurance Solutions | $336.9M | 22% |
ULTA
Segment breakdown not available.
