Paychex Free Cash Flow (FCF) History (PAYX)
Paychex reported $2.32B in free cash flow for fiscal 2026, an increase of 35.85% from the previous fiscal year, with a free cash flow margin of 36.85%.
View full Paychex company overviewPaychex free cash flow by year
| Fiscal year | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | Growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2026-05-31 | $2.32B | $612.7M | +35.85% | +36.85% |
| 2025 | 2025-05-31 | $1.71B | −$27.2M | −1.57% | +31.59% |
| 2024 | 2024-05-31 | $1.74B | $173.1M | +11.07% | +33.83% |
| 2023 | 2023-05-31 | $1.56B | $107.3M | +7.37% | +31.85% |
| 2022 | 2022-05-31 | $1.46B | $314.0M | +27.50% | +31.97% |
| 2021 | 2021-05-31 | $1.14B | −$172.0M | −13.09% | +28.57% |
| 2020 | 2020-05-31 | $1.31B | $166.2M | +14.48% | +33.23% |
| 2019 | 2019-05-31 | $1.15B | $25.3M | +2.25% | +31.09% |
| 2018 | 2018-05-31 | $1.12B | $256.3M | +29.59% | +33.87% |
| 2017 | 2017-05-31 | $866.1M | −$54.4M | −5.91% | +27.92% |
| 2016 | 2016-05-31 | $920.5M | $128.1M | +16.17% | +31.18% |
| 2015 | 2015-05-31 | $792.4M | −$4.4M | −0.55% | +28.92% |
| 2014 | 2014-05-31 | $796.8M | $220.2M | +38.19% | +31.63% |
| 2013 | 2013-05-31 | $576.6M | −$40.4M | −6.55% | +24.79% |
| 2012 | 2012-05-31 | $617.0M | $2.2M | +0.36% | +27.67% |
| 2011 | 2011-05-31 | $614.8M | $65.2M | +11.86% | +29.50% |
| 2010 | 2010-05-31 | $549.6M | −$74.5M | −11.94% | +27.47% |
| 2009 | 2009-05-31 | $624.1M | −$18.3M | −2.85% | +29.96% |
| 2008 | 2008-05-31 | $642.4M | — | — | +31.09% |
Paychex quarterly free cash flow
| Fiscal quarter | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | YoY growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 2026 | 2026-05-31 | $515.0M | $231.7M | +81.79% | +33.16% |
| Q3 2026 | 2026-02-28 | $761.5M | $94.2M | +14.12% | +43.46% |
| Q2 2026 | 2025-11-30 | $382.8M | $134.8M | +54.35% | +25.46% |
| Q1 2026 | 2025-08-31 | $662.5M | $152.0M | +29.77% | +44.39% |
| Q4 2025 | 2025-05-31 | $283.3M | $102.9M | +57.04% | +20.50% |
| Q3 2025 | 2025-02-28 | $667.3M | $36.3M | +5.75% | +45.52% |
| Q2 2025 | 2024-11-30 | $248.0M | −$22.6M | −8.35% | +19.36% |
| Q1 2025 | 2024-08-31 | $510.5M | −$143.8M | −21.98% | +39.85% |
| Q4 2024 | 2024-05-31 | $180.4M | −$191.0M | −51.43% | +14.35% |
| Q3 2024 | 2024-02-29 | $631.0M | $93.0M | +17.29% | +45.22% |
| Q2 2024 | 2023-11-30 | $270.6M | −$49.5M | −15.46% | +22.06% |
| Q1 2024 | 2023-08-31 | $654.3M | $320.6M | +96.07% | +52.21% |
| Q4 2023 | 2023-05-31 | $371.4M | −$15.5M | −4.01% | +30.83% |
| Q3 2023 | 2023-02-28 | $538.0M | −$40.2M | −6.95% | +39.98% |
| Q2 2023 | 2022-11-30 | $320.1M | $184.5M | +136.06% | +27.39% |
| Q1 2023 | 2022-08-31 | $333.7M | −$21.5M | −6.05% | +28.08% |
| Q4 2022 | 2022-05-31 | $386.9M | $28.7M | +8.01% | +34.25% |
| Q3 2022 | 2022-02-28 | $578.2M | $170.6M | +41.85% | +45.83% |
| Q2 2022 | 2021-11-30 | $135.6M | −$46.2M | −25.41% | +12.39% |
| Q1 2022 | 2021-08-31 | $355.2M | $160.9M | +82.81% | +33.25% |
| Q4 2021 | 2021-05-31 | $358.2M | $5.1M | +1.44% | +35.30% |
| Q3 2021 | 2021-02-28 | $407.6M | −$48.5M | −10.63% | +37.17% |
| Q2 2021 | 2020-11-30 | $181.8M | −$54.5M | −23.06% | +18.76% |
| Q1 2021 | 2020-08-31 | $194.3M | −$74.1M | −27.61% | +21.18% |
| Q4 2020 | 2020-05-31 | $353.1M | $140.2M | +65.85% | +39.68% |
| Q3 2020 | 2020-02-29 | $456.1M | −$42.3M | −8.49% | +40.67% |
| Q2 2020 | 2019-11-30 | $236.3M | $49.2M | +26.30% | +24.34% |
| Q1 2020 | 2019-08-31 | $268.4M | $19.1M | +7.66% | +27.63% |
| Q4 2019 | 2019-05-31 | $212.9M | −$42.6M | −16.67% | +22.22% |
| Q3 2019 | 2019-02-28 | $498.4M | $55.4M | +12.51% | +47.58% |
| Q2 2019 | 2018-11-30 | $187.1M | $88.8M | +90.34% | +22.26% |
| Q1 2019 | 2018-08-31 | $249.3M | −$76.3M | −23.43% | +29.48% |
| Q4 2018 | 2018-05-31 | $255.5M | $91.9M | +56.17% | +30.86% |
| Q3 2018 | 2018-02-28 | $443.0M | $107.1M | +31.88% | +48.26% |
| Q2 2018 | 2017-11-30 | $98.3M | $6.1M | +6.62% | +12.46% |
| Q1 2018 | 2017-08-31 | $325.6M | $51.2M | +18.66% | +41.79% |
| Q4 2017 | 2017-05-31 | $163.6M | −$35.7M | −17.91% | +20.49% |
| Q3 2017 | 2017-02-28 | $335.9M | −$13.9M | −3.97% | +42.21% |
| Q2 2017 | 2016-11-30 | $92.2M | −$22.1M | −19.34% | +11.95% |
| Q1 2017 | 2016-08-31 | $274.4M | $17.3M | +6.73% | +34.93% |
| Q4 2016 | 2016-05-31 | $199.3M | $27.7M | +16.14% | +26.44% |
| Q3 2016 | 2016-02-29 | $349.8M | $88.1M | +33.66% | +46.48% |
| Q2 2016 | 2015-11-30 | $114.3M | −$6.6M | −5.46% | +15.82% |
| Q1 2016 | 2015-08-31 | $257.1M | $18.9M | +7.93% | +35.56% |
| Q4 2015 | 2015-05-31 | $171.6M | $17.8M | +11.57% | +24.79% |
| Q3 2015 | 2015-02-28 | $261.7M | −$28.0M | −9.67% | +37.16% |
| Q2 2015 | 2014-11-30 | $120.9M | $9.2M | +8.24% | +17.88% |
| Q1 2015 | 2014-08-31 | $238.2M | −$3.4M | −1.41% | +35.72% |
| Q4 2014 | 2014-05-31 | $153.8M | $109.4M | +246.40% | +24.07% |
| Q3 2014 | 2014-02-28 | $289.7M | $29.0M | +11.12% | +44.54% |
| Q2 2014 | 2013-11-30 | $111.7M | $35.9M | +47.36% | +18.12% |
| Q1 2014 | 2013-08-31 | $241.6M | $45.9M | +23.45% | +39.41% |
| Q4 2013 | 2013-05-31 | $44.4M | −$72.5M | −62.02% | +7.59% |
| Q3 2013 | 2013-02-28 | $260.7M | $13.7M | +5.55% | +43.94% |
| Q2 2013 | 2012-11-30 | $75.8M | −$10.3M | −11.96% | +13.31% |
| Q1 2013 | 2012-08-31 | $195.7M | $28.7M | +17.19% | +33.85% |
| Q4 2012 | 2012-05-31 | $116.9M | −$24.0M | −17.03% | +21.20% |
| Q3 2012 | 2012-02-29 | $247.0M | $48.2M | +24.25% | +43.37% |
| Q2 2012 | 2011-11-30 | $86.1M | −$11.3M | −11.60% | +15.78% |
| Q1 2012 | 2011-08-31 | $167.0M | −$10.7M | −6.02% | +29.66% |
| Q4 2011 | 2011-05-31 | $140.9M | $52.9M | +60.11% | +26.96% |
| Q3 2011 | 2011-02-28 | $198.8M | −$6.8M | −3.31% | +37.42% |
| Q2 2011 | 2010-11-30 | $97.4M | $17.9M | +22.52% | +19.02% |
| Q1 2011 | 2010-08-31 | $177.7M | $1.2M | +0.68% | +34.29% |
| Q4 2010 | 2010-05-31 | $88.0M | −$26.1M | −22.85% | +17.73% |
| Q3 2010 | 2010-02-28 | $205.6M | −$15.3M | −6.91% | +40.49% |
| Q2 2010 | 2009-11-30 | $79.5M | −$11.3M | −12.48% | +16.01% |
| Q1 2010 | 2009-08-31 | $176.5M | −$21.8M | −11.01% | +35.29% |
| Q4 2009 | 2009-05-31 | $114.1M | — | — | +23.00% |
| Q3 2009 | 2009-02-28 | $220.9M | — | — | +41.78% |
| Q2 2009 | 2008-11-30 | $90.8M | — | — | +17.33% |
| Q1 2009 | 2008-08-31 | $198.3M | — | — | +37.14% |
Paychex free cash flow growth trends
Over the last five reported fiscal years, free cash flow grew from $1.14B to $2.32B, a compound annual growth rate of 15.25%. Paychex's latest reported quarter, Q4 2026, generated $515.0M in free cash flow, an increase of 81.79% year over year.
What free cash flow means
Free cash flow is the cash a company generates from operations after capital expenditures. Positive FCF can fund dividends, buybacks, debt repayment, or reinvestment; negative FCF means capital spending exceeded operating cash flow for that period.
How free cash flow is calculated
TickerStat calculates free cash flow as reported operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. FCF margin equals free cash flow divided by revenue. Fiscal periods can differ from calendar years, so the tables include exact period-end dates.
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