A Dark Vector Cognition product

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

5K characters. Original on sec.gov ·

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Our common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “PAYX”. Dividends have historically been paid on our common stock in August, November, February, and May. The level and continuation of future dividends are dependent on our future earnings and cash flows and are subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors (the “Board”).

As of June 30, 2020, there were 10,075 holders of record of our common stock, which includes registered holders and participants in the Paychex, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan. There were also 4,031 participants in the Paychex, Inc. Qualified Employee Stock Purchase Plan and 4,393 participants in the Paychex, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

Table of Contents

In May 2019, our Board approved a program to repurchase up to $400.0 million of our common stock with authorization expiring in May 2022. All shares repurchased during fiscal 2020 were retired and were as follows:

In millions, except per share amountTotal‎number‎of shares‎purchasedAverage price paid per shareTotal dollarsApproximate dollar value of shares that may yet be purchased under the program
First quarter2.0$84.68$171.9$228.1
Second quarter—$——$228.1
Third quarter—$——$228.1
March 1 to March 31, 2020—$——$228.1
April 1 to April 30, 2020—$——$228.1
May 1 to May 31, 2020—$——$228.1
Fiscal year2.0$84.68$171.9

The following graph shows a five-year comparison of the total cumulative returns of investing $100 on May 31, 2015, in Paychex common stock, the S&P 500 Index, and a Peer Group Index. All comparisons of stock price performance shown assume reinvestment of dividends. We are a participant in the S&P 500 Index, a market group of companies with a larger than average market capitalization. Our Peer Group is a group of companies with comparable revenue and net income, who are in a comparable industry, or who are direct competitors of Paychex (as detailed below).

Picture 1

May 31,201520162017201820192020
Paychex$100.00$113.56$128.03$146.48$197.81$172.03
S&P 500$100.00$101.72$119.48$136.67$141.84$160.05
Peer Group - old$100.00$102.63$120.62$155.74$177.20$193.26
Peer Group - new$100.00$105.21$124.50$158.25$185.85$204.80

There can be no assurance that our stock performance will continue with the same or similar trends depicted in the graph above. We neither make nor endorse any predictions as to future stock performance.

Table of Contents

The Governance & Compensation Committee of our Board annually reviews and approves the selection of Peer Group companies, adjusting the group from year to year based upon our business and changes in the Peer Group companies’ business or the comparability of their metrics. The Peer Group may also be adjusted in the event of mergers, acquisitions, or other significant economic changes. The Peer Group was adjusted for fiscal 2020. DST Systems, Inc. and Robert Half International, Inc. were removed and replaced with IHS Markit Ltd. and Worldpay, Inc., as they are more closely aligned with the Paychex business. Both the old and new peer groups are presented for this year of transition.

Our new Peer Group for fiscal 2020 is comprised of the following companies:

Alliance Data Systems CorporationIHS Markit, Ltd.
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (direct competitor)Intuit Inc.
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.Moody’s Corporation
The Dun & Bradstreet CorporationTD AMERITRADE Holding Corporation
Equifax, Inc.Total Systems Services, Inc.
Fiserv, Inc.The Western Union Company
Global Payments Inc.Worldpay, Inc.
H&R Block, Inc.

Table of Contents

Previous: Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures · Next: Item 6. Selected Financial Data