KFY vs PAYX: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, Korn Ferry (KFY) and Paychex (PAYX) carry a correlation of 0.55, a moderate link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are KFY and PAYX?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of KFY and PAYX correlate at 0.55, moderate. Little has changed lately, as the 1-year reading of 0.64 lands near the 3-year figure. Stretching to 5 years gives 0.57, with an annualized covariance of 310.8 %².
Among the 22 assets we track against KFY, PAYX ranks #10 by 3-year correlation. Their recent paths diverged sharply: over the last 12 months KFY outperformed by 21.0 percentage points (+16.2% for KFY against -4.8% for PAYX).
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
KFY vs PAYX: side by side
| KFY (Korn Ferry) | PAYX (Paychex) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +16.2% | -4.8% |
| 5-year return | +30.5% | +29.0% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 26.3% | 21.3% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.89 | 0.47 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -24.1% | -45.0% |
| Market cap | $4.3B | $45.0B |
| P/E (trailing) | 16.1 | 25.5 |
| Dividend yield | 2.37% | 0.00% |
| Sector / category | US Listed | Industrials |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | KFY | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -32.4% | -13.2% |
| 2023 | +19.1% | +6.2% |
| 2024 | +16.1% | +21.3% |
| 2025 | +0.6% | -17.5% |
| 2026 | +30.4% | +16.6% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are KFY and PAYX good diversifiers for each other?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.55 means KFY and PAYX share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
FAQ
What is the correlation between KFY and PAYX?
The KFY/PAYX correlation stands at 0.55 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.64, 5 years: 0.57), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is PAYX a good diversifier for KFY?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.55 means KFY and PAYX share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
What does a correlation of 0.55 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.55 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/kfy-vs-payx.json
Embed this badge (it refreshes with the data), with attribution:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/kfy-vs-payx/)
Free with attribution; caching and terms are described in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: KFY correlations · PAYX correlations
