Group 1: Job Market Overview - U.S. employers added 139,000 jobs in May, exceeding economists' expectations of 125,000-130,000, while the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.2% [1] - Job growth was strongest in the healthcare and leisure/hospitality sectors, which added 62,000 and 48,000 jobs, respectively [9] Group 2: Wage Growth and Inflation - Average hourly earnings rose 3.9% year over year, outpacing April's inflation rate of 2.3% [2] Group 3: Investment Opportunities - Paylocity (PCTY) has consistently surpassed earnings expectations, beating EPS estimates for its fiscal third quarter by 16% in May, with an average EPS surprise of 15.4% over the last four quarters [4] - Maximus (MMS) is experiencing rising EPS revisions and trades at a forward earnings multiple of 10.8X, with fiscal 2025 and FY26 EPS estimates rising nearly 7% and 4% in the last 30 days [5][7] - Other payroll stocks to consider include Dayforce (DAY) and Paychex (PAYX), along with Barrett Business Services (BBSI), all holding a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [8]
Stocks to Watch as May's Jobs Report Beats Economists' Expectations: PCTY, MMS