3 HCM Stocks to Consider After January's Strong U.S. Jobs Report
ZACKS·2026-02-11 22:05

Core Viewpoint - The article suggests that several human capital management (HCM) technology stocks are currently in oversold territory and may present buying opportunities following a strong U.S. jobs report in January, where 130,000 jobs were added, exceeding expectations of 68,000-75,000, and the unemployment rate decreased to 4.3% from an expected 4.4% [1]. Group 1: Workday (WDAY) - Workday is identified as the largest global HCM applications vendor, with its stock down nearly 50% from its 52-week high of $281 per share [4][5]. - Despite slower annual revenue growth, a 12% increase is projected for FY26 and FY27, with revenue approaching $10 billion [5]. - Annual earnings are expected to rise by 24% this year and another 16% in FY27 to $10.57 per share, with the stock trading at its lowest forward earnings multiple of 14X since becoming profitable [6]. Group 2: Paylocity (PCTY) - Paylocity, which provides cloud-based payroll and HCM software solutions, has seen its stock price cut in half from a one-year high of $218 per share [9]. - The stock is considered affordable, with single-digit growth appealing at a 15X forward earnings multiple, and it recently reported Q2 EPS of $1.85, exceeding expectations of $1.57 and up 21% from $1.52 a year ago [10]. Group 3: Automatic Data Processing (ADP) - ADP is recognized as a diverse provider of HCM technology solutions, with its stock down more than 30% from its 52-week high of $329 per share [12]. - The stock is trading at a reasonable 20X forward earnings multiple, with projected EPS growth of over 9% for FY26 and FY27 [13]. - ADP is forecasted to have 5% annual revenue growth, with strong financial figures, cash flow, and recurring revenue, and is noted as a Dividend King with a current annual yield of 3.02% [14][15].