Core Insights - Paychex reported a 10% total revenue growth in Q4 2025, driven by the Paycor acquisition, with a full-year revenue growth of 6% and adjusted diluted EPS growth of 6% [1] - The integration of Paycor exceeded management expectations, leading to raised cost synergy targets and guidance for fiscal 2026 projecting total revenue growth of 16.5%-18.5% [2] Integration and Market Strategy - The Paycor acquisition added over 50,000 clients, contributing approximately 12-13 percentage points to consolidated revenue growth in fiscal 2026 [3] - Paychex Flex targets companies with up to 99 employees, while Paycor focuses on enterprises with over 100 employees, and SurePayroll serves the smallest businesses [4] Cost Synergy and Operational Efficiency - Management raised cost synergy expectations for fiscal 2026 to $90 million, with most actions completed shortly after the acquisition [5][6] - Adjusted operating income margins, excluding Paycor, expanded by 110 basis points in Q4 and by 250 basis points for the full year, indicating operational discipline [5] Channel Ecosystem and Revenue Synergies - Over half of new business originates from channel partners, with initial cross-sell achievements validating the combined referral-driven go-to-market framework [7] - The Paychex Partner Plus program has enrolled over 1,000 brokers, fostering relationships and expanding the referral network [8] Future Outlook - For fiscal 2026, management projects total revenue growth of 16.5%-18.5%, with significant contributions from the Paycor acquisition and expected growth in various segments [9] - Most cost synergy actions have been executed, balancing incremental cost reductions and investments for long-term growth [10]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q4 2024 was $2.7 billion, up 1.5% compared to the prior year [25] - Adjusted net income for Q4 was $43 million or $0.55 per share, compared to $54 million or $0.69 per share last year [31] - Adjusted EBITDA was $138 million, down from $170 million reported in Q4 2023 [32] - Gross profit in Q4 was $580 million, representing 21.5% of net revenue [28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Patient Direct revenue grew by 5% in Q4 2024, with strong growth in sleep supplies and diabetes [27] - The Products and Health Care Services (P&HS) segment grew 0.5% overall in Q4, with same-store sales growth in medical distribution offset by lower glove pricing [26][20] - Adjusted operating income was $95 million in Q4, an increase compared to the third quarter but lower than the previous year [30] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The IV fluid shortage impacted procedure volume and sales volume to distribution customers [26] - Home respiratory therapies such as NIV and oxygen declined year-over-year, but there are expectations for a return to growth in 2025 [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on optimizing its P&HS segment and leveraging its Patient Direct platform for growth [9] - Plans to acquire Rotech are underway, with expectations to close in the first half of 2025, aiming to drive long-term shareholder value [10][14] - A share repurchase program of up to $100 million has been authorized by the Board of Directors [13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the future of the Patient Direct business, citing positive demographic trends and expanding home treatment options [9] - The company anticipates mid-single-digit revenue growth for 2025, primarily driven by the Patient Direct segment [35] - Management remains focused on reducing debt and maintaining a debt-to-EBITDA leverage ratio between two and three times [38] Other Important Information - The company repaid $647 million of debt over the last two years, demonstrating strong cash flow capabilities [10][33] - A goodwill impairment charge of $305 million was recorded in Q4, primarily due to adverse financial market changes [32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about Rotech's performance - Management indicated there were no surprises in Rotech's results, consistent with expectations despite external legislative impacts [46][47] Question: Free cash flow and share repurchase strategy - The primary objective is to pay down debt, but share repurchase will be considered opportunistically if the stock remains undervalued [50] Question: Trends in Patient Direct growth - Management noted strong growth in diabetes and sleep supplies, with plans to improve performance in home respiratory categories [57][58] Question: Impact of tariffs - Tariffs are not significantly impacting the company, as most products are not sourced from high-tariff regions [72][74] Question: Capitated contract impact - The large capitated contract is not expected to have a meaningful impact on 2025 results, as current pricing is already modeled into projections [104][105] Question: Growth expectations for P&HS and Patient Direct - The majority of revenue growth is expected to come from the Patient Direct segment, with modest improvements in margins across both segments [111]