Paycom Software Inc. (PAYC) saw its shares plummet 9% in pre-market trading on Thursday, as investors reacted negatively to the company's third-quarter earnings report and a series of analyst downgrades. The human capital management software provider's stock faced significant pressure after narrowly missing earnings estimates and reporting decelerating revenue growth.

The company's Q3 results, released after market close on Wednesday, revealed adjusted earnings per share of $1.94, falling just short of the $1.95 analyst consensus estimate. While this represents a 16.17% increase from the same period last year, the miss, albeit slight, unsettled investors. Revenue for the quarter came in at $493.3 million, marginally beating expectations but showing a growth rate of only 9% year-over-year, down from 11% in the previous year.

In response to the earnings report, several prominent financial institutions have lowered their price targets for Paycom. Mizuho cut its target from $220 to $180, while Jefferies reduced its target from $225 to $190. BMO Capital, JP Morgan, UBS, Stifel, TD Cowen, and Barclays also adjusted their price targets downward, reflecting growing concerns about Paycom's future performance in an increasingly competitive market. The consensus among analysts, according to FactSet, now holds a "hold" rating for Paycom stock with a mean price target of $216.07. This wave of downgrades has further fueled the pre-market sell-off, contributing to the sharp decline in Paycom's stock price.