Automatic Data Processing Inc's Competitiveness
A competitive positioning analysis and financial ratio benchmarking of Automatic Data Processing Inc (ADP) against its publicly traded competitors: sales growth, net income, profitability, valuation and market share, plus each peer's market capitalization, revenue, income and employees. Free below: the top 5 peers. Subscriber access adds the full competitor list and CSV downloads.
Key Findings: Automatic Data Processing Inc vs Its Competitors
- TTM: Trailing 12-month revenue of 22,263M vs 78,592M combined for its competitors (22.1% combined share).
- Trending: Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is holding steady (-1.3% annualized vs trailing 12 months), vs decelerating (-3.5%) for its tracked peer group.
- Growth: Automatic Data Processing Inc generated 6.1% revenue growth year over year in Q1 2026, vs 4.2% for its competitors combined.
- Profitability: Its 20.5% net margin compares with 10.4% for the peer group.
- Scale: Automatic Data Processing Inc ranks #1 of 164 companies by market capitalization in the Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry, holding 17.9% of industry market cap.
- Peer revenue share: Automatic Data Processing Inc accounted for 22.5% of combined revenue among its tracked peer group, up from 22.2% a year earlier.
- Peer differentiation: Revenue per employee of $0.38M compares with $0.39M for the peer group (1.0x).
- Structure: Automatic Data Processing Inc operates in the following segments: Employer Services, Professional Employee Organization Services.
Every figure above is sourced and cited in detail further down this page (Market Structure, Profitability & Cost Structure, Productivity vs Peers).
ADP Sales vs. its Competitors, Q1 2026
Automatic Data Processing Inc reported revenue growth of 6.10 % year on year in Q1 2026, above its competitors' combined revenue growth of 4.22 %.
With a net margin of 20.49 %, Automatic Data Processing Inc achieved higher profitability than its competitors (10.42 %).
Automatic Data Processing Inc generated 22.46 % of the combined sales of its peer group, up from 22.15 % a year earlier.
API endpoints for this dataset
Automatic Data Processing Inc vs. its Competitors, Q1 2026
Revenue growth, year on year
Net income growth, year on year
Net margin
Revenue run-rate vs trailing 12 months
TTM net margin
TTM = trailing twelve months. Run-rate annualizes the latest quarter (×4) and compares it to TTM. In millions of $. High-Confidence Competitors are named as a competitor directly in Automatic Data Processing Inc reports; Similar-Size Competitors are the closest peers by market-cap rank within the same industry; Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors are the closest peers by combined revenue growth, operating margin and ROIC, all independent of the competitor list.
TTM revenue, latest-quarter run-rate and net income/margin benchmarked across Automatic Data Processing Inc and its 4 competitor groupings. Available under Commercial License.
| Entity | TTM Revenue | Rev Run-rate vs TTM |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Data Processing Inc | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Competitors combined | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| High-Confidence Competitors (10) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Similar-Size Competitors (2) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
TTM revenue, run-rate and net margin benchmarking across Automatic Data Processing Inc's competitor groups requires a Commercial License.
For context: the Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry grew revenue 8.1% year over year, combined, vs 6.1% for Automatic Data Processing Inc. Automatic Data Processing Inc's share of combined industry revenue moved from 3.98% to 3.90%, a loss of 0.07 percentage points.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Competitor Quality Breadth
Group definitions: see Methodology: Performance Group Definitions.
| Entity | Profitable | Expanding | Above Industry Growth | Distressed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic Data Processing Inc | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Competitors combined (23) | ||||
| High-Confidence Competitors (13) | ||||
| Similar-Size Competitors (5) |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Altman Z-Score is not shown here: it is not populated in the underlying data for any company. Percentages are of companies in each group that report the relevant metric, not of the full group size.
ADP Stock Performance relative to its Competitors
ADP Stock Performance relative to High-Confidence Competitors
ADP Stock Performance relative to Similar-Size Competitors
5 Best-Performing Tracked Competitors, Trailing 12 Months
| # | Competitor | TTM Share Price Return | vs U.S.A. 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alight Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 2 | Insperity Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 3 | Cass Information Systems Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 4 | Paycom Software Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 5 | Employers Holdings Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
TTM share price return and U.S.A. 500 outperformance for Automatic Data Processing Inc's best-performing competitors requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Comment on Competition and Industry Peers
Publicly Traded Peers of Automatic Data Processing Inc
Revenue and income for trailing 12 months, in millions of $, except employees| Company | Market Cap | Revenues |
|---|---|---|
 Automatic Data Processing Inc |
120,611.96 | 22,262.90 |
 Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc |
98,108.78 | 28,470.00 |
 Intuit Inc |
94,595.50 | 21,448.00 |
 Aon Plc |
71,314.53 | 17,707.00 |
 Paychex Inc |
41,743.60 | 6,602.50 |
 Equifax Inc |
22,390.58 | 6,592.10 |
| SUBTOTAL | 512,798.17 | 137,072.44 |
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Sources: see Methodology: Peer & Competitor Identification, Sourcing.
Updated on:
Focus of this report: publicly traded companies. Ten additional tables on Automatic Data Processing Inc versus competitors, including market share analysis, are in the navigation menu under Competition. To download the tables, please subscribe.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Competitors Named by the Company
Competitive relationships identified from Automatic Data Processing Inc reports and corroborating sources, each with a basis and confidence.| Competitor | Basis | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Paylocity Holding Corporation | Company report | 85% |
| Workday Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Asure Software Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Insperity Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Trinet Group Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Barrett Business Services Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Paycor Hcm Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Equifax Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Audioeye Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Alight Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Commonwealth Income and Growth Fund V | Company report | 85% |
| Paycom Software Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Conduent Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Its HCM Solutions | Company report | 85% |
| Orbotech Ltd | Company report | 85% |
| HRO Solutions | Company report | 85% |
| Benefitfocus Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Cbiz Inc | Company report | 85% |
| I3 Verticals Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Hireright Holdings Corp | Company report | 85% |
| Aon Plc | Company report | 85% |
| Paychex Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Dayforce Inc | Company report | 85% |
| H and r Block Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Intuit Inc | Company report | 85% |
Company report basis, confidence, active dates and source counts for Automatic Data Processing Inc's named competitors require a Commercial License.
Methodology: see Methodology: Peer & Competitor Identification, Sourcing.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Business Segment Mix vs Peers
Revenue by operating segment or division, as named and reported by each company. Segment names are the filer's own and are not standardized across companies. Do not assume a same-named or similarly-named segment is defined identically between two companies. Shares are of each company's own total revenue and are not required to sum to 100% (intersegment revenue, unallocated items).| Company | Largest Segment |
|---|---|
| Automatic Data Processing Inc | Employer Services 67.12 % |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | Risk 55.31 % |
| Intuit Inc | Consumer 61.61 % |
| Aon Plc | Risk Capital 65.40 % |
| Equifax Inc | Workforce Solutions 41.00 % |
| Paycom Software Inc | Single Reportable Segment 100.00 % |
Source: operating segment revenue as reported in each company's reports (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API, leaf-level reportable segments only (parent roll-up segments are excluded where sub-segments are separately disclosed).
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Automatic Data Processing Inc's Productivity vs Peers Comparison
Revenue and income per employee, trailing 12 months, in $; market cap in millions of $| Company | Market Cap | Revenue / Employee | Income / Employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic Data Processing Inc | 120,612 | 383,843 | 78,029 |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | 98,109 | 299,684 | 43,358 |
| Intuit Inc | 94,596 | 1,153,118 | 245,484 |
| Aon Plc | 71,315 | 295,117 | 65,750 |
| Paychex Inc | 41,744 | 375,142 | 102,614 |
| Equifax Inc | 22,391 | 439,473 | 49,767 |
| PEERS TOTAL | 392,186 | 385,209 | 53,998 |
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Automatic Data Processing Inc's Geographic Revenue Exposure vs Peers
Revenue by country/region as reported in each company's most recent report. Disclosure granularity varies by filer (some report by country, others by broad region) and is shown as disclosed.| Company | Largest Market |
|---|---|
| Aon Plc | Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Other Than United Kingdom and Ireland 14.78 % |
| Cbiz Inc | United States 99.96 % |
| Insperity Inc | Northeast 25.98 % |
Source: revenue geography as reported in each company's reports (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API. Percentages are of that company's own total consolidated revenue for its most recent reported period.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Position in Industry Market Structure
Market-capitalization share and concentration across all 145 companies in Automatic Data Processing Inc's industry classification, broader than the peer set above. Market cap in millions of $.Automatic Data Processing Inc ranks #1 of 145 companies by market capitalization in its industry, holding 17.93 % of total industry market cap. The industry's Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) is 582, indicating a unconcentrated market structure (see Methodology: Market Structure & Concentration).
| Rank | Company | Market Cap | Industry Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automatic Data Processing Inc | 122,341 | 17.93 % |
| 2 | Infosys Limited | 51,501 | 7.55 % |
| 3 | Workday Inc | 47,513 | 6.96 % |
| 4 | Zscaler Inc | 31,669 | 4.64 % |
| 5 | Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 6 | Verisign Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 7 | Verisk Analytics Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 8 | Samsara Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 9 | Wipro Limited | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 10 | Toast Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
Market cap and industry share for the rest of Automatic Data Processing Inc's industry peers requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API (daily market-structure computation) across CSIMarket's industry classification, market capitalization as of 2026-11-06.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Same-Size Peers & Stock Performance
Peers chosen by closeness in market-cap rank within the same industry classification (not the named-competitor list above). Trailing 12-month total return, 3-month price momentum, beta and Sharpe ratio vs the broad U.S. market.| Rank | Company | Market Cap | TTM Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automatic Data Processing Inc | 122,341 | 15.78 % |
| 2 | Infosys Limited | 51,501 | -23.39 % |
| 3 | Workday Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 4 | Zscaler Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 5 | Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 6 | Verisign Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
Market cap, return, momentum, beta and Sharpe ratio for the rest of Automatic Data Processing Inc's same-size peers requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API (daily market-structure computation); returns and risk metrics as of 2026-11-06. Beta and Sharpe ratio are versus the broad U.S. equity market, not this industry.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Profitability & Cost Structure
Trailing 12-month margins from SEC-filed financials. Operating margin is compared to the Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry median; gross margin, EBITDA margin and capital intensity are compared to the live industry average (257 companies). See the full Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry profitability benchmarks.| Metric | Company | Industry | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 72.27 % | 38.75 % (avg) | +33.5 pp |
| Operating Margin | - | industry median | - |
| EBITDA Margin | 33.03 % | 1.63 % (avg) | +31.4 pp |
| Capital Intensity (Capex / Revenue) | - | 5.89 % (avg) | - |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. SG&A and R&D as a share of revenue have limited coverage as this data is backfilled and appear only where reported. Higher capital intensity is not inherently negative; it reflects the industry's asset requirements.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Valuation vs Competitive Position
Valuation multiples vs the Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry average (257 companies, excluding loss-making/negative-equity outliers), alongside returns on capital for context on whether a premium or discount lines up with measurably stronger or weaker returns. See the full Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry valuation benchmarks.| Metric | Company | Industry Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E | 23.6x | 27.8x | -4.2x |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.6x | 14.0x | +0.6x |
| P/B | 17.8x | 3.9x | +13.9x |
| Return on Equity | 76.51 % | industry aggregate | 54.01 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | - | -0.37 % (avg) | - |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. A valuation premium or discount is not, by itself, a judgment of over- or under-valuation. Compare it against the return and growth context shown elsewhere on this page.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Multi-Year Financial Trajectory
Fiscal-year revenue growth, operating margin, return on invested capital and P/E, as reported in company reports.| Metric | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth | 8.22 % | 4.85 % | 0.55 % | 7.58 % | 9.88 % | 7.76 % | 7.09 % | 6.59 % |
| Operating Margin | 15.73 % | 13.87 % | 14.37 % | 15.16 % | 44.70 % | 72.75 % | 71.34 % | 73.09 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | 18.21 % | 14.19 % | 13.60 % | 14.61 % | 67.05 % | 113.13 % | 96.78 % | 83.83 % |
| P/E | 33.4x | 30.0x | 29.6x | 35.7x | 32.8x | 27.1x | 30.8x | 25.6x |
Source: CSIMarket API, fiscal-year figures. P/E is this company's own historical ratio at each fiscal year end and can swing sharply around an earnings trough: that is real, not a data error.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's BCG Growth-Share Matrix
See Methodology: BCG Growth-Share Matrix for how relative share and growth are calculated and thresholded.
Automatic Data Processing Inc falls in the Cash Cow quadrant: relative market share of 2.38x vs its largest competitor, in an industry growing revenue 4.0% (median, trailing 12 months).
Source: CSIMarket API (market-cap share and industry revenue growth). The 10% growth and 1.0x share lines are standard textbook thresholds, not derived from this industry's own distribution.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Competitive Forces (Porter's Five Forces)
Only the forces this data can support honestly are shown; the other three are marked as such rather than guessed.| Force | Assessment | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Competitive Rivalry | High | Industry HHI of 582 (see Industry Market Structure & Concentration above) |
Note: see Methodology: Porter's Five Forces. Supplier power and buyer power are covered on Automatic Data Processing Inc's dedicated Suppliers and Customers pages, not here.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Industry Attractiveness & Competitive Strength
See Methodology: GE/McKinsey Matrix for how the two axes are built.
Automatic Data Processing Inc falls in the Low attractiveness / High strength cell: Selective.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Each axis score is a simple 1(low)/2(medium)/3(high) average across its three inputs -- a transparent, disclosed simplification, not a validated academic scoring model.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's SWOT
Every point below is a fixed rule applied to a metric already shown elsewhere on this page (Market Structure, Profitability, Valuation, Run-Rate, Stock Performance, Quality Breadth) not an independent strategic assessment. A blank quadrant means no rule was met, not that none apply.Strengths
- Market leader by capitalization in its industry (#1 of 145, 17.93 % share).
- Return on equity 54.0 points above the industry aggregate.
- Outperforming the U.S.A. 500 over the trailing 12 months.
Weaknesses
No rule matched.
Opportunities
No rule matched.
Threats
- Tracked peer group's revenue run-rate is broadly decelerating (-3.5% annualized).
Methodology: see Methodology: SWOT Analysis.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Financial Strength vs Peers Comparison
Quick ratio, working capital, debt to equity and asset turnover, trailing 12 months| Company | Quick Ratio | Working Capital | Debt / Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic Data Processing Inc | 0.07 | 1.04 | 0.96 |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | 0.52 | 1.13 | 1.36 |
| Intuit Inc | 0.39 | 1.43 | 0.35 |
| Aon Plc | 0.06 | 1.06 | 1.86 |
| Paychex Inc | 0.18 | 1.27 | 1.22 |
| Equifax Inc | 0.08 | 0.68 | 1.17 |
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Quick ratio = cash / current liabilities; working capital ratio = current assets / current liabilities; asset turnover = revenue / total assets. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Revenue and Income Growth vs Peers
Quarterly revenue and net income growth, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Revenue Y/Y | Income Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic Data Processing Inc | Q3 2026 | +6.1 % | +11.1 % |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | Q3 2026 | +7.9 % | +6.7 % |
| Intuit Inc | Q2 2026 | +13.7 % | -4.7 % |
| Aon Plc | Q3 2026 | +2.6 % | +1.3 % |
| Paychex Inc | Q3 2026 | +5.9 % | +12.0 % |
| Equifax Inc | Q3 2026 | +9.6 % | +31.1 % |
| PEERS TOTAL | +6.1 % | +43.8 % |
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Growth is shown only where both periods are positive. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Peers' Costs of Sales and Capital Expenditures
Context for revenue growth: peer costs and capex, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Costs Y/Y | Capex Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic Data Processing Inc | Q3 2026 | +2,304.9 % | +20.6 % |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | Q3 2026 | - | +12.5 % |
| Intuit Inc | Q2 2026 | -2.3 % | +192.0 % |
| Aon Plc | Q3 2026 | - | +36.2 % |
| Paychex Inc | Q3 2026 | +3.9 % | -11.1 % |
| Equifax Inc | Q3 2026 | +13.4 % | +1.2 % |
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Automatic Data Processing Inc's Returns and Turnover vs Peers
ROA, ROI and ROE (trailing 12 months), receivables and inventory turnover| Company | ROA | ROI | ROE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic Data Processing Inc | 7.40% | 34.49% | 76.51% |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | 6.96% | 11.21% | 27.25% |
| Intuit Inc | 12.49% | 16.28% | 23.22% |
| Aon Plc | 7.15% | 9.96% | 40.15% |
| Paychex Inc | 10.96% | 19.01% | 46.36% |
| Equifax Inc | 6.26% | 7.36% | 16.52% |
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ROA = net income / total assets; ROI = net income / investments; ROE = net income / equity; turnover ratios use trailing 12 month revenue (receivables) and cost of sales (inventory).
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Valuation vs Peers
P/E, price to sales, PEG, price to cash flow and price to book| Company | P/E | Price / Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Data Processing Inc | 26.94 | 5.42 |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | 24.62 | 3.45 |
| Intuit Inc | 20.73 | 4.41 |
| Aon Plc | 18.55 | 4.03 |
| Paychex Inc | 23.23 | 6.32 |
| Equifax Inc | 30.78 | 3.40 |
| PEERS AVERAGE | 24.87 | 3.74 |
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P/E = price / diluted EPS (trailing 12 months); PEG = P/E divided by EPS growth; the average row divides the peers' combined market cap by their combined income, sales, cash flow and equity.