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 21,947M vs 111,322M combined for tracked competitors (16.5% combined share).
- Trending: Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is holding steady (-0.2% annualized vs trailing 12 months), vs decelerating (-2.1%) for its tracked peer group.
- Growth: Automatic Data Processing Inc generated 6.8% revenue growth year over year in Q4 2026, vs 6.1% for its tracked competitors combined.
- Profitability: Its 17.9% net margin compares with 12.6% for the peer group.
- Scale: Automatic Data Processing Inc ranks #1 of 165 companies by market capitalization in the Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry, holding 16.9% of industry market cap.
- Peer revenue share: Automatic Data Processing Inc accounted for 16.7% of combined revenue among its tracked peer group, up from 16.7% a year earlier.
- Peer differentiation: Revenue per employee of $0.38M compares with $0.38M for the peer group (1.0x).
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, Q4 2026
Automatic Data Processing Inc reported revenue growth of 6.77 % year on year in Q4 2026, above its competitors' combined revenue growth of 6.10 %.
With a net margin of 17.88 %, Automatic Data Processing Inc achieved higher profitability than its competitors (12.63 %).
Automatic Data Processing Inc generated 16.74 % of the combined sales of its peer group, up from 16.65 % a year earlier.
Automatic Data Processing Inc vs. its Competitors, Q4 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 an SEC filing; 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 (11) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Similar-Size Competitors (3) | $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 1.3% year over year, combined, vs 6.8% for Automatic Data Processing Inc. Automatic Data Processing Inc's share of combined industry revenue moved from 3.71% to 3.91%, a gain of 0.20 percentage points.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Competitor Quality Breadth
Share of each group, trailing 12 months: profitable (net margin > 0), expanding (revenue growth > 0), growing faster than the industry's own median, and financially distressed (Piotroski F-Score of 2 or below).
| 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 | Cass Information Systems Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 3 | Paycor Hcm Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 4 | Employers Holdings Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 5 | Cbiz Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
TTM share price return and U.S.A. 500 outperformance for Automatic Data Processing Inc's best-performing tracked 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 | 105,583.94 | 21,947.40 |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | 81,472.46 | 27,968.00 |
| Intuit Inc | 74,623.80 | 21,448.00 |
| Aon Plc | 58,202.19 | 17,603.00 |
| Paychex Inc | 35,410.38 | 6,602.50 |
| Equifax Inc | 17,376.98 | 6,444.50 |
| SUBTOTAL | 430,654.09 | 136,079.42 |
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Sources: Automatic Data Processing Inc's official press releases and regulatory filings; CSIMarket.com's market research; and the financial filings and press releases of the other companies cited.
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 SEC filings and corroborating sources, each with a basis and confidence.| Competitor | Basis | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Alight Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Equifax Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Paycor Hcm Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Commonwealth Income and Growth Fund V | Named by the company | 85% |
| Paycom Software Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Asure Software Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Insperity Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Trinet Group Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Audioeye Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Conduent Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Paylocity Holding Corporation | Named by the company | 85% |
| Barrett Business Services Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Workday Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| HRO Solutions | Named by the company | 85% |
| Its HCM Solutions | Named by the company | 85% |
| Orbotech Ltd | Named by the company | 85% |
Filing basis, confidence, active dates and source counts for Automatic Data Processing Inc's named competitors require a Commercial License.
Methodology: relationships are extracted from SEC filings (named-competitor disclosures) and corroborating sources. Named by the company = explicitly disclosed as a competitor; Inferred = derived from corroborating signals. Confidence reflects evidence strength.
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 67.96 % |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | Marsh Insurance Group 55.79 % |
| Intuit Inc | Consumer 61.61 % |
| Aon Plc | Risk Capital 70.80 % |
| Equifax Inc | Workforce Solutions 41.49 % |
| Paylocity Holding Corporation | Reportable 100.00 % |
Source: operating segment revenue as reported in each company's SEC filings (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 | 105,584 | 378,403 | 76,095 |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | 81,472 | 294,400 | 42,821 |
| Intuit Inc | 74,624 | 1,153,118 | 245,484 |
| Aon Plc | 58,202 | 293,383 | 65,650 |
| Paychex Inc | 35,410 | 375,142 | 102,614 |
| Equifax Inc | 17,377 | 429,633 | 46,420 |
| PEERS TOTAL | 325,070 | 382,936 | 50,081 |
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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 filing. 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 16.91 % |
| Cbiz Inc | United States 99.96 % |
| Insperity Inc | Northeast 27.81 % |
Source: revenue geography as reported in each company's SEC filings (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 148 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 148 companies by market capitalization in its industry, holding 16.92 % of total industry market cap. The industry's Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) is 546, indicating a unconcentrated market structure (U.S. antitrust guidance: below 1,500 unconcentrated, 1,500 to 2,500 moderately concentrated, above 2,500 highly concentrated).
| Rank | Company | Market Cap | Industry Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automatic Data Processing Inc | 105,523 | 16.92 % |
| 2 | Workday Inc | 45,532 | 7.30 % |
| 3 | Infosys Limited | 43,117 | 6.91 % |
| 4 | Zscaler Inc | 31,483 | 5.05 % |
| 5 | Reddit Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 6 | Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 7 | Verisign Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 8 | Verisk Analytics Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 9 | Toast Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 10 | Wipro Limited | 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 2026-09-28.
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 | 105,523 | -9.43 % |
| 2 | Workday Inc | 45,532 | -23.85 % |
| 3 | Infosys Limited | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 4 | Zscaler Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 5 | Reddit Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 6 | Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation | 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 2026-09-28. 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 (203 companies).| Metric | Company | Industry | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 84.82 % | 51.85 % (avg) | +33.0 pp |
| Operating Margin | - | industry median | - |
| EBITDA Margin | 33.33 % | 2.97 % (avg) | +30.4 pp |
| Capital Intensity (Capex / Revenue) | - | 5.21 % (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 (203 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.| Metric | Company | Industry Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E | 21.2x | 27.6x | -6.5x |
| EV / EBITDA | 12.9x | 16.4x | -3.6x |
| P/B | 14.9x | 4.0x | +11.0x |
| Return on Equity | 70.78 % | industry aggregate | 60.04 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | - | 1.95 % (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 SEC filings.| 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 % | 108.59 % | 95.09 % | 83.83 % |
| P/E | 33.4x | 30.0x | 29.6x | 35.7x | 32.8x | 27.0x | 31.1x | 24.7x |
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
Relative market share (vs Automatic Data Processing Inc's largest competitor by market cap) against industry revenue growth, using the standard textbook thresholds (1.0x share, 10% growth) a common framework, not a precision instrument.
Automatic Data Processing Inc falls in the Cash Cow quadrant: relative market share of 2.32x vs its largest competitor, in an industry growing revenue 5.4% (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 546 (see Industry Market Structure & Concentration above) |
| Supplier Power | Not covered on this page | See Automatic Data Processing Inc's dedicated suppliers page for concentration and dependency data |
| Buyer Power | Not covered on this page | See Automatic Data Processing Inc's dedicated customers page for concentration and dependency data |
| Threat of Substitutes | - | No systematic data source for cross-product substitution exists in this system; not estimated |
Note: this is a partial, data-grounded application of the framework, not a complete strategic assessment. Rivalry and barriers-to-entry readings are mechanical translations of the HHI and capital-intensity figures shown elsewhere on this page, not independent judgments.
Automatic Data Processing Inc's Industry Attractiveness & Competitive Strength
A CSIMarket composite, not a standard field: each axis is an equal-weighted average of three factors already shown elsewhere on this page (industry growth, industry profitability and rivalry for attractiveness; relative market share, profitability and growth vs industry for strength). Disclosed as a designed methodology, not a precision measurement.
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 148, 16.92 % share).
- Return on equity 60.0 points above the industry aggregate.
Weaknesses
- Underperforming the U.S.A. 500 over the trailing 12 months.
Opportunities
No rule matched.
Threats
- Tracked peer group's revenue run-rate is broadly decelerating (-2.1% annualized).
Methodology: mechanical, rule-based SWOT. Each bullet reuses a figure already sourced and cited elsewhere on this page; nothing here is generated narrative or independent analyst judgment.
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 | 1.05 | 1.08 |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | 0.68 | 1.13 | 1.33 |
| Intuit Inc | 0.39 | 1.43 | 0.35 |
| Aon Plc | 0.05 | 1.06 | 1.66 |
| Paychex Inc | 0.18 | 1.27 | 1.22 |
| Equifax Inc | 0.08 | 0.63 | 1.12 |
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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 | Q2 2026 | +6.8 % | +7.5 % |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | Q2 2026 | +6.1 % | +4.9 % |
| Intuit Inc | Q2 2026 | +13.7 % | -4.7 % |
| Aon Plc | Q2 2026 | +2.2 % | -4.9 % |
| Paychex Inc | Q3 2026 | +5.9 % | +12.0 % |
| Equifax Inc | Q2 2026 | +10.6 % | -3.9 % |
| PEERS TOTAL | +6.0 % | +32.2 % |
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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 | Q2 2026 | +2,340.2 % | +39.3 % |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | Q2 2026 | - | +22.0 % |
| Intuit Inc | Q2 2026 | -2.3 % | +192.0 % |
| Aon Plc | Q2 2026 | - | +14.1 % |
| Paychex Inc | Q3 2026 | +3.9 % | -11.1 % |
| Equifax Inc | Q2 2026 | +16.4 % | +10.5 % |
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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 | 7.50% | 33.58% | 70.78% |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | 6.90% | 11.32% | 26.71% |
| Intuit Inc | 12.49% | 16.28% | 23.22% |
| Aon Plc | 7.60% | 9.54% | 42.34% |
| Paychex Inc | 10.96% | 19.01% | 46.36% |
| Equifax Inc | 5.85% | 6.95% | 15.02% |
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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 | 23.97 | 4.81 |
| Marsh and Mclennan Companies Inc | 20.71 | 2.91 |
| Intuit Inc | 16.36 | 3.48 |
| Aon Plc | 15.02 | 3.31 |
| Paychex Inc | 19.70 | 5.36 |
| Equifax Inc | 25.71 | 2.70 |
| PEERS AVERAGE | 22.27 | 3.16 |
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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.