ADP vs PAYX
Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Paychex (PAYX) compared side by side. Automatic Data Processing (ADP) is larger, with a market cap of $120.5B versus $42.0B for Paychex, about 2.9 times the size. On trailing earnings, PAYX is cheaper at 23.4x versus 27.8x for ADP.
Head to head
| Metric | ADP | PAYX |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $120.5B | $42.0B |
| P/E (TTM) | 27.8x | 23.4x |
| Forward P/E | 22.7x | 18.5x |
| Revenue (TTM) | $21.9B | $6.6B |
| Revenue growth | 6.8% | 5.9% |
| Gross margin | 48.7% | 74.4% |
| Operating margin | 23.5% | 38.5% |
| Free cash flow | $4.8B | $2.0B |
| Dividend yield | 2.24% | 4.03% |
| 1-year return | +11.2% | -1.2% |
| 5-year return (annual) | +9.3% | +2.2% |
| Max drawdown | -59% | -65% |
| FI Handbook grade | B- | B |
Highlighted: the stronger figure on metrics where higher or lower is clearly better.
Growth of $10,000 (5 years, price only)
ADP vs PAYX FAQ
Which is bigger, ADP or PAYX?
Automatic Data Processing (ADP) is larger, with a market cap of $120.5B versus $42.0B for Paychex, about 2.9 times the size.
Is ADP or PAYX cheaper?
On trailing earnings, PAYX is cheaper at 23.4x versus 27.8x for ADP. A lower P/E can reflect slower expected growth, so compare growth and margins too.
Which stock performed better over the past year, ADP or PAYX?
ADP returned +11.2% over the past year including dividends, versus -1.2% for PAYX, through October 23, 2026.
Which pays a higher dividend, ADP or PAYX?
PAYX yields 4.03% versus 2.24% for ADP.
Full pages: Automatic Data Processing · Paychex