Pictet North America Advisors SA Buys 2,497 Shares of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. $ADP

Pictet North America Advisors SA boosted its stake in shares of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADP) by 7.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 37,988 shares of the business services provider’s stock after buying an additional 2,497 shares during the period. Pictet North America Advisors SA’s holdings in Automatic Data Processing were worth $9,772,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of ADP. Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Automatic Data Processing in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Howard Hughes Medical Institute purchased a new position in shares of Automatic Data Processing during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. TruNorth Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Automatic Data Processing during the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Cloud Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Automatic Data Processing during the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Board of the Pension Protection Fund purchased a new stake in Automatic Data Processing in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. 80.03% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have issued reports on ADP shares. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on shares of Automatic Data Processing from $280.00 to $270.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Automatic Data Processing from $295.00 to $275.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Automatic Data Processing from $262.00 to $214.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Guggenheim started coverage on Automatic Data Processing in a report on Thursday, March 19th. They set a “buy” rating and a $270.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on Automatic Data Processing in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $306.00 price objective on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Automatic Data Processing has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $284.77.

Insider Transactions at Automatic Data Processing

In other news, VP Brian L. Michaud sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $234.18, for a total transaction of $234,180.00. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 15,310 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,585,295.80. This trade represents a 6.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, VP David Foskett sold 266 shares of Automatic Data Processing stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $237.00, for a total value of $63,042.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 10,954 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,596,098. The trade was a 2.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 4,058 shares of company stock worth $1,000,263 over the last quarter. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Automatic Data Processing Price Performance

Shares of ADP stock opened at $201.28 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $81.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.35 and a beta of 0.86. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $220.50 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $251.46. Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has a one year low of $197.08 and a one year high of $329.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 1.03.

Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ:ADP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The business services provider reported $2.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.57 by $0.05. Automatic Data Processing had a return on equity of 68.44% and a net margin of 19.96%.The firm had revenue of $5.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.34 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.35 earnings per share. Automatic Data Processing’s quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. Automatic Data Processing has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.091-11.011 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Automatic Data Processing, Inc. will post 9.93 EPS for the current year.

Automatic Data Processing Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th were issued a $1.70 dividend. This represents a $6.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 13th. Automatic Data Processing’s dividend payout ratio is currently 65.38%.

Automatic Data Processing declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Wednesday, January 14th that allows the company to buyback $6.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the business services provider to purchase up to 5.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Key Headlines Impacting Automatic Data Processing

Here are the key news stories impacting Automatic Data Processing this week:

• Positive Sentiment: ADP’s own March National Employment Report showed private sector employment rose +62,000 and annual pay was up 4.5%, data that supports continued demand for payroll and HR services. ADP National Employment Report
• Positive Sentiment: ADP research shows small private firms (sub-50 employees) drove the bulk of payroll gains last month (+85k in a cited dataset), a favorable trend for ADP’s SMB-facing products. No Foolin’: ADP Jobs Led by Small Companies
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary urging investors to retain ADP points to steady revenue growth, rising EPS outlook and a strong dividend track record — supportive for longer‑term holders. Here’s Why You Should Retain ADP Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: UBS reaffirmed a Hold rating on ADP, signaling no immediate upside from that shop but not a fresh sell signal either. UBS Reaffirms Hold on ADP
• Negative Sentiment: Investors advanced an ERISA suit over ADP 401(k) plan fees — potential legal exposure and reputational risk that can pressure the stock. ADP 401(k) Investors Advance ERISA Suit
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo cut its price target sharply (to $214 from $262) and reiterated an Underweight rating, citing multiple‑compression — a clear near‑term headwind for investor sentiment. Wells Fargo Cuts Price Target on ADP
• Negative Sentiment: Short interest in ADP rose ~18% in March, indicating increasing bearish bets that can amplify downside pressure if sentiment deteriorates. ADP Short Interest Up 18%
• Negative Sentiment: High‑profile criticism from commentators (e.g., Jim Cramer) that the company can be “disenfranchised” like peers may accelerate fund flow out of the name and weigh on retail sentiment. Jim Cramer on ADP

Automatic Data Processing Company Profile

Automatic Data Processing, Inc (ADP) is a global provider of cloud-based human capital management (HCM) and payroll solutions. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey, ADP began as a payroll processing company and has evolved into a diversified provider of workforce management, HR, benefits administration, tax and compliance services, and analytics for employers of all sizes.

ADP’s product portfolio includes payroll processing and tax filing, time and attendance systems, benefits administration, talent management, and HR outsourcing.