Stocks analysis

ACN vs ADP Stock Comparison

Scores Breakdown

Metric ACN ADP
📈 Growth 22/30 22/30
💰 Profitability 18/20 18/20
🏦 Financial Health 18/20 9/20
💵 Valuation 16/20 14/20
⚠️ Risk (lower is better) 4/10 6/10
Overall Score 80/100 67/100

Side-by-Side Summaries

ACN Analysis ADP Analysis

📈 Growth & Financial Trajectory

Over 8 quarters, revenues moved from $16.41B (2024 Q4) to $18.72B (2026 Q3), a cumulative rise of about 14%. Net income increased from roughly $1.68B to $2.34B, up about 39%, signaling improving operating leverage as scale widens. The trend shows quarterly fluctuations but an overall positive trajectory with gradually rising profitability.

💰 Margins & Cash Flow

  • Gross margin remains in the 32-34% range, supporting durable profitability.
  • Operating margin hovers around 16-17%, indicating meaningful operating leverage with revenue growth.
  • Net cash flow from operating activities stays robust, averaging near $3.7B per quarter; the latest quarter shows a positive, albeit modest, overall cash position as investing and financing outflows offset operating cash flow.

🛡️ Balance Sheet & Liquidity

  • Current assets around $28-29B vs. current liabilities near $19-22B, implying a healthy liquidity cushion (latest current ratio ~1.3–1.4).
  • Noncurrent liabilities about $13-14B against equity of roughly $31-33B, with total assets near $63-69B, indicating solid balance-sheet resilience and solvency dynamics.

⚠️ Key Drivers & Risks

  • Drivers: AI & Data/Cloud transformation demand; scalable global services with cross-sell opportunities.
  • Risks: cyclicality in IT spend, valuation sensitivity to growth expectations, competitive intensity.

📈 Growth & Financial Trajectory

Across eight quarters, ADP's revenue hovered around $5.25B–$5.56B, finishing at about $5.359B in the latest quarter, a modest gain from the start. Net income rose from roughly $956.3M to $1.062B, an ~11% increase. There was a mid-period dip in 2025 Q4, but the longer trajectory remains stable-to-up with solid profitability.

💰 Margins & Cash Flow

  • Gross Margin fluctuated roughly 45%–52%, averaging around the mid-40s to high-40s.
  • Operating Margin consistently around 23% in recent quarters.
  • Net Margin near 19–20%.
  • Operating cash flow remains solid around $1.0–$1.4B per quarter; net cash flow is affected by financing activity in some periods, with a large financing inflow in the latest quarter.

🛡️ Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Total assets generally in the mid-to-high $50B range; liabilities near $50–$60B and equity around $4–$6B, yielding a modest liquidity buffer as current assets roughly equal current liabilities. Leverage is elevated but cash generation is steady.

⚠️ Key Drivers & Risks

  • Drivers: Recurring payroll/data processing services; broad client base and scale advantages.
  • Risks: Regulatory/macro shifts and reliance on financing activity in some periods, creating sensitivity to funding costs and leverage.