ADP vs AES Stock Comparison

Scores Breakdown

Metric	ADP	AES
📈 Growth	26/30	12/30
💰 Profitability	18/20	10/20
🏦 Financial Health	12/20	12/20
💵 Valuation	14/20	8/20
⚠️ Risk (lower is better)	6/10	4/10
Overall Score	74/100	48/100

Side-by-Side Summaries

ADP Analysis	AES Analysis
📈 Growth & Financial Trajectory Over the 8 quarters, revenues rose from about $4.77B (2024 Q4) to about $5.36B (2026 Q4). Net income progressed from roughly $0.83B to $1.06B, a 28% increase, signaling earnings leverage as the top line expanded. The quarterly path fluctuated—peaking near $5.55B in 2025 Q3/Q4 before settling in the $5.2–$5.36B range—yet the trend remains clearly positive. The Gross Margin held in the high-40s to mid-50s, while Operating Margin stayed in the low- to mid-20s, underpinning a solid profitability trajectory. 💰 Margins & Cash Flow Gross Margin: roughly 46–56% across periods, with a peak around 56%. Operating Margin: generally 20–24%, supporting meaningful operating leverage. Net cash flow from operating activities was consistently positive in most quarters, while investing cash flow was mostly modestly negative and financing activity contributed steady liquidity. 🛡️ Balance Sheet & Liquidity Current assets ($52B) vs current liabilities ($50B) yields a tight but adequate liquidity cushion. Liabilities ($57B) exceed equity ($6B), indicating leverage, but assets and ongoing operating cash flows provide resilience. The balance sheet remains stable with a solid asset base. ⚠️ Key Drivers & Risks Drivers: Recurring payroll/data-processing demand; large installed base and stable cash flows. Risks: Valuation sensitivity to growth momentum; exposure to regulatory shifts or macro cycles.	📈 Growth & Financial Trajectory Over the observed 7 quarters, AES's revenues hovered near $3.0B, ending around $2.42B in 2026 Q2, while net income remained positive overall, indicating resilience despite quarterly volatility. The trend shows modest growth from early 2025 into late 2025, with some weakness in 2026 Q2 driven by lower topline and mix. Overall, earnings resilience persisted through the period. 💰 Margins & Cash Flow Gross margin ranged roughly in the high 20s and low 30s percentage; operating margin varied around the mid-teens in stronger quarters and contracted when costs rose. Net cash from operating activities was typically solid (around $1.0B per quarter), but investing cash flow was consistently negative, leading to fluctuating free cash flow and reliance on financing for liquidity. 🛡️ Balance Sheet & Liquidity Total assets near $50B+, liabilities around $40B, and equity near $9–9.8B. Current ratio hovered below 1 in some quarters, reflecting funded working capital needs. Redeemable interests and temporary equity add complexity; overall balance sheet appears leveraged but with steady cash generation. ⚠️ Key Drivers & Risks Drivers: Regulated utility earnings, renewable integration, stable demand Risks: Commodity/energy price sensitivity, regulatory/policy shifts, interest-rate exposure

ADP Analysis

AES Analysis

📈 Growth & Financial Trajectory

Over the 8 quarters, revenues rose from about $4.77B (2024 Q4) to about $5.36B (2026 Q4). Net income progressed from roughly $0.83B to $1.06B, a 28% increase, signaling earnings leverage as the top line expanded. The quarterly path fluctuated—peaking near $5.55B in 2025 Q3/Q4 before settling in the $5.2–$5.36B range—yet the trend remains clearly positive. The Gross Margin held in the high-40s to mid-50s, while Operating Margin stayed in the low- to mid-20s, underpinning a solid profitability trajectory.

💰 Margins & Cash Flow

Gross Margin: roughly 46–56% across periods, with a peak around 56%.
Operating Margin: generally 20–24%, supporting meaningful operating leverage.
Net cash flow from operating activities was consistently positive in most quarters, while investing cash flow was mostly modestly negative and financing activity contributed steady liquidity.

🛡️ Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current assets ($52B) vs current liabilities ($50B) yields a tight but adequate liquidity cushion.
Liabilities ($57B) exceed equity ($6B), indicating leverage, but assets and ongoing operating cash flows provide resilience. The balance sheet remains stable with a solid asset base.

⚠️ Key Drivers & Risks

Drivers: Recurring payroll/data-processing demand; large installed base and stable cash flows.
Risks: Valuation sensitivity to growth momentum; exposure to regulatory shifts or macro cycles.

📈 Growth & Financial Trajectory

Over the observed 7 quarters, AES's revenues hovered near $3.0B, ending around $2.42B in 2026 Q2, while net income remained positive overall, indicating resilience despite quarterly volatility. The trend shows modest growth from early 2025 into late 2025, with some weakness in 2026 Q2 driven by lower topline and mix. Overall, earnings resilience persisted through the period.

💰 Margins & Cash Flow

Gross margin ranged roughly in the high 20s and low 30s percentage; operating margin varied around the mid-teens in stronger quarters and contracted when costs rose. Net cash from operating activities was typically solid (around $1.0B per quarter), but investing cash flow was consistently negative, leading to fluctuating free cash flow and reliance on financing for liquidity.

🛡️ Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Total assets near $50B+, liabilities around $40B, and equity near $9–9.8B. Current ratio hovered below 1 in some quarters, reflecting funded working capital needs. Redeemable interests and temporary equity add complexity; overall balance sheet appears leveraged but with steady cash generation.

⚠️ Key Drivers & Risks

Drivers: Regulated utility earnings, renewable integration, stable demand
Risks: Commodity/energy price sensitivity, regulatory/policy shifts, interest-rate exposure

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