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ADP vs. BAH: Automatic Data Processing vs. Booz Allen Hamilton Stock Comparison

How do Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) both belong to the Professional Services industry, though ADP is classified under Human Resource & Employment Services while BAH falls under Research & Consulting Services.

Company profile comparison for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH)
Profile ItemADPBAH
NameAutomatic Data Processing Inc.Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryProfessional ServicesProfessional Services
GICS Sub-IndustryHuman Resource & Employment ServicesResearch & Consulting Services
Market Capitalization119.75 billion USD10.16 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980November 18, 2010
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ADP
BAH
GSPC
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH)
MetricADPBAH
Total Return (1Y)22.40%2.63%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)12.77%-9.38%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.08%1.84%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ADP
BAH
GSPC
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH)
MetricADPBAH
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)28.04%42.02%
Beta (5Y)0.760.29
Max Drawdown (5Y)-40.78%-66.59%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.16M1.79M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ADP and BAH are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH)
MetricADPBAH
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.65-0.04
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.02-0.06

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 78.94% and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at 70.00% turn shareholders’ equity into profit at rates above their industry benchmark ranges for ROE. That is a strong capital-efficiency signal, though leverage and the equity base still matter.

ADP

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

78.94%

ADP
78.94%
Max
47.06%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
Min
-20.15%

BAH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

70.00%

BAH
70.00%
Max
47.06%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
Min
-20.15%
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 20.33% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at 7.14%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ADP

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

20.33%

Max
23.28%
ADP
20.33%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
Min
-8.60%

BAH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

7.14%

Max
23.28%
Q3
11.35%
BAH
7.14%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
Min
-8.60%
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 26.73% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at 8.82%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ADP

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

26.73%

Max
38.50%
ADP
26.73%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%

BAH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

8.82%

Max
38.50%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
BAH
8.82%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH)
MetricADPBAH
ROE (TTM)78.94%70.00%
ROA (TTM)6.32%8.48%
Net Margin (TTM)20.33%7.14%
Operating Margin (TTM)26.73%8.82%
Gross Margin (TTM)48.83%22.58%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 6.74% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at -6.37% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 9.62% and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at -4.83% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH)
MetricADPBAH
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.74%-6.37%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.81%6.60%
EPS Growth (YoY)9.62%-4.83%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)10.04%50.35%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at 1.44 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 1.03 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for ADP.

ADP

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.03

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
ADP
1.03
Min
0.45

BAH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.44

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
Median
1.55
BAH
1.44
Q1
1.09
Min
0.45
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 1.10 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at 3.78 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

ADP

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.10

Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
ADP
1.10
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00

BAH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.78

BAH
3.78
Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH)
MetricADPBAH
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.031.44
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.103.78
Net Debt / EBITDA0.353.56

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 2.21% and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at 2.60% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

ADP

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.21%

Max
4.33%
ADP
2.21%
Q3
1.80%
Median
0.60%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

BAH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.60%

Max
4.33%
BAH
2.60%
Q3
1.80%
Median
0.60%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at 36.02% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 60.28% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

ADP

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

60.28%

Max
99.58%
ADP
60.28%
Q3
41.99%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%

BAH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

36.02%

Max
99.58%
Q3
41.99%
BAH
36.02%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH)
MetricADPBAH
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.21%2.60%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)60.28%36.02%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at 13.25 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 26.89 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for BAH, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

ADP

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

26.89

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
ADP
26.89
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89

BAH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

13.25

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
BAH
13.25
Min
1.89
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at 0.93 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 5.38 sits in the pricier quartile — ADP costs more per dollar of sales.

ADP

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

5.38

Max
7.17
ADP
5.38
Q3
3.35
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11

BAH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.93

Max
7.17
Q3
3.35
Median
1.33
BAH
0.93
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) at 8.17 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 23.57 prices even higher, above its industry range.

ADP

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

23.57

ADP
23.57
Max
11.25
Q3
6.08
Median
2.92
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78

BAH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

8.17

Max
11.25
BAH
8.17
Q3
6.08
Median
2.92
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78
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Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH)
MetricADPBAH
P/E Ratio (TTM)26.8913.25
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.380.93
P/B Ratio (MRQ)23.578.17
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)5.40%7.76%