ADP vs. TRU: Automatic Data Processing vs. TransUnion Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and TransUnion (TRU) 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 TransUnion (TRU) both belong to the Professional Services industry, though ADP is classified under Human Resource & Employment Services while TRU falls under Research & Consulting Services.

Company profile comparison for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and TransUnion (TRU)
Profile Item	ADP	TRU
Name	Automatic Data Processing Inc.	TransUnion
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Commercial & Professional Services	Commercial & Professional Services
GICS Industry	Professional Services	Professional Services
GICS Sub-Industry	Human Resource & Employment Services	Research & Consulting Services
Market Capitalization	119.75 billion USD	15.48 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	March 17, 1980	June 25, 2015
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ADP

TRU

GSPC

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU), 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 TransUnion (TRU). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and TransUnion (TRU). 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 TransUnion (TRU)
Metric	ADP	TRU
Total Return (1Y)	22.40%	3.77%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	12.77%	16.74%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	8.08%	-5.77%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ADP

TRU

GSPC

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU), 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 TransUnion (TRU). 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 TransUnion (TRU)
Metric	ADP	TRU
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	28.04%	42.86%
Beta (5Y)	0.76	1.52
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-40.78%	-63.37%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.16M	2.74M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

ADP and TRU 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 TransUnion (TRU)
Metric	ADP	TRU
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.65	-0.01
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.02	-0.02

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 78.94% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than TransUnion (TRU) at 16.96%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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%

TRU

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

16.96%

Max: 47.06%
Q3: 25.43%
TRU: 16.96%
Median: 14.11%
Q1: 3.92%
Min: -20.15%

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 20.33% and TransUnion (TRU) at 15.83% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

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%

TRU

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

15.83%

Max: 23.28%
TRU: 15.83%
Q3: 11.35%
Median: 5.65%
Q1: 0.87%
Min: -8.60%

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 26.73% and TransUnion (TRU) at 20.36% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

TRU

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

20.36%

Max: 38.50%
TRU: 20.36%
Q3: 18.84%
Median: 10.40%
Q1: 5.59%
Min: -12.00%

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and TransUnion (TRU)
Metric	ADP	TRU
ROE (TTM)	78.94%	16.96%
ROA (TTM)	6.32%	5.25%
Net Margin (TTM)	20.33%	15.83%
Operating Margin (TTM)	26.73%	20.36%
Gross Margin (TTM)	48.83%	58.82%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 6.74% and TransUnion (TRU) at 9.38% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

TransUnion (TRU) at 60.00% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 9.62% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for TRU.

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and TransUnion (TRU)
Metric	ADP	TRU
Revenue Growth (YoY)	6.74%	9.38%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	6.81%	7.25%
EPS Growth (YoY)	9.62%	60.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	10.04%	18.34%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

TransUnion (TRU) at 2.03 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

TRU

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.03

Max: 3.63
Q3: 2.14
TRU: 2.03
Median: 1.55
Q1: 1.09
Min: 0.45

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 1.10 and TransUnion (TRU) at 1.10 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

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

TRU

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.10

Max: 2.37
Q3: 1.25
TRU: 1.10
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.35
Min: 0.00

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): 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 TransUnion (TRU)
Metric	ADP	TRU
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.03	2.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.10	1.10
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.35	2.90

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 2.21% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while TransUnion (TRU) at 0.62% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, ADP the richer one.

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%

TRU

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.62%

Max: 4.33%
Q3: 1.80%
TRU: 0.62%
Median: 0.60%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

TransUnion (TRU) at 11.92% 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%

TRU

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

11.92%

Max: 99.58%
Q3: 41.99%
Median: 17.27%
TRU: 11.92%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -17.94%

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and TransUnion (TRU)
Metric	ADP	TRU
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.21%	0.62%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	60.28%	11.92%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 26.89 and TransUnion (TRU) at 19.75 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

TRU

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

19.75

Max: 49.47
Q3: 33.76
Median: 24.16
TRU: 19.75
Q1: 16.01
Min: 1.89

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

TransUnion (TRU) at 3.07 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

TRU

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.07

Max: 7.17
Q3: 3.35
TRU: 3.07
Median: 1.33
Q1: 0.69
Min: 0.11

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

TransUnion (TRU) at 3.19 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at 23.57 prices above its benchmark range — ADP looks rich relative to book.

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

TRU

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.19

Max: 11.25
Q3: 6.08
TRU: 3.19
Median: 2.92
Q1: 1.55
Min: -2.78

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) vs. TransUnion (TRU): 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 TransUnion (TRU)
Metric	ADP	TRU
P/E Ratio (TTM)	26.89	19.75
P/S Ratio (TTM)	5.38	3.07
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	23.57	3.19
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	5.40%	5.91%