ADP vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ADP and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
ADP is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | ADP | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Automatic Data Processing, Inc. | ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Professional Services | Air Freight & Logistics |
| Market Capitalization | 125.17 billion USD | 15.86 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | October 27, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ADP and ZTO by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ADP | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.25% | -1.28% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -4.27% | 13.58% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -0.30% | 1.98% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 15.76% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -1.22% | 1.84% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 4.44% | 2.25% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.40M | 3.39M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.62M | 2.52M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 17.03% | 39.66% |
| Beta | 0.86 | 0.85 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ADP
72.62%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 52.17%
- Q3
- 30.06%
- Median
- 22.21%
- Q1
- 11.67%
- Min
- -13.44%
ADP’s Return on Equity of 72.62% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Professional Services industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
ZTO
15.30%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.27%
- Q3
- 18.47%
- Median
- 11.35%
- Q1
- 7.21%
- Min
- 2.53%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 15.30% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ADP
19.84%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 26.06%
- Q3
- 13.34%
- Median
- 7.88%
- Q1
- 3.50%
- Min
- -2.93%
A Net Profit Margin of 19.84% places ADP in the upper quartile for the Professional Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
ZTO
20.76%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 10.27%
- Q3
- 6.18%
- Median
- 3.96%
- Q1
- 2.32%
- Min
- 0.61%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 20.76% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ADP
26.32%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 35.84%
- Q3
- 19.38%
- Median
- 12.54%
- Q1
- 7.36%
- Min
- -5.21%
An Operating Profit Margin of 26.32% places ADP in the upper quartile for the Professional Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
ZTO
25.33%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 17.40%
- Q3
- 8.87%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.03%
- Min
- 0.62%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 25.33% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ADP | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 72.62% | 15.30% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.30% | 10.15% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 19.84% | 20.76% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 26.32% | 25.33% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 47.37% | 29.65% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ADP
1.05
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 2.45
- Q3
- 1.65
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 1.10
- Min
- 0.47
ADP’s Current Ratio of 1.05 falls into the lower quartile for the Professional Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
ZTO
1.05
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.83
- Q3
- 1.47
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 1.05
- Min
- 0.62
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.05 falls into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ADP
1.41
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 2.63
- Q3
- 1.44
- Median
- 0.91
- Q1
- 0.49
- Min
- 0.00
ADP’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.41 is typical for the Professional Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
ZTO
0.27
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.06
- Median
- 0.72
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.27 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
ADP
39.45
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 39.67
- Q3
- 20.05
- Median
- 11.07
- Q1
- 5.36
- Min
- -2.22
ADP’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 39.45 is in the upper quartile for the Professional Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.56
- Q1
- 5.97
- Min
- -0.60
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ADP | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.05 | 1.05 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.05 | 0.87 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.41 | 0.27 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 39.45 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ADP
1.92%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 5.28%
- Q3
- 2.51%
- Median
- 1.63%
- Q1
- 0.62%
- Min
- 0.00%
ADP’s Dividend Yield of 1.92% is consistent with its peers in the Professional Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 6.43%
- Q3
- 3.10%
- Median
- 2.40%
- Q1
- 0.46%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
ADP
58.80%
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 109.23%
- Q3
- 64.39%
- Median
- 47.00%
- Q1
- 20.35%
- Min
- 0.00%
ADP’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 58.80% is within the typical range for the Professional Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 92.80%
- Median
- 54.10%
- Q1
- 0.19%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ADP | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.92% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 58.80% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ADP
30.59
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 49.59
- Q3
- 36.59
- Median
- 28.13
- Q1
- 18.55
- Min
- 10.07
ADP’s P/E Ratio of 30.59 is within the middle range for the Professional Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
ZTO
12.01
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 34.55
- Q3
- 23.34
- Median
- 16.33
- Q1
- 13.38
- Min
- 6.36
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.01 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ADP
6.07
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 9.54
- Q3
- 5.11
- Median
- 2.10
- Q1
- 0.75
- Min
- 0.11
ADP’s P/S Ratio of 6.07 is in the upper echelon for the Professional Services industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
ZTO
2.49
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.13
- Q3
- 1.16
- Median
- 0.59
- Q1
- 0.36
- Min
- 0.18
With a P/S Ratio of 2.49, ZTO trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ADP
20.23
Professional Services Industry
- Max
- 13.75
- Q3
- 8.87
- Median
- 4.35
- Q1
- 2.43
- Min
- 0.54
At 20.23, ADP’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Professional Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
ZTO
1.82
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 3.13
- Q3
- 2.81
- Median
- 1.82
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.74
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.82 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ADP | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 30.59 | 12.01 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 6.07 | 2.49 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 20.23 | 1.82 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 28.41 | 9.58 |