Pictet North America Advisors SA Buys 2,497 Shares of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. $ADP

Pictet North America Advisors SA grew its stake in Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADP) by 7.0% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 37,988 shares of the business services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,497 shares during the quarter. Pictet North America Advisors SA’s holdings in Automatic Data Processing were worth $9,772,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in ADP. Banque Pictet & Cie SA boosted its holdings in shares of Automatic Data Processing by 312.0% in the 4th quarter. Banque Pictet & Cie SA now owns 47,816 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $12,300,000 after buying an additional 36,211 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Capital Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Automatic Data Processing during the 4th quarter worth approximately $354,000. Bank Pictet & Cie Europe AG raised its stake in shares of Automatic Data Processing by 48.1% during the 4th quarter. Bank Pictet & Cie Europe AG now owns 4,842 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,246,000 after acquiring an additional 1,572 shares in the last quarter. Lodestone Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Automatic Data Processing during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $72,000. Finally, Community Financial Services Group LLC boosted its stake in Automatic Data Processing by 1.6% in the fourth quarter. Community Financial Services Group LLC now owns 7,416 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,908,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. 80.03% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Automatic Data Processing Stock Down 0.9%

ADP stock opened at $201.28 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $81.04 billion, a PE ratio of 19.35 and a beta of 0.86. Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has a 52 week low of $197.08 and a 52 week high of $329.93. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $220.50 and a 200 day moving average of $251.46.

Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ:ADP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The business services provider reported $2.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.57 by $0.05. Automatic Data Processing had a net margin of 19.96% and a return on equity of 68.44%. The business had revenue of $5.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.34 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.35 EPS. Automatic Data Processing’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Automatic Data Processing has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.091-11.011 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Automatic Data Processing, Inc. will post 9.93 earnings per share for the current year.

Automatic Data Processing declared that its board has initiated a share repurchase program on Wednesday, January 14th that allows the company to buyback $6.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the business services provider to purchase up to 5.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Automatic Data Processing Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Investors of record on Friday, March 13th were paid a $1.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 13th. This represents a $6.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.4%. Automatic Data Processing’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 65.38%.

Insider Transactions at Automatic Data Processing

In other news, VP David Foskett sold 266 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $237.00, for a total value of $63,042.00. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 10,954 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,596,098. This represents a 2.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP David Kwon sold 900 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $260.00, for a total value of $234,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 11,993 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,118,180. The trade was a 6.98% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 4,058 shares of company stock worth $1,000,263. Insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Automatic Data Processing

Here are the key news stories impacting Automatic Data Processing this week:

• Positive Sentiment: ADP’s own March National Employment Report showed private sector employment rose +62,000 and annual pay was up 4.5%, data that supports continued demand for payroll and HR services. ADP National Employment Report
• Positive Sentiment: ADP research shows small private firms (sub-50 employees) drove the bulk of payroll gains last month (+85k in a cited dataset), a favorable trend for ADP’s SMB-facing products. No Foolin’: ADP Jobs Led by Small Companies
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary urging investors to retain ADP points to steady revenue growth, rising EPS outlook and a strong dividend track record — supportive for longer‑term holders. Here’s Why You Should Retain ADP Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: UBS reaffirmed a Hold rating on ADP, signaling no immediate upside from that shop but not a fresh sell signal either. UBS Reaffirms Hold on ADP
• Negative Sentiment: Investors advanced an ERISA suit over ADP 401(k) plan fees — potential legal exposure and reputational risk that can pressure the stock. ADP 401(k) Investors Advance ERISA Suit
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo cut its price target sharply (to $214 from $262) and reiterated an Underweight rating, citing multiple‑compression — a clear near‑term headwind for investor sentiment. Wells Fargo Cuts Price Target on ADP
• Negative Sentiment: Short interest in ADP rose ~18% in March, indicating increasing bearish bets that can amplify downside pressure if sentiment deteriorates. ADP Short Interest Up 18%
• Negative Sentiment: High‑profile criticism from commentators (e.g., Jim Cramer) that the company can be “disenfranchised” like peers may accelerate fund flow out of the name and weigh on retail sentiment. Jim Cramer on ADP

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on shares of Automatic Data Processing in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $306.00 price target on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated an “underperform” rating and set a $230.00 price objective (down from $245.00) on shares of Automatic Data Processing in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Automatic Data Processing from $262.00 to $214.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Citigroup reduced their target price on Automatic Data Processing from $303.00 to $265.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Guggenheim began coverage on Automatic Data Processing in a research report on Thursday, March 19th. They set a “buy” rating and a $270.00 target price on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Automatic Data Processing currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $284.77.

About Automatic Data Processing

Automatic Data Processing, Inc (ADP) is a global provider of cloud-based human capital management (HCM) and payroll solutions. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey, ADP began as a payroll processing company and has evolved into a diversified provider of workforce management, HR, benefits administration, tax and compliance services, and analytics for employers of all sizes.

ADP’s product portfolio includes payroll processing and tax filing, time and attendance systems, benefits administration, talent management, and HR outsourcing.