ADP Analyst Ratings
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) operates in the Technology sector, specifically the Software - Application industry, with a market capitalization near $110.29B, listed on NASDAQ, employing roughly 67,000 people, carrying a beta of 0.84 to the broader market. Automatic Data Processing, Inc. Led by Maria Black, public since 1980-03-17.
Analyst Ratings
In the October 2026 monthly count, 18 analysts rated ADP: 0 Strong Buy, 4 Buy, 12 Hold, 1 Sell and 1 Strong Sell.
Twelve months earlier, in October 2025: 17 analysts, 1 Strong Buy, 2 Buy, 12 Hold, 1 Sell and 1 Strong Sell.
Price Targets
- Average Target
- $267.67
- Median Target
- $270.00
- High
- $310.00
- Low
- $225.00
- Targets Published, Last 12 Months
- 26
Recent Price Targets
The 5 most recent of 26 price targets published in the last 12 months.
| Date | Firm | Analyst | Target | Price When Posted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 2026 | Cantor Fitzgerald | Not named | $310.00 | $272.41 |
| Jul 30, 2026 | Morgan Stanley | Not named | $286.00 | $273.37 |
| Jul 30, 2026 | Guggenheim | Not named | $300.00 | $273.37 |
| Jul 29, 2026 | Jefferies | Not named | $225.00 | $276.08 |
| Jul 22, 2026 | Cantor Fitzgerald | Ramsey El-Assal | $294.00 | $243.25 |
Recent Upgrades & Downgrades
| Date | Firm | Action | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 2026 | Cantor Fitzgerald | maintain | Overweight | Overweight |
| Aug 3, 2026 | Cantor Fitzgerald | maintain | Overweight | Overweight |
| Jul 30, 2026 | Morgan Stanley | maintain | Equal Weight | Equal Weight |
| Jul 30, 2026 | Stifel | maintain | Hold | Hold |
| Jul 30, 2026 | Wells Fargo | maintain | Equal Weight | Equal Weight |
Quantitative Rating
ADP carries a model grade of B+ (overall score 3 of 5), computed from six valuation and financial measures (discounted cash flow, return on equity, return on assets, debt to equity, price to earnings and price to book), each scored 1 to 5. It is not an analyst rating.
How to Read ADP Analyst Coverage
Sell-side equity analysts publish three primary outputs: ratings (Strong Buy / Buy / Hold / Sell / Strong Sell, or firm-specific equivalents), price targets, and EPS / revenue estimate revisions. Rating consensus moves slowly relative to price; it reflects 12-month directional conviction rather than near-term momentum. Price targets are more responsive but typically drift behind realized price during sharp moves. The most actionable signal for options traders is a cluster of ratings actions across multiple firms within a short window, which compresses or expands implied volatility on a horizon of days to weeks and shifts the put-call skew toward the directional consensus. The recent-actions table above shows the five most recent firm-level changes; longer histories live behind aggregator sources.
For event-driven options sizing, pair the consensus rating and target distribution with the implied-volatility surface and dealer-positioning view. Aggressive target hikes from multiple firms tend to tighten put skew (downside protection becomes relatively cheaper); aggressive cuts widen put skew. The size of the IV response in the hours after a rating change is visible on the per-ticker volatility skew page and the gamma-exposure page, both of which show how dealer hedging propagates the analyst-driven flow into the listed options chain.
Learn how analyst ratings is reported and how to read the data →
Frequently asked ADP analyst ratings questions
- What is the ADP consensus price target?
- As of the latest aggregator update, Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) carries a consensus 12-month price target of $267.67. Target ranges run from a low of $225.00 to a high of $310.00. The target is the average of the price targets published by sell-side equity analysts covering the name.
- What is the analyst rating consensus on ADP?
- In the October 2026 monthly count, 18 analysts rated ADP, and the distribution is concentrated at Hold: 0 Strong Buy, 4 Buy, 12 Hold, 1 Sell and 1 Strong Sell. Rating consensus moves slowly relative to price; it reflects sell-side conviction over a 12-month horizon rather than near-term momentum.
- What recent ratings actions has ADP seen?
- The five most recent ratings actions on ADP appear on the page above. Sell-side rating changes are watched for two reasons: an upgrade or downgrade with a meaningful target revision moves the consensus and can trigger short-term positioning shifts, and the firm-level rating cluster (multiple firms moving in the same direction within a short window) is a clearer signal than any single action. Options markets often price the implied-vol response within minutes of the announcement.
- How do analyst targets affect ADP options pricing?
- Analyst target revisions tend to be priced in by the lit options market within minutes of publication, but persistent target drift over weeks does correlate with implied-volatility movement. Aggressive target hikes from multiple firms inside a single quarter tighten put skew (downside protection becomes cheaper relative to upside speculation); aggressive cuts widen put skew. The most actionable read is the implied-vol response in the hours after a target change, which is visible on the per-ticker volatility skew page.