Compare Automatic Data Processing Inc (ADP) vs Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Automatic Data Processing Inc vs Costco Wholesale Corporation — how do they compare? Automatic Data Processing Inc trades at $270 (market cap $108.72B), while Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $941.98 (market cap $422.52B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 3.9× Automatic Data Processing Inc's market cap, and Automatic Data Processing Inc pays the higher dividend (2.48%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ADP | COST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $108.72B | $422.52B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $309.03 | $1.09K |
52-Week Low | $188.79 | $849.63 |
Enterprise Value | $109.76B | $410.66B |
Dividend Yield | 2.48% | 0.62% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ADP trades at $271.32, down 0.8% for the day, with strong technical momentum showing bullish moving averages and key support at $269. The company demonstrates robust fundamentals with consistent earnings beats, 20.11% net margins, and 72.24% ROE. Recent Q4 2026 results showed 7% revenue growth and 17% EPS growth, driving positive analyst sentiment despite elevated valuation multiples.
Outlook remains positive with a $280.50 consensus price target offering 3.4% upside potential. Key opportunities include margin expansion and dividend stability, while risks center on high valuation sensitivity and labor market volatility affecting ADP's payroll processing business. The stock presents a quality growth opportunity with disciplined risk management required.
Costco (COST) trades at $952.75, up 0.52% with a neutral technical outlook. The stock shows strong fundamentals with revenue growth from $254.5B in 2024 to $275.2B in 2025 and net income reaching $8.1B. Recent March sales surged 11.3% year-over-year to $28.41B. Valuation metrics remain elevated with P/E at 47.93 and P/S at 1.44. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 65.5% buy ratings and a $1,120 price target.
The investment case centers on Costco's membership-driven profit engine and consistent execution, though high valuation presents near-term risk. Upside potential exists if the company maintains its premium growth trajectory, while any earnings disappointment could trigger valuation compression. The recent membership fee increase and strong renewal rates support margin expansion prospects.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Automatic Data Processing Inc
ADP is a provider of payroll and human capital management solutions servicing the full scope of businesses from micro to global enterprises. ADP was established in 1949 and serves over 990,000 clients primarily in the United States. ADP's employer services segment offers payroll, HCM solutions, HR outsourcing, insurance and retirement services. The smaller but faster-growing PEO segment provides HR outsourcing solutions to small and midsize businesses through a co-employment model.
Read more on ADP →About Costco Wholesale Corporation
The leading warehouse club, Costco has 815 stores worldwide (at the end of fiscal 2021), with most sales derived in the United States (72%) and Canada (14%). It sells memberships that allow customers to shop in its warehouses, which feature low prices on a limited product assortment. Costco mainly caters to individual shoppers, but roughly 20% of paid members carry business memberships. Food and sundries accounted for 40% of fiscal 2021 sales, with non-food merchandise 29%, warehouse ancillary and other businesses (such as fuel and pharmacy) nearly 17%, and fresh food 14%. Costco's warehouses average around 146,000 square feet
Read more on COST →
