Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management Sells 11,854 Shares of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. $ADP

Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management lessened its holdings in shares of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADP) by 19.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 50,376 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 11,854 shares during the quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management’s holdings in Automatic Data Processing were worth $12,958,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its position in shares of Automatic Data Processing by 92.1% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 10,026 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $2,935,000 after purchasing an additional 4,808 shares during the period. Bison Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of Automatic Data Processing by 22.8% during the fourth quarter. Bison Wealth LLC now owns 3,664 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,073,000 after buying an additional 681 shares during the period. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its stake in Automatic Data Processing by 21.8% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 1,259 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $388,000 after buying an additional 225 shares in the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd bought a new position in Automatic Data Processing in the second quarter worth about $741,000. Finally, Panagora Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Automatic Data Processing by 878.5% in the second quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 46,187 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $14,244,000 after buying an additional 41,467 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.03% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about 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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ADP has been the topic of several research reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Automatic Data Processing in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup decreased their target price on Automatic Data Processing from $303.00 to $265.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Guggenheim assumed coverage on Automatic Data Processing in a research report on Thursday, March 19th. They set a “buy” rating and a $270.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Automatic Data Processing from $295.00 to $275.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated an “underperform” rating and issued a $230.00 price objective (down from $245.00) on shares of Automatic Data Processing in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $284.77.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, VP Christopher D’ambrosio sold 543 shares of Automatic Data Processing stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $262.29, for a total value of $142,423.47. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 9,998 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,622,375.42. The trade was a 5.15% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP David Foskett sold 266 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $237.00, for a total transaction of $63,042.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 10,954 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,596,098. The trade was a 2.37% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 4,058 shares of company stock worth $1,000,263 over the last three months. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Automatic Data Processing Trading Down 0.9%

NASDAQ:ADP opened at $201.28 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $81.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.35 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 1.03. Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has a one year low of $197.08 and a one year high of $329.93. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $220.50 and its 200 day simple moving average is $251.46.

Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ:ADP) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The business services provider reported $2.62 earnings per share 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.34 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.35 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. Automatic Data Processing has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.091-11.011 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Automatic Data Processing, Inc. will post 9.93 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Automatic Data Processing Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th were paid a dividend of $1.70 per share. 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 payout ratio is presently 65.38%.

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

Automatic Data Processing Profile

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.