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LIVE
INTU
Intuit Inc. · Financial Software
$367.00
+29.01% this month
VERSUS
COMPARE
ADP
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. · Human Capital Management / Payroll Services
$280.81
+15.50% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
INTU
3
ADP
2
Comparison scoreboard
INTU LEADS 3/5AI Score
INTU 48.2
ADP ✓49.6
1Y Return
INTU -47.51%
ADP ✓-9.13%
Fwd P/E
INTU ✓12.65
ADP 20.37
Target Up.
INTU ✓+30.57%
ADP +5.12%
Op. Margin
INTU ✓46.97%
ADP 23.46%
Metrics last refreshed: 8/23/2026
Quick take
INTU vs ADP Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
Intuit provides financial software for consumers and small businesses spanning tax and accounting, while ADP focuses on payroll processing and human resources outsourcing for employers.
Investors weighing Intuit against ADP are choosing between a higher-growth financial software platform expanding with AI and a steady, established payroll and HR services provider.
Live analysis · updated 8/23/2026
INTU holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. ADP has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-9.13% vs -47.51%), though INTU has the better forward P/E setup (12.65x vs 20.37x for ADP). INTU leads on both revenue growth (10.40%) and operating margin (46.97%), suggesting a stronger fundamental setup on both dimensions. Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for INTU (+30.57%) than for ADP (+5.12%).
Want a full valuation workup? 16-section report — AI Score, Monte Carlo forecast, bull/bear case, DCF, and more.
Normalized 1Y performance
INTU
ADP
Recent returns
INTU
ADP
Analyst price targets & sentiment
INTU · 31 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (1.7/5.0)
Price target range
analyst high$875.00
analyst mean$451.32
current price$367.00
+30.6% upside to analyst mean
ADP · 15 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Hold (2.7/5.0)
Price target range
analyst high$350.00
analyst mean$286.93
current price$280.81
+5.1% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
INTU may suit investors who:
- Want exposure to small business accounting and tax preparation software
- Believe in continued growth from AI-powered product features
- Can tolerate a premium valuation multiple
- Seek higher growth over current income
ADP may suit investors who:
- Prefer a stable, established payroll and HR outsourcing business
- Value consistent recurring revenue and high client retention
- Want exposure to employment trends and float income dynamics
- Prefer steadier growth and dividend income over rapid expansion
Performance & AI score
| Metric | INTU | ADP |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 48.2 | 49.6 |
| AI rank | #558 | #479 |
| Latest close | $367.00 | $280.81 |
| 1M return | +29.01% | +15.50% |
| 6M return | -3.81% | +30.02% |
| 1Y return | -47.51% | -9.13% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | INTU | ADP |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $5.26K (-47.4%) started 2025-08-21 | $9.21K (-7.9%) started 2025-08-21 |
| 5Y ago | $6.97K (-30.3%) started 2021-08-23 | $15.53K (+55.3%) started 2021-08-23 |
| 10Y ago | $37.34K (+273.4%) started 2016-08-22 | $46.2K (+362.0%) started 2016-08-22 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | INTU | ADP |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $94.55B | $108.44B |
| Trailing P/E | 21.10 | 24.93 |
| Forward P/E | 12.65 | 20.37 |
| Price/Sales | 11.84 | 6.57 |
| EV/Revenue | 4.52 | 5.00 |
| Analyst target | $451.32 | $286.93 |
| Target upside | +30.57% | +5.12% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | INTU | ADP |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 10.40% | 6.80% |
| Earnings growth | 10.70% | 9.80% |
| EPS growth | +10.70% | +9.80% |
| FCF margin | +25.00% | +23.89% |
| Operating margin | 46.97% | 23.46% |
| Profit margin | 21.91% | 20.11% |
| ROIC proxy | 22.50% | 72.24% |
| Return on equity | 22.50% | 72.24% |
| Dividend yield | 1.39% | 2.49% |
| Beta | 0.96 | 0.82 |
| Debt/equity | 33.45 | 91.44 |
| Current ratio | 1.45 | 1.05 |
| Quick ratio | 0.62 | 0.15 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
INTU max drawdown63.67%
ADP max drawdown38.69%
INTU max wkly drop24.51%
ADP max wkly drop10.27%
5Y risk snapshot
INTU max drawdown68.41%
ADP max drawdown42.23%
INTU max wkly drop24.51%
ADP max wkly drop12.17%
10Y risk snapshot
INTU max drawdown68.41%
ADP max drawdown42.23%
INTU max wkly drop24.51%
ADP max wkly drop22.45%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | INTU | ADP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | -47.40% | -7.91% |
| CAGR | -47.45% | -7.92% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.18 | -0.34 | |
| Max drawdown | 63.67% | 38.69% | |
| Max daily drop | 20.02% | 6.58% | |
| Max wkly drop | 24.51% | 10.27% | |
| 5Y | Growth | -31.96% | +43.29% |
| CAGR | -7.42% | +7.47% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.12 | 0.23 | |
| Max drawdown | 68.41% | 42.23% | |
| Max daily drop | 20.02% | 9.20% | |
| Max wkly drop | 24.51% | 12.17% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +248.59% | +276.26% |
| CAGR | +13.30% | +14.17% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.41 | 0.48 | |
| Max drawdown | 68.41% | 42.23% | |
| Max daily drop | 20.02% | 15.25% | |
| Max wkly drop | 24.51% | 22.45% |
Business comparison
| Category | INTU | ADP |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Intuit Inc. | Automatic Data Processing, Inc. |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Software - Application | Software - Application |
| Core business | Intuit provides financial software products including TurboTax for tax preparation, QuickBooks for small business accounting, and Credit Karma for consumer finance. | ADP provides payroll processing, human resources, and benefits administration services to businesses of all sizes. |
| Investor focus | Watch QuickBooks Online subscriber growth and progress integrating AI-driven features across its product suite. | Watch new business bookings growth, client retention rates, and the impact of employment levels on payroll processing volumes. |
INTU strengths
- Dominant, well-known brands across tax preparation and small business accounting
- Recurring, subscription-based revenue model with high customer retention
- Expanding AI-powered features to increase product value and pricing power
ADP strengths
- Long-standing market leadership in payroll and HR outsourcing services
- High client retention and recurring revenue from long-term contracts
- Benefits from float income on client funds held between payroll cycles
Risks to watch — INTU
- Tax preparation business faces seasonal concentration and competitive pressure
- Regulatory scrutiny around free tax filing practices has drawn attention
- Premium valuation requires sustained double-digit growth
Risks to watch — ADP
- Revenue growth is closely tied to overall employment levels and wage trends
- Interest rate changes affect float income earned on client funds
- Slower growth profile than higher-growth software peers
Frequently asked questions
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