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Side-by-side financial comparison of Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Automatic Data Processing is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($5.4B vs $3.6B, roughly 1.5× Xcel Energy). Automatic Data Processing runs the higher net margin — 19.8% vs 15.9%, a 3.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Xcel Energy posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (14.1% vs 6.2%). Over the past eight quarters, Automatic Data Processing's revenue compounded faster (1.0% CAGR vs -1.2%).

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) is an American multinational provider of cloud-based human resources management, payroll processing, and professional employer organization (PEO) services, headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey.

Xcel Energy Inc. is a U.S. regulated electric utility and natural gas delivery company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving approximately 3.9 million electricity customers and 2.2 million natural gas customers across parts of eight states as of mid-2025. It consists of four operating subsidiaries: Northern States Power-Minnesota, Northern States Power-Wisconsin, Public Service Company of Colorado, and Southwestern Public Service Co.

ADP vs XEL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ADP
ADP
1.5× larger
ADP
$5.4B
$3.6B
XEL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
XEL
XEL
+8.0% gap
XEL
14.1%
6.2%
ADP
Higher net margin
ADP
ADP
3.9% more per $
ADP
19.8%
15.9%
XEL
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ADP
ADP
Annualised
ADP
1.0%
-1.2%
XEL

Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Revenue
$5.4B
$3.6B
Net Profit
$1.1B
$567.0M
Gross Margin
46.1%
Operating Margin
25.8%
16.3%
Net Margin
19.8%
15.9%
Revenue YoY
6.2%
14.1%
Net Profit YoY
10.3%
22.2%
EPS (diluted)
$2.62
$0.95

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
$5.4B
$3.6B
Q3 25
$5.2B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$5.1B
$3.3B
Q1 25
$5.6B
$3.9B
Q4 24
$5.0B
$3.1B
Q3 24
$4.8B
$3.6B
Q2 24
$4.8B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$5.3B
$3.6B
Net Profit
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
$1.1B
$567.0M
Q3 25
$1.0B
$524.0M
Q2 25
$910.7M
$444.0M
Q1 25
$1.2B
$483.0M
Q4 24
$963.2M
$464.0M
Q3 24
$956.3M
$682.0M
Q2 24
$829.3M
$302.0M
Q1 24
$1.2B
$488.0M
Gross Margin
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
46.1%
Q3 25
45.2%
Q2 25
45.1%
Q1 25
47.7%
Q4 24
45.7%
Q3 24
45.5%
Q2 24
44.8%
Q1 24
47.3%
Operating Margin
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
25.8%
16.3%
Q3 25
25.3%
19.1%
Q2 25
23.2%
17.6%
Q1 25
29.2%
17.3%
Q4 24
25.0%
11.1%
Q3 24
25.6%
25.0%
Q2 24
22.8%
14.8%
Q1 24
29.4%
18.6%
Net Margin
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
19.8%
15.9%
Q3 25
19.6%
13.4%
Q2 25
17.8%
13.5%
Q1 25
22.5%
12.4%
Q4 24
19.1%
14.9%
Q3 24
19.8%
18.7%
Q2 24
17.4%
10.0%
Q1 24
22.6%
13.4%
EPS (diluted)
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
$2.62
$0.95
Q3 25
$2.49
$0.88
Q2 25
$2.23
$0.75
Q1 25
$3.06
$0.84
Q4 24
$2.35
$0.81
Q3 24
$2.34
$1.21
Q2 24
$2.01
$0.54
Q1 24
$2.88
$0.88

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$2.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$31.8B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$6.4B
$23.6B
Total Assets
$84.6B
$81.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.35×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
$2.5B
Q3 25
$7.9B
$1.1B
Q2 25
$7.8B
$1.5B
Q1 25
$2.7B
$1.1B
Q4 24
$2.2B
$179.0M
Q3 24
$7.3B
$1.5B
Q2 24
$3.3B
$1.6B
Q1 24
$3.3B
$501.0M
Total Debt
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
$31.8B
Q3 25
$32.0B
Q2 25
$31.1B
Q1 25
$29.4B
Q4 24
$27.3B
Q3 24
$27.5B
Q2 24
$27.7B
Q1 24
$26.4B
Stockholders' Equity
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
$6.4B
$23.6B
Q3 25
$6.4B
$21.2B
Q2 25
$6.2B
$21.0B
Q1 25
$5.9B
$19.8B
Q4 24
$5.1B
$19.5B
Q3 24
$5.3B
$19.4B
Q2 24
$4.5B
$18.0B
Q1 24
$4.6B
$17.8B
Total Assets
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
$84.6B
$81.4B
Q3 25
$54.3B
$79.2B
Q2 25
$53.4B
$75.3B
Q1 25
$56.4B
$72.7B
Q4 24
$64.1B
$70.0B
Q3 24
$49.5B
$69.3B
Q2 24
$54.4B
$67.9B
Q1 24
$64.2B
$65.6B
Debt / Equity
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
1.35×
Q3 25
1.51×
Q2 25
1.48×
Q1 25
1.48×
Q4 24
1.40×
Q3 24
1.42×
Q2 24
1.54×
Q1 24
1.48×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.1B
$209.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-3.2B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-90.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
96.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.07×
0.37×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-6.8B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
$1.1B
$209.0M
Q3 25
$642.3M
$1.8B
Q2 25
$1.4B
$1.1B
Q1 25
$1.5B
$1.0B
Q4 24
$1.2B
$664.0M
Q3 24
$824.4M
$1.7B
Q2 24
$1.3B
$1.2B
Q1 24
$1.5B
$1.1B
Free Cash Flow
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
$-3.2B
Q3 25
$-1.3B
Q2 25
$-1.3B
Q1 25
$-960.0M
Q4 24
$-1.6B
Q3 24
$-42.0M
Q2 24
$-641.0M
Q1 24
$-487.0M
FCF Margin
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
-90.7%
Q3 25
-33.0%
Q2 25
-40.9%
Q1 25
-24.6%
Q4 24
-49.8%
Q3 24
-1.2%
Q2 24
-21.2%
Q1 24
-13.3%
Capex Intensity
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
96.5%
Q3 25
78.0%
Q2 25
73.8%
Q1 25
50.9%
Q4 24
71.1%
Q3 24
48.8%
Q2 24
60.5%
Q1 24
42.1%
Cash Conversion
ADP
ADP
XEL
XEL
Q4 25
1.07×
0.37×
Q3 25
0.63×
3.37×
Q2 25
1.58×
2.43×
Q1 25
1.22×
2.13×
Q4 24
1.19×
1.43×
Q3 24
0.86×
2.55×
Q2 24
1.57×
3.94×
Q1 24
1.26×
2.15×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ADP
ADP

HCM$2.2B42%
PEO Zero Margin Benefits Pass Throughs$1.1B21%
HRO$979.3M18%
Global$709.3M13%
Interest On Funds Held For Clients$308.6M6%

XEL
XEL

Retail Distribution$2.3B64%
Regulated Natural Gas Segment$737.0M21%
Alternativeand Other$212.0M6%
Transmission Services$164.0M5%
Wholesale Distribution$159.0M4%
Other Services$8.0M0%

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