ADP vs VRSN Stock Comparison
Compare ADP and VRSN across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between ADP and VRSN?
ADP leads the current stock comparison as Automatic Data Processing, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. vs VeriSign, Inc.
ADP leads
ADP leads by 5 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Value, but the lead has narrowed from 23 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors VRSN on target upside.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support ADP, its lead is narrowing, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
VeriSign, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors ADP over VRSN, 59 versus 54 as of Sep 11, 2026. ADP's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and value, while VRSN holds the stronger momentum profile. ADP also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors VRSN. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor ADP today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. ADP lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 23 to 5 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Automatic Data Processing, Inc. and VeriSign, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare ADP and VRSN against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum39 vs 70VRSN +31
- Quality79 vs 60ADP +19
- Value58 vs 40ADP +18
- Risk Resilience57 vs 46ADP +11
3 of 6 evidence groups favor ADP. ADP’s edge is concentrated in quality and value; VRSN keeps a meaningful momentum edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum -1
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum -1
No new signals fired.
ADP's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — ADP and VRSN both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
ADP (Automatic Data Processing, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and value.
VRSN (VeriSign, Inc.): the counter-case, on momentum, fundamentals, analyst expectations.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
ADPADP on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
VRSNVRSN on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
ADPADP on the peer-relative Value factor, by 18 points.
Momentum
VRSNVRSN on the Momentum factor, by 31 points.
Lower downside
ADPADP on Risk Resilience, by 11 points.
Analyst upside
VRSNVRSN on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors ADP, analyst targets favor VRSN. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | ADP | VRSN | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | -3.4% | +16.2% | VRSN has more room |
| Target dispersion | +46.3% | +9.1% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 9 | 2 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor ADP. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | ADP | 59 vs 54 |
| Fundamentals | VRSNon balance | revenue growth -7.8% vs 1.3%; EPS growth -27.7% vs 1.7%; TTM ROE 70.2% vs -39.2%; gross margin 48.2% vs 88.5%; operating margin 18.6% vs 67.9% — VRSN takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | ADP | Value 58 vs 40 |
| Technicals | Even | Price vs 50-day 1.4% vs 4.2%; vs 200-day 12.7% vs 10.1% |
| Risk Resilience | ADP | Risk Resilience 57 vs 46 |
| Analyst expectations | VRSN | Target upside -3.4% vs 16.2% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of ADP and VRSN and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's advantage has been narrowing. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on ADP.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10ADP lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 23 to 5 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- ADP +5
- 59 vs 54
- 7 sessions ago
- ADP +10
- 67 vs 57
- 30 sessions ago
- ADP +23
- 67 vs 44
- 90 sessions ago
- ADP +23
- 71 vs 48
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (11.49%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (7.12%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
ADP leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +0.35%, AIQ -1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +1.34%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1VRSN closes the Quality gap — currently 19 points behind, the largest single contributor to ADP's edge.
- 2VRSN generates a confirmed bullish trend signal it does not currently carry, such as MACD Bullish Crossover.
- 3ADP's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4The narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 18 points over 30 sessions, and a further 5-point move would eliminate ADP's advantage entirely.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
VRSN leads on balance| Metric | ADP | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -7.8% | 1.3% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -27.7% | 1.7% |
| Gross margin | 48.2% | 88.5% |
| Operating margin | 18.6% | 67.9% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 70.2% | -39.2% |
| Debt to equity | 0.87 | -1.04 |
Performance
VRSN leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | ADP | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -4.9% | -0.4% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -0.7% | 2.1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 15.7% | 0.3% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 25.5% | 22.5% |
| Year to date | 3.9% | 18.9% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -10.4% | 2.1% |
Technicals
Split| Metric | ADP | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 35.4 | 62.3 |
| ADX (14) | 30.8 | 14.1 |
| Price vs 50-day | 1.4% | 4.2% |
| Price vs 200-day | 12.7% | 10.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 25.5% | 28% |
Risk
ADP is the more resilient| Metric | ADP | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | -0.01 | -0.01 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.4 | 0.05 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.64 | 0.06 |
| Max drawdown | -36.6% | -26.9% |
| Current drawdown | -10.3% | -6.8% |
| Annualized volatility | 27.4% | 29% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.5% | -3.2% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, ADP or VRSN?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, ADP is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 59 against VRSN's 54. The edge comes from quality and value. VRSN is not without a case — it holds the better momentum profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is ADP or VRSN the better buy right now?
ADP carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor ADP over VRSN?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. VRSN leads Momentum by 31 points; ADP leads Quality by 19 points; ADP leads Value by 18 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, ADP or VRSN?
Analyst price targets imply -3.4% upside for ADP and +16.2% for VRSN, so the Street currently favors VRSN. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors ADP. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, ADP or VRSN?
ADP is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. ADP on the peer-relative Value factor, by 18 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, ADP or VRSN?
VRSN on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, ADP or VRSN?
VRSN on the Momentum factor, by 31 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, ADP or VRSN?
ADP is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. ADP on Risk Resilience, by 11 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is ADP more profitable than VRSN?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 48.2% vs 88.5%; operating margin 18.6% vs 67.9%; ttm roe 70.2% vs -39.2%. ADP leads on one measure and VRSN on two measures, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is ADP's lead over VRSN getting stronger or weaker?
ADP lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 23 to 5 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the ADP vs VRSN verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: VRSN closes the Quality gap — currently 19 points behind, the largest single contributor to ADP's edge; VRSN generates a confirmed bullish trend signal it does not currently carry, such as MACD Bullish Crossover; ADP's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; the narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 18 points over 30 sessions, and a further 5-point move would eliminate ADP's advantage entirely.
What do the current signals say about ADP and VRSN?
ADP: 3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. VRSN: 3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on ADP is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On VRSN it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare ADP and VRSN with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.