AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) vs Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP): Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?
As of 2026-06-19, ABBV is overvalued at $216, with a DCF intrinsic value of $160 and a margin of safety of -35%. ADP is fairly valued at $218, with an intrinsic value of $251 and a margin of safety of 13%. Of the two, ADP has the wider margin of safety.
Rewards
- ★AbbVie Inc. has maintained ROIC above 10% for 4 consecutive years, suggesting solid business economics.
- ★Gross margin of 72.0% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
- ★AbbVie Inc. scores 82/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with reinvestment efficiency as the strongest competitive dimension.
- ★Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
- ★Automatic Data Processing, Inc. scores 93/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with revenue predictability as the strongest competitive dimension.
- ★Free cash flow has grown at a 19.9% CAGR over the past 4 years, demonstrating strong earnings power growth.
Risks
- ⚠Buybacks have been poorly timed — 3 out of 4 years involved repurchases at relatively expensive valuations.
- ⚠FCF yield of 5.4% suggests reasonable valuation assuming continued moderate growth.
- ⚠Trailing P/E of 105.6x is 69% above the historical average of 62.3x — the stock trades at a premium to its own history.
- ⚠FCF yield of 5.4% suggests reasonable valuation assuming continued moderate growth.
- ⚠PEG ratio of 2.07 indicates the stock is expensive relative to its expected growth — the market may be pricing in more growth than analysts project.
Key Valuation Metrics
Learn more →Historical Fundamentals
Learn more →Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.
$1 Retained Earnings Test
Learn more →> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis
Learn more →Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth
Learn more →What growth rate is the market pricing in at $216?
The market implies +17.1% Owner Earnings growth, above historical trends.
Standard FCF implies a demanding +8.7%, reflecting heavy growth investment.
What growth rate is the market pricing in at $218?
The market implies +8.7% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.
Standard FCF implies +6.7%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.
Economic Moat Score
Learn more →Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. Reinvestment Efficiency is the standout factor.
Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. Revenue Predictability is the standout factor.
Forensic Accounting
Learn more →M-Score Trend
M-Score Trend
Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
Ownership Breakdown
Learn more →High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
Insider Buying Activity
Learn more →Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.
Insider Selling Activity
Learn more →Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.
🎭 Mr. Market's Mood
Learn more →"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"
"Market is pessimistic — investigate whether fears are temporary or structural"
Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
⚖️ Buffett Signal
Learn more →The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.
The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.
Frequently Asked Questions: ABBV vs ADP
Is AbbVie Inc. or Automatic Data Processing, Inc. more undervalued in 2026?▼
Based on our discounted cash flow model, ADP trades at a 13.0% margin of safety (intrinsic value $251 vs. price $218), compared to ABBV's -35.3% margin of safety (intrinsic $160 vs. $216).
Which stock has a wider economic moat, AbbVie Inc. or Automatic Data Processing, Inc.?▼
ADP scores 93/100 (Wide moat), while ABBV scores 82/100 (Wide moat). The moat score measures competitive advantage durability across ROIC consistency, margin stability, revenue predictability, and reinvestment efficiency.
Is AbbVie Inc. in financial distress?▼
ABBV's Altman Z-Score of 2.4 places it in the Grey zone, signaling elevated bankruptcy risk. ADP scores 2.8 (Grey zone). The Altman Z-Score is a five-factor model that predicts insolvency within two years; scores below 1.81 indicate significant distress.
Which company has better free cash flow, AbbVie Inc. or Automatic Data Processing, Inc.?▼
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) generates a 5.4% free cash flow yield, compared to Automatic Data Processing, Inc.'s 5.4%. A higher FCF yield means the business converts more of its market value into cash that can be returned to shareholders or reinvested.
Which stock has higher return on invested capital, AbbVie Inc. or Automatic Data Processing, Inc.?▼
ADP earns 47.9% ROIC versus ABBV's 21.9%. A higher ROIC means the company generates more profit per dollar of capital employed, a hallmark of durable competitive advantage in Buffett-style analysis.
Which dividend is safer, AbbVie Inc.'s or Automatic Data Processing, Inc.'s?▼
ADP's dividend earns a safety score of 84/100 (Very Safe), compared to ABBV's 39/100 (Unsafe). ADP has raised its dividend for 3 consecutive years.