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Automatic Data Processing Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 7 raised, 2 lowered, 8 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and earnings both grew: Revenues rose 6% to $5.4 billion, or 5% organic constant currency, and adjusted EBIT rose 10% to $1.4 billion. Adjusted EBIT margin was 26.0%. Source
  • Employer Services revenue up 6%: Employer Services revenue rose 6% reported and 5% organic constant currency. U.S. pays per control rose 1%. Source
  • Adjusted EBIT margin up 80 basis points: Adjusted EBIT margin rose to 26.0% from 25.2%, and pretax margin rose to 25.8% from 25.0%. Employer Services segment margin rose 50 basis points to 35.4%. Source
  • Net client funds impact up 24%: Net impact from the client funds strategy was $294.3 million, against $237.8 million a year earlier. Corporate extended interest income rose 18%. Source
  • Revenue and EPS guidance raised: Full-year revenue growth guidance is now about 6%, and adjusted diluted EPS growth guidance is 9% to 10%. Adjusted EBIT margin and tax rate guidance were kept. Source

“ADP's strong second quarter results reflect the breadth of our innovative products, differentiated service, and exceptional experiences that we deliver for clients every day”

Maria Black, President and Chief Executive Officer, ADP

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Consolidated revenue growth SourceFiscal 2026about 6%Raised from 5 to 6%
Adjusted EBIT margin expansion SourceFiscal 202650 to 70 basis pointsKept
Adjusted effective tax rate SourceFiscal 2026approximately 23%Kept
Adjusted diluted EPS growth SourceFiscal 20269% to 10%Raised from 8% to 10%
Diluted EPS growth (GAAP) SourceFiscal 20269% to 10%Raised from 8% to 10%
Employer Services revenue growth SourceFiscal 2026about 6%Raised from 5 to 6%
Employer Services new business bookings growth SourceFiscal 20264% to 7%Kept
Employer Services client revenue retention SourceFiscal 2026decrease of 10 to 30 basis pointsKept
U.S. pays per control SourceFiscal 2026approximately flatKept
PEO Services revenue growth SourceFiscal 20265% to 7%Kept
PEO Services revenue excluding zero-margin pass-throughs growth SourceFiscal 20263% to 5%Kept
PEO Services average worksite employee count growth SourceFiscal 2026about 2%Lowered from 2% to 3%
Average client funds balances growth SourceFiscal 20264% to 5%Raised from 3% to 4%
Yield on client funds portfolio SourceFiscal 2026approximately 3.4%Kept
Client funds interest revenue SourceFiscal 2026$1.310 to $1.330 billionRaised from $1.300 to $1.320 billion
Net impact from client funds extended investment strategy SourceFiscal 2026$1.270 to $1.290 billionRaised from $1.260 to $1.280 billion
Blended rate for new purchases SourceRemainder of fiscal 20263.8%Lowered from 3.9%

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Consolidated revenue growth moved to about 6%, from 5% to 6%, and adjusted diluted EPS growth to 9% to 10%, from 8% to 10%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Net contribution from the client funds extended investment strategy was raised to $1.270 to $1.290 billion. Source
  • Guidance lowered: PEO Services average worksite employee growth guidance narrowed to about 2%, from 2% to 3%. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue and earnings both grew: Revenues rose 6% to $5.4 billion, or 5% organic constant currency, and adjusted EBIT rose 10% to $1.4 billion. Adjusted EBIT margin was 26.0%. Source
  • Net earnings and EPS rose: Net earnings reached $1,062.0 million, up 10%. Diluted EPS was $2.62, up 11% from $2.35 in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Interest on client funds rose: Interest on funds held for clients rose 13% to $309 million, with average client balances up 6% and average yield up 20 basis points to 3.3%. Source

Segments and regions

  • Employer Services revenue up 6%: Employer Services revenue rose 6% reported and 5% organic constant currency. U.S. pays per control rose 1%. Source
  • PEO revenue growth excluding pass-throughs: PEO Services revenue rose 6%, or 3% excluding zero-margin benefits pass-throughs. Average worksite employees rose 2% to about 758,000. Source

“A continued focus on execution and driving new business bookings growth has enabled us to deliver strong revenue and earnings growth in the second quarter”

Peter Hadley, Chief Financial Officer, ADP

Margins and costs

  • Adjusted EBIT margin up 80 basis points: Adjusted EBIT margin rose to 26.0% from 25.2%, and pretax margin rose to 25.8% from 25.0%. Employer Services segment margin rose 50 basis points to 35.4%. Source
  • PEO margin fell 70 basis points: PEO Services segment margin was 14.4%, against 15.1% a year earlier. For the six months, PEO margin was 13.7%, down 1.0 point. Source
  • Research spending rose, amortization eased: Research and development expense rose to $257.8 million from $239.5 million. Depreciation and amortization was $122.9 million, against $126.9 million. Source
  • Optimization reversal excluded from adjusted results: A $1.2 million partial reversal of the fiscal 2024 workforce optimization initiative was excluded from adjusted results. Source

Client funds and interest

  • Net client funds impact up 24%: Net impact from the client funds strategy was $294.3 million, against $237.8 million a year earlier. Corporate extended interest income rose 18%. Source
  • Client balances and yield rose: Average client funds balances rose 6% to $37.6 billion, and the average yield on the funds held for clients rose 20 basis points to 3.3%. Source

“Our updated guidance demonstrates our confidence in our ability to deliver on our financial commitments”

Peter Hadley, Chief Financial Officer, ADP

Clients and pays per control

  • Client base above 1.1 million: The company describes more than 1.1 million clients across 140+ countries. PEO paid worksite employees were 762,000 at quarter end. Source
  • Pays per control rose 1%: U.S. pays per control, measured on a same-store-sales basis for a subset of clients, rose 1% in the quarter and 1% for the six months. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Buybacks and dividends rose: Repurchases of common stock were $881.8 million in the six months, against $644.9 million a year earlier. Dividends paid were $1,256.0 million, against $1,145.1 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow lower: Operating cash flow was $1,775.2 million for the six months, against $1,974.7 million. Capital expenditures were $73.2 million. Source
  • Commercial paper no longer outstanding: Commercial paper borrowings were $4,769.5 million at June 30, 2025 and show no balance at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Shares outstanding declined: Shares outstanding were 403.0 million at December 31, 2025, down from 405.3 million at June 30, 2025. Source

Fiscal 2026 guidance changes

  • Revenue and EPS guidance raised: Full-year revenue growth guidance is now about 6%, and adjusted diluted EPS growth guidance is 9% to 10%. Adjusted EBIT margin and tax rate guidance were kept. Source
  • Client funds interest guidance raised: Client funds interest revenue guidance rose to $1.310 to $1.330 billion, based on average balance growth of 4% to 5%. Source
  • PEO worksite growth guidance narrowed: Average worksite employee growth guidance narrowed to about 2%, and Employer Services revenue growth guidance moved to about 6%. Source

Strategy and continued investment

  • Strategic investment continues: Management said it continues strategic investments alongside its updated guidance, to support long-term growth. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 January 2026

  • Remaining-year client funds assumptions: Client funds yield assumptions cover the remaining fiscal year, using a blended rate of 3.8% for new purchases across client and corporate portfolios. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Clients SourceMore than 1.1 million clients across 140+ countries
Client revenue retention Source92.1% (fiscal 2025)
Paid PEO worksite employees at end of period Source762,000

Risks management discussed

  • External: Foreign currency reduced reported revenue growth by about 1 point in the quarter, and fiscal 2026 guidance includes the anticipated currency impact. Source
  • Financial: Client funds interest guidance rests on Fed Funds futures and forward yield curves dated January 27, 2026, so those rates drive the client funds income figures. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The release says the analyst call was announced earlier and is held the same day as the release. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.