ADP vs MA: Correlation
Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Mastercard (MA) show a strong relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is 0.63.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are ADP and MA?
Over the past 3 years, ADP and MA moved with a correlation of 0.63, which is strong. Recent behaviour matches the longer record: 0.56 over 1 year against 0.63 over 3. Over 5 years the correlation is 0.53, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 262.6 %².
Among the 43 assets we track against ADP, MA ranks #4 by 3-year correlation. Twelve-month performance is nearly a tie, at -3.5% for ADP and +0.8% for MA. Across three years, the rolling one-year figure varied moderately, from 0.43 to 0.75.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
ADP vs MA: side by side
| ADP (Automatic Data Processing) | MA (Mastercard) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | -3.5% | +0.8% |
| 5-year return | +52.0% | +72.6% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 21.7% | 19.3% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.53 | 0.77 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -40.8% | -20.9% |
| Market cap | $113.1B | $518.4B |
| P/E (trailing) | 26.0 | 32.9 |
| Dividend yield | 2.36% | 0.56% |
| Sector / category | Industrials | Financials |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | ADP | MA |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -1.3% | -2.7% |
| 2023 | -0.2% | +23.4% |
| 2024 | +28.4% | +24.2% |
| 2025 | -10.2% | +9.0% |
| 2026 | +12.4% | +4.2% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are ADP and MA good diversifiers for each other?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.63 means ADP and MA share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
FAQ
What is the correlation between ADP and MA?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between ADP and MA is 0.63 over 3 years, 0.56 over 1 year and 0.53 over 5 years.
Is MA a good diversifier for ADP?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.63 means ADP and MA share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
What does a correlation of 0.63 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.63 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/adp-vs-ma.json
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Related comparisons
Hubs: ADP correlations · MA correlations
