UNITED STATES SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 Form 13F Form 13F COVER PAGE Report for the Calendar Year or Quarter Ended: June 30, 2012 Check here if Amendment [ ];Amendment Number: This amendment (Check only one.): [ ] is a restatement. [ ] adds new holdings entries. Institutional Investment Manager Filing this Report: Name: The Adams Express Company Address: 7 St. Paul Street, Suite 1140 Baltimore, MD 21202 Form 13F File Number:28-597 The institutional investment manager filing this report and the person by whom it is signed hereby represent that the person signing the report is authorized to submit it, that all information contained herein is true, correct and complete, and that it is understood that all required items, statements, schedules, lists, and tables are considered integral parts of this form. Person Signing this Report on Behalf of Reporting Manager: Name: Christine M. Sloan Title Assistant Treasurer Phone (410) 752-5900 Signature, Place, and Date of Signing: /s/ Christine M. Sloan Baltimore, MD July 30, 2012 [Signature] [City, State] [Date] Report Type (Check only one.): [X] 13F HOLDINGS REPORT. (Check here if all holdings of this reporting manager are reported in this report). [ ] 13F NOTICE. (Check here if no holdings reported are in this report, and all holdings are reported by other reporting manager(s).) [ ] 13F COMBINATION REPORT. (Check here if a portion of the holdings for this reporting manager are reported in this report and a portion are reported by other reporting manager(s).) Form 13F SUMMARY PAGE Report Summary: Number of Other Included Managers: 0 Form 13F Information Table Entry Total: 103 Form 13F Information Table Value Total: $1,074,076 (in thousands) List of Other Included Managers: Provide a numbered list of the name(s) and Form 13F file number(s) of all institutional investment managers with respect to which this report is filed, other than the manager filing this report. NONE COLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3 COLUMN 4 COLUMN 5 COLUMN 6 COLUMN 7 COLUMN 8 NAME OF ISSUER TITLE CUSIP VALUE SHRS OR SH/ PUT/ INVSTMT OTHER VOTING AUTHORITY OF CLASS (x $1000) PRN AMT PRN CALL DISCRETN MANAGER SOLE SHARED NONE ACE LTD. SHS H0023R105 12,231 165,000 SH SOLE 165,000 ADTRAN, INC. COM 00738A106 3,085 102,200 SH SOLE 102,200 AFFILIATED MANAGERS GROUP, INC. COM 008252108 4,378 40,000 SH SOLE 40,000 AIR PRODUCTS & CHEMICALS, INC. COM 009158106 2,422 30,000 SH SOLE 30,000 AMERIGROUP CORP. COM 03073T102 7,580 115,000 SH SOLE 115,000 ANADARKO PETROLEUM CORP. COM 032511107 3,310 50,000 SH SOLE 50,000 APPLE INC. COM 037833100 48,472 83,000 SH SOLE 83,000 AT&T CORP. COM 00206R102 19,613 550,000 SH SOLE 550,000 AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING, INC. COM 053015103 11,132 200,000 SH SOLE 200,000 AVON PRODUCTS, INC. COM 054303102 5,829 359,600 SH SOLE 359,600 AXIS CAPITAL HOLDINGS, LTD. SHS G0692U109 7,161 220,000 SH SOLE 220,000 BANK OF AMERICA CORP. COM 060505104 7,607 930,000 SH SOLE 930,000 BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORP. COM 064058100 8,863 403,775 SH SOLE 403,775 BORGWARNER INC. COM 099724106 7,215 110,000 SH SOLE 110,000 BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB CO. COM 110122108 5,718 159,061 SH SOLE 159,061 BROADCOM CORP. CL A 111320107 3,380 100,000 SH SOLE 100,000 BUNGE LTD. COM G16962105 8,156 130,000 SH SOLE 130,000 CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORP. COM 14040H105 12,299 225,000 SH SOLE 225,000 CATERPILLAR INC. COM 149123101 10,189 120,000 SH SOLE 120,000 CELGENE CORP. COM 151020104 7,699 120,000 SH SOLE 120,000 CENTURYLINK INC. COM 156700106 14,216 360,000 SH SOLE 360,000 CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC. COM 125269100 7,465 38,531 SH SOLE 38,531 CHEVRON CORP. COM 166764100 16,458 156,000 SH SOLE 156,000 CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. COM 17275R102 14,594 850,000 SH SOLE 850,000 CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES INC. COM 18683K101 3,204 65,000 SH SOLE 65,000 COCA-COLA CO. COM 191216100 11,728 150,000 SH SOLE 150,000 COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CL A 192446102 9,600 160,000 SH SOLE 160,000 COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR CO. COM 198516106 10,724 200,000 SH SOLE 200,000 CONSOL ENERGY INC. COM 20854P109 2,229 73,700 SH SOLE 73,700 CVS/CAREMARK CORP. COM 126650100 13,785 295,000 SH SOLE 295,000 DIAGEO PLC ADR SPON ADR NEW 25243Q205 5,154 50,000 SH SOLE 50,000 DIGITAL REALTY TRUST INC. COM 253868103 2,252 30,000 SH SOLE 30,000 DOW CHEMICAL CO. COM 260543103 11,340 360,000 SH SOLE 360,000 EATON CORP. COM 278058102 8,124 205,000 SH SOLE 205,000 EMERSON ELECTRIC CO. COM 291011104 7,919 170,000 SH SOLE 170,000 EXPRESS SCRIPTS HOLDING CO. COM 30219G108 13,958 250,000 SH SOLE 250,000 EXXON MOBIL CORP. COM 30231G102 8,985 105,000 SH SOLE 105,000 F5 NETWORKS INC. COM 315616102 996 10,000 SH SOLE 10,000 FEDEX CORP. COM 31428X106 10,535 115,000 SH SOLE 115,000 FREEPORT-MCMORAN COPPER & GOLD COM 35671D857 5,645 165,700 SH SOLE 165,700 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. COM 369604103 14,171 680,000 SH SOLE 680,000 GILEAD SCIENCES INC. COM 375558103 12,820 250,000 SH SOLE 250,000 GOODRICH CORP. COM 382388106 8,502 67,000 SH SOLE 67,000 GOOGLE INC. CL A 38259P508 12,994 22,400 SH SOLE 22,400 HALLIBURTON CO. COM 406216101 4,259 150,000 SH SOLE 150,000 HANCOCK HOLDING CO. COM 410120109 3,044 100,000 SH SOLE 100,000 HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. COM 428236103 5,028 250,000 SH SOLE 250,000 HONEYWELL INT'L INC. COM 438516106 14,239 255,000 SH SOLE 255,000 INTEL CORP. COM 458140100 21,054 790,000 SH SOLE 790,000 JOHNSON & JOHNSON COM 478160104 11,485 170,000 SH SOLE 170,000 JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. COM 46625H100 21,438 600,000 SH SOLE 600,000 KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN COM NEW 485170302 6,956 100,000 SH SOLE 100,000 LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORP. COM 53217V109 8,998 200,000 SH SOLE 200,000 LOWE'S COMPANIES, INC. COM 548661107 17,064 600,000 SH SOLE 600,000 MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL INC. COM 571903202 11,760 300,000 SH SOLE 300,000 MASCO CORP. COM 574599106 10,056 725,000 SH SOLE 725,000 MCDONALD'S CORP. COM 580135101 21,247 240,000 SH SOLE 240,000 MCKESSON CORP. COM 58155Q103 9,000 96,000 SH SOLE 96,000 MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC. COM 552690109 6,712 310,600 SH SOLE 310,600 MEDTRONIC, INC. COM 585055106 13,556 350,000 SH SOLE 350,000 METLIFE INC. COM 59156R108 8,792 285,000 SH SOLE 285,000 MICROSOFT CORP. COM 594918104 21,413 700,000 SH SOLE 700,000 MORGAN STANLEY COM 617446448 1,751 120,000 SH SOLE 120,000 NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, INC. COM 637071101 6,444 100,000 SH SOLE 100,000 NETAPP, INC. COM 64110D104 3,978 125,000 SH SOLE 125,000 NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC. COM 651229106 7,256 400,000 SH SOLE 400,000 NISOURCE INC. COM 65473P105 3,279 132,500 SH SOLE 132,500 NOBLE CORP. SHS H5833N103 3,904 120,000 SH SOLE 120,000 NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP. COM 655844108 7,177 100,000 SH SOLE 100,000 NORTHEAST UTILITIES COM 664397106 6,054 156,000 SH SOLE 156,000 ORACLE CORP. COM 68389X105 22,572 760,000 SH SOLE 760,000 PEABODY ENERGY CORP. COM 704549104 945 38,560 SH SOLE 38,560 PEPSICO, INC. COM 713448108 17,665 250,000 SH SOLE 250,000 PETROLEUM & RESOURCES CORP. COM 716549100 52,395 2,186,774 SH SOLE 2,186,774 PFIZER INC. COM 717081103 18,400 800,000 SH SOLE 800,000 PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL INC. COM 718172109 13,089 150,000 SH SOLE 150,000 PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP COM 693475105 14,361 235,000 SH SOLE 235,000 POTASH CORP OF SASKATCHEWAN INC. COM 73755L107 5,684 130,100 SH SOLE 130,100 PRAXAIR, INC. COM 74005P104 7,339 67,500 SH SOLE 67,500 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO. COM 742718109 17,150 280,000 SH SOLE 280,000 PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL, INC. COM 744320102 7,265 150,000 SH SOLE 150,000 QUALCOMM INC. COM 747525103 16,704 300,000 SH SOLE 300,000 RYLAND GROUP INC. COM 783764103 8,531 333,500 SH SOLE 333,500 SAFEWAY INC. COM NEW 786514208 6,171 340,000 SH SOLE 340,000 SCHLUMBERGER LTD. COM 806857108 7,789 120,000 SH SOLE 120,000 SEADRILL LTD. SHS G7945E105 1,421 40,000 SH SOLE 40,000 SENOMYX, INC. COM 81724Q107 3,018 1,284,400 SH SOLE 1,284,400 SOUTH JERSEY INDUSTRIES, INC. COM 838518108 5,097 100,000 SH SOLE 100,000 SPECTRA ENERGY CORP. COM 847560109 11,792 405,780 SH SOLE 405,780 SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS HOLDINGS, INC. COM CL A 848574109 11,915 500,000 SH SOLE 500,000 T. ROWE PRICE GROUP INC. COM 74144T108 8,500 135,000 SH SOLE 135,000 TARGET CORP. COM 87612E106 18,621 320,000 SH SOLE 320,000 TECK RESOURCES LTD CL B 878742204 2,351 76,000 SH SOLE 76,000 TEREX CORP. COM 880779103 4,636 260,000 SH SOLE 260,000 TEVA PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES ADR 881624209 8,677 220,000 SH SOLE 220,000 UNILEVER PLC ADR SPON ADR NEW 904767704 14,841 440,000 SH SOLE 440,000 UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP. COM 913017109 9,630 127,500 SH SOLE 127,500 UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INC. COM 91324P102 13,309 227,500 SH SOLE 227,500 VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC. COM 92343V104 13,332 300,000 SH SOLE 300,000 WALT DISNEY CO. COM 254687106 17,460 360,000 SH SOLE 360,000 WELLS FARGO & CO. COM 949746101 20,398 610,000 SH SOLE 610,000 WISCONSIN ENERGY CORP. COM 976657106 5,936 150,000 SH SOLE 150,000 ZIMMER HOLDINGS, INC. COM 98956P102 7,401 115,000 SH SOLE 115,000 1,074,076