FORM N-Q

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

Investment Company Act file number: 811-00248
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THE ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

7 Saint Paul Street, Suite 1140, Baltimore, Maryland 21202
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(Address of principal executive offices)

Lawrence L. Hooper, Jr.
The Adams Express Company
7 Saint Paul Street, Suite 1140
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
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(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (410) 752-5900
Date of fiscal year end: December 31
Date of reporting period: March 31, 2012

Item 1. Schedule of Investments.

See accompanying notes.

SCHEDULE OF OUTSTANDING WRITTEN OPTION CONTRACTS

March 31, 2012

(unaudited)

See accompanying notes.

NOTES TO SCHEDULES OF INVESTMENTS AND OUTSTANDING WRITTEN OPTION CONTRACTS (Unaudited)

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1. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Adams Express Company (the "Company") is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as a diversified investment company. The Company is an internally-managed closed-end fund.

Affiliated Companies - Investments in companies 5% or more of whose outstanding voting securities are held by the Company are defined as "Affiliated Companies" in Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Security Transactions - Investment transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Gain or loss on sales of securities and options is determined on the basis of specific identification.

Security Valuation - The Company's investments are reported at fair value as defined under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Investments in securities traded on a national security exchange are valued at the last reported sale price on the day of valuation. Over-the-counter and listed securities for which a sale price is not available are valued at the last quoted bid price. Short-term investments (excluding purchased options and money market funds) are valued at amortized cost, which approximates fair value. Purchased and written options are valued at the last quoted bid and asked price, respectively. Money market funds are valued at net asset value on the day of valuation.

Various inputs are used to the determine the fair value of the Company's investments. These inputs are summarized in the following three levels:

• Level 1 -- fair value is determined based on market data obtained from independent sources; for example, quoted prices in active markets for identical investments,
• Level 2 -- fair value is determined using other assumptions obtained from independent sources; for example, quoted prices for similar investments,
• Level 3 -- fair value is determined using the Company's own assumptions, developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.

The Company's investments at March 31, 2012 were classified as follows:

There were no transfers into or from Level 1 or Level 2 during the quarter ended March 31, 2012.

2. FEDERAL INCOME TAXES

For federal income tax purposes, the identified cost of securities at March 31, 2012 was $994,025,993 and net unrealized appreciation aggregated $178,390,529, of which the related gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation were $273,372,370 and $(94,981,841), respectively.

3. INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS

The Company's investment decisions are made by a committee of management, and recommendations to that committee are made by the research staff.

The Company is subject to changes in the value of equity securities held ("equity price risk") in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. The Company may purchase and write option contracts to increase or decrease its equity price risk exposure or may write option contracts to generate additional income. Option contracts generally entail risks associated with counterparty credit, illiquidity, and unfavorable equity price movements. The Company has mitigated counterparty credit and illiquidity risks by trading its options through an exchange. The risk of unfavorable equity price movements is limited for purchased options to the premium paid and for written options by writing only covered call or collateralized put option contracts, which require the Company to segregate certain securities or cash at its custodian when the option is written.

When the Company writes (purchases) an option, an amount equal to the premium received (paid) by the Company is recorded as a liability (asset) and is subsequently marked to market daily in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, with any related change recorded as an unrealized gain or loss in the Statement of Operations. Premiums received (paid) from unexercised options are treated as realized gains (losses) on the expiration date. Upon the exercise of written put (purchased call) option contracts, premiums received (paid) are deducted from (added to) the cost basis of the underlying securities purchased. Upon the exercise of written call (purchased put) option contracts, premiums received (paid) are added to (deducted from) the proceeds from the sale of underlying securities in determining whether there is a realized gain or loss.

4. PORTFOLIO SECURITIES LOANED

The Company makes loans of securities to approved brokers to earn additional income. It receives as collateral cash deposits, U.S. Government securities, or bank letters of credit valued at 102% of the value of the securities on loan. The market value of the loaned securities is calculated based upon the most recent closing prices and any additional required collateral is delivered to the Company on the next business day. Cash deposits are placed in a registered money market fund. The Company accounts for securities lending transactions as secured financing and receives compensation in the form of fees or retains a portion of interest on the investment of any cash received as collateral. The Company also continues to receive interest or dividends on the securities loaned. Gain or loss in the fair value of the securities loaned that may occur during the term of the loan will be for the account of the Company. At March 31, 2012, the Company had outstanding securities on loan of $1,281,888 and held cash collateral of $1,317,720. The Company is indemnified by its lending agent for loss of loaned securities and has the right under the lending agreement to recover the securities from the borrower on demand.

Item 2. Controls and Procedures.

(a) The registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) are effective based on their evaluation of the disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report.

(b) There have been no significant changes in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) that occurred during the registrant's last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Item 3. Exhibits.

The certifications of the principal executive officer and principal financial officer pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 are attached hereto as Form N-Q Certifications.