Latest Ratios: P/E Ratio 27.0x · EV/EBITDA 14.8x · ROE 9.5%. (2001–2025 historical series)
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $169M | $147M | $197M | $212M | $217M | $274M | $140M | $82M | $19M | $30M | $23M |
| Enterprise Value | $165M | $143M | $202M | $225M | $230M | $276M | $126M | $78M | $12M | $23M | $20M |
| P/E Ratio → | 27.00 | 23.36 | 54.46 | 34.89 | 17.37 | 23.17 | 26.21 | — | 20.00 | 17.88 | 39.27 |
| P/S Ratio | 5.53 | 4.81 | 5.70 | 5.59 | 7.01 | 12.18 | 10.11 | 5.18 | 0.20 | 0.31 | 0.24 |
| P/B Ratio | 2.49 | 2.16 | 3.04 | 3.38 | 3.72 | 5.87 | 3.84 | 2.63 | 1.03 | 1.54 | 1.20 |
| P/FCF | 14.13 | 12.29 | 16.47 | 20.13 | 14.09 | 17.80 | 15.31 | 18.46 | 7.88 | 6.49 | — |
| P/OCF | 14.06 | 12.23 | 16.37 | 19.95 | 12.85 | 15.78 | 12.83 | 16.57 | 7.40 | 6.34 | 1724.18 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 4.68 | 5.83 | 5.95 | 7.44 | 12.26 | 9.12 | 4.91 | 0.12 | 0.24 | 0.22 |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.77 | 12.80 | 28.20 | 16.77 | 12.75 | 30.03 | 24.64 | 24.49 | 9.33 | 5.68 | 10.54 |
| EV / EBIT | 20.19 | 17.50 | 39.81 | 24.58 | 16.18 | 36.11 | 19.14 | 9.89 | 10.06 | 6.28 | 18.18 |
| EV / FCF | — | 11.97 | 16.86 | 21.41 | 14.96 | 17.93 | 13.81 | 17.52 | 4.82 | 5.00 | — |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 90.2% | 90.2% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 25.6% | 25.9% | 25.4% |
| Operating Margin | 26.7% | 26.7% | 12.6% | 28.1% | 51.8% | 34.0% | 36.1% | 17.5% | 1.2% | 3.8% | 1.7% |
| Net Profit Margin | 20.7% | 20.7% | 10.6% | 16.2% | 40.2% | 52.6% | 38.8% | -1.8% | 1.0% | 1.7% | 0.8% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 9.5% | 9.5% | 5.8% | 10.1% | 23.7% | 28.5% | 15.8% | -1.2% | 5.1% | 8.7% | 3.9% |
| ROA | 6.9% | 6.9% | 3.7% | 5.9% | 13.8% | 18.7% | 11.2% | -0.8% | 4.0% | 6.8% | 3.0% |
| ROIC | 9.2% | 9.2% | 4.5% | 10.8% | 20.0% | 16.1% | 15.0% | 10.9% | 7.4% | 19.2% | 8.4% |
| ROCE | 11.5% | 11.5% | 6.3% | 15.8% | 26.2% | 16.0% | 13.2% | 10.0% | 5.9% | 18.0% | 7.6% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | — | — | 0.11 | 0.24 | 0.28 | 0.07 | — | — | 0.02 | 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Debt / EBITDA | — | — | 0.97 | 1.10 | 0.91 | 0.35 | — | — | 0.31 | 0.21 | 0.20 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | -0.06 | 0.07 | 0.21 | 0.23 | 0.04 | -0.38 | -0.13 | -0.40 | -0.35 | -0.14 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -0.35 | -0.35 | 0.66 | 1.00 | 0.75 | 0.22 | -2.68 | -1.32 | -5.91 | -1.69 | -1.38 |
| Debt / FCF | — | -0.32 | 0.39 | 1.28 | 0.88 | 0.13 | -1.50 | -0.94 | -3.06 | -1.49 | — |
| Interest Coverage | 26.70 | 26.70 | 5.49 | 6.61 | 38.69 | 48.73 | 132.45 | 14.09 | 558.35 | 318.14 | 44.14 |
Net cash position: cash ($4M) exceeds total debt ($0)
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 3.15 | 3.15 | 2.04 | 1.44 | 1.41 | 1.96 | 4.12 | 3.36 | 4.82 | 3.75 | 3.98 |
| Quick Ratio | 3.15 | 3.15 | 2.04 | 1.44 | 1.39 | 1.96 | 3.97 | 3.36 | 4.74 | 3.69 | 3.67 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.09 | 0.04 | 0.08 | 0.06 | 1.45 | 0.38 | 2.17 | 1.60 | 0.79 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 0.35 | 0.37 | 0.36 | 0.30 | 0.29 | 0.28 | 0.34 | 4.16 | 3.87 | 3.84 |
| Inventory Turnover | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 257.26 | 259.37 | 59.23 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 480.72 | 459.06 | 444.97 | 548.88 | 643.52 | 621.75 | 726.96 | 33.89 | 34.96 | 40.26 |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 2.0% | 2.3% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.0% | — | 36.1% | 3.9% | — |
| Payout Ratio | 53.3% | 53.3% | 91.5% | 54.4% | 26.6% | 26.5% | 25.3% | — | 720.2% | 69.9% | — |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 3.7% | 4.3% | 1.8% | 2.9% | 5.8% | 4.3% | 3.8% | — | 5.0% | 5.6% | 2.5% |
| FCF Yield | 7.1% | 8.1% | 6.1% | 5.0% | 7.1% | 5.6% | 6.5% | 5.4% | 12.7% | 15.4% | — |
| Buyback Yield | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10.2% | 9.4% | 1.2% | 6.7% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 2.2% | 2.5% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 10.2% | 45.5% | 5.1% | 6.7% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $14M | $14M | $14M | $14M | $14M | $14M | $12M | $5M | $5M | $5M |
Franchisee network volume contraction
According to current market data, HQI trades at a forward P/E of 24.22, which appears elevated given the 11.44% TTM revenue decline and a PEG ratio of 10.29, suggesting that investors are pricing in a recovery that the current operational trajectory has yet to support.
The valuation premium relative to the broader staffing sector suggests the market is applying a 'franchisor' multiple to HQI, yet the persistent revenue contraction warrants caution. Investors should monitor whether the current P/S of 6.11 is sustainable if system-wide sales continue to soften, as the market may be overestimating the durability of the company's royalty-based growth.
Based on reported figures, ROIC has trended downward to 1.7% in 2026Q1 from 2.7% in 2025Q3, indicating that the company is struggling to compound returns on its invested capital as the franchise network faces significant headwinds in the current macroeconomic environment.
The decline in ROIC suggests that recent acquisitions or internal investments are not yet generating the expected yield, potentially due to the integration of lower-performing franchise units. This trend warrants further investigation into whether the company's capital allocation strategy is effectively offsetting the organic slowdown in system-wide sales.
As reported in financial statements, the DSO remains exceptionally high at 596 days in 2026Q1, which is significantly elevated compared to historical norms and suggests that the company's ability to collect on its royalty and service fee streams is facing structural friction.
The extended DSO appears to indicate that the company is either carrying significant bad debt risk or that the billing cycle for its franchise network is inherently inefficient. This lack of working capital velocity may explain the volatility in cash flow and suggests that the company's liquidity position is more sensitive to franchisee payment delays than previously assumed.
Based on the most recent quarterly data, the current ratio has fluctuated to 2.69, yet the absolute cash position has dwindled to $1.0 million, which appears inadequate given the company's ongoing commitments to dividends and share repurchases during a period of negative revenue growth.
While the current ratio appears healthy on the surface, the rapid depletion of cash reserves suggests that the company's liquidity is highly dependent on the timing of royalty inflows. Investors should monitor whether the company will need to curtail its capital return program to preserve liquidity if the current revenue contraction persists.
The most commonly misapplied metric for HQI is the traditional 'Gross Margin' of 90%+, which obscures the fact that the company does not bear the direct labor costs of its franchisees, leading to an inflated perception of operational profitability compared to peers like TrueBlue.
Analysts often mistake this high gross margin for superior operational efficiency, when it is actually a function of the franchisor accounting model. A more accurate assessment would focus on 'Net Royalty Margin' and 'System-Wide Sales' growth, as these metrics better reflect the underlying economic health of the franchise network and the company's true earning power.
Includes 30+ ratios · 25 years · Updated daily
DCF models, multiple analysis, and analyst estimates.
10-year return with dividends reinvested.
See how regular investing compounds over time.
Compare growth, multiples, and margins vs sector.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying HQI stock.
HireQuest, Inc.'s current P/E ratio is 27.0x. The historical average is 28.1x. This places it at the 67th percentile of its historical range.
HireQuest, Inc.'s current EV/EBITDA is 14.8x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 15.6x.
HireQuest, Inc.'s return on equity (ROE) is 9.5%. The historical average is -4.7%.
Based on historical data, HireQuest, Inc. is trading at a P/E of 27.0x. This is at the 67th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
HireQuest, Inc.'s current dividend yield is 1.98% with a payout ratio of 53.3%.
HireQuest, Inc. has 90.2% gross margin and 26.7% operating margin. Operating margin above 20% indicates strong pricing power and cost efficiency.