HireQuest, Inc. (HQI)

In the past six months, HireQuest's stock has been impacted by its financial performance and corporate actions. The company's Q1 2025 earnings call on May 8, 2025, reported that Q1 2025 earnings and revenues lagged estimates, with total revenue decreasing by 11.2% to $7.5 million compared to Q1 2024, and net income declining. On May 13, 2025, HireQuest proposed an acquisition of Trueblue, Inc. for $7.50 per share, an offer that TrueBlue's Board subsequently rejected. For Q2 2025, HireQuest reported that revenue slipped 12% year-over-year, with franchise royalties down 11.2% and service revenue down 26.1%, amidst a challenging staffing market. Despite missing revenue targets, the company outperformed on profitability and beat profit expectations. HireQuest declared a quarterly dividend of $0.06 per share, with payment on September 15, 2025, to shareholders of record as of September 1, 2025. The company is scheduled to hold its Q3 2025 financial results conference call on November 6, 2025. Stock price movements in October 2025 included a 5.4% increase on October 14, reflecting a rebound after a period of decline. The stock also saw its price move over +3.58% on October 20, 2025, and its trading volume exceeded the daily average by +103.52% on October 22, 2025.

HireQuest provides temporary staffing solutions designed to meet seasonal demands, indicating that its services are subject to fluctuations based on seasonal workforce needs. The staffing industry, in general, is sensitive to economic cycles, with demand for staffing services often reflecting broader economic conditions. The company's CEO has noted an unpredictable economic environment impacting demand. The asset-light franchise model allows HireQuest to scale operations quickly when demand for staffing services returns.

HireQuest, Inc. is a franchisor of staffing solutions operating across the United States and in international markets, falling under the Industrials sector and the Staffing & Employment Services industry. The company provides temporary staffing, on-demand labor, direct-dispatch, executive search, and commercial staffing services, with its primary revenue from royalty fees from franchised offices. HireQuest operates through several brands, including HireQuest Direct, HireQuest, Snelling, DriverQuest, HireQuest Health, Northbound Executive Search, MRI, and TradeCorp, catering to industries such as construction, light industrial, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, cybersecurity, engineering, recycling, warehousing, logistics, auctioneering, hospitality, landscaping, retail, and dental practices. HireQuest Direct focuses on daily-work-daily-pay jobs, primarily in construction and light industrial segments, while HireQuest and Snelling focus on longer-term staffing in light industrial and administrative roles. TradeCorp specializes in short-term skilled construction jobs, and HireQuest Health provides skilled personnel for healthcare and dental industries. Northbound, MRI, and SearchPath concentrate on executive, managerial, and professional recruitment services.

HireQuest, Inc. has a nationwide footprint across the U.S. and a presence in international markets. As of December 31, 2021, the company had approximately 216 franchisee-owned offices in 36 states and the District of Columbia, compared to 147 offices in 32 states and the District of Columbia in 2019. The company's franchised and licensed offices also extend to over 40 countries worldwide.

HireQuest emphasizes its commitment to its franchisees, customers, and communities, striving to provide peerless customer service. The company's franchise model is highlighted as a differentiator in the temporary staffing industry, offering administrative support, dedicated software, and access to working capital to its franchisees. The company's financial performance in a difficult staffing market and protracted softness over the past two years could indirectly influence perceptions of its operational strength and reliability. Media sentiment tracking indicates the positivity or negativity of news headlines about the company.

Richard Hermanns serves as the President, CEO, Chairman of the Board, and is the most significant stockholder of HireQuest, Inc. Insider ownership transactions in 2024 show purchases by Richard Hermanns, including 10,000 shares on May 14, 2024, for a total value of $120.72K, and other purchases in August and June 2024. Lawrence F. Hagenbuch also made a purchase in November 2024, while several individuals, including Lawrence F. Hagenbuch, Kathleen M. Shanahan, R. Rimmy Malhotra, Edward Jackson, and Jack A. Olmstead, had sales in July 2024.