Robert Half (NYSE:RHI) Shares Gap Up on Earnings Beat

Robert Half Inc. (NYSE:RHI) shares gapped up prior to trading on Friday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock had previously closed at $27.09, but opened at $32.96. Robert Half shares last traded at $32.7110, with a volume of 718,874 shares.

The business services provider reported $0.32 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.30 by $0.02. Robert Half had a return on equity of 11.76% and a net margin of 2.85%.The company had revenue of $1.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.29 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.53 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 5.8% on a year-over-year basis.

Key Stories Impacting Robert Half

Here are the key news stories impacting Robert Half this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results topped consensus — EPS of $0.32 vs. $0.30 expected and revenue of $1.30B vs. $1.29B expected, giving investors a near‑term earnings catalyst. ROBERT HALF REPORTS FOURTH-QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS
• Positive Sentiment: Management issued Q1 FY2026 revenue guidance of $1.26B–$1.36B, calling for sequential growth — a constructive signal that hiring demand may be stabilizing. Robert Half outlines Q1 2026 revenue guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction was strong — multiple outlets report the stock surged after the beat-and-guide release, reflecting short‑term investor optimism. Robert Half shares surge after beating Q4 expectations
• Neutral Sentiment: The earnings‑call transcript provides color on client activity and staffing trends — useful for judging whether guidance is sustainable but not adding new quantitative beats. Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlights Robert Half’s longer‑term earnings potential if staffing demand recovers — a reminder this name is sensitive to economic hiring cycles. A Glimpse of Robert Half’s Earnings Potential
• Negative Sentiment: Underlying fundamentals show year‑over‑year weakness: revenue fell ~5.8% vs. prior year and EPS declined from $0.53 to $0.32, signaling ongoing demand pressure that could limit upside absent sustained improvement. Robert Half Reports Q4 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability is modest — net margin around 2.85% and lower year‑over‑year results raise questions about margin leverage even if revenue stabilizes. Robert Half Surpasses Q4 Earnings and Revenue Estimates

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Robert W. Baird set a $50.00 price objective on Robert Half in a research note on Friday. Truist Financial set a $35.00 price target on shares of Robert Half in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Robert Half in a research report on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group reduced their price objective on Robert Half from $30.00 to $27.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on Robert Half from $36.00 to $31.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and five have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $34.13.

Institutional Trading of Robert Half

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in RHI. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Robert Half by 24.8% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 7,738,454 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $262,953,000 after acquiring an additional 1,537,245 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors increased its stake in Robert Half by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 5,971,698 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $202,918,000 after purchasing an additional 15,815 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Robert Half by 2.7% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 4,873,440 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $200,055,000 after acquiring an additional 127,322 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its holdings in shares of Robert Half by 460.5% in the 3rd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,341,133 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $147,512,000 after purchasing an additional 3,566,645 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in Robert Half by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,702,722 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $151,997,000 after buying an additional 84,545 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.41% of the company’s stock.

Robert Half Stock Up 22.8%

The stock has a market capitalization of $3.37 billion, a PE ratio of 21.50 and a beta of 0.85. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $27.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $31.72.

About Robert Half

Robert Half International Inc, founded in 1948 by Robert Half, is a global professional staffing and consulting firm headquartered in Menlo Park, California. As a pioneer in specialized staffing, the company has built a reputation for matching skilled professionals with leading organizations across a range of industries. Robert Half’s shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker RHI, reflecting its position as one of the longest‐standing and best‐known firms in the staffing sector.

The company offers a comprehensive suite of services, including temporary staffing, permanent placement, and consulting solutions.