The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how business process outsourcing & consulting stocks fared in Q4, starting with Huron (NASDAQ:HURN).
The sector stands to benefit from ongoing digital transformation, increasing corporate demand for cost efficiencies, and the growing complexity of regulatory and cybersecurity landscapes. For those that invest wisely, AI and automation capabilities could emerge as competitive advantages, enhancing process efficiencies for the companies themselves as well as their clients. On the flip side, AI could be a headwind as well as the technology could lower the barrier to entry in the space and give rise to more self-service solutions. Additional challenges in the years ahead could include wage inflation for highly skilled consultants and potential regulatory scrutiny on outsourcing practices—especially in industries like finance and healthcare where who has access to certain data matters greatly.
The 6 business process outsourcing & consulting stocks we track reported a mixed Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.1% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.
While some business process outsourcing & consulting stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 3.3% since the latest earnings results.
Best Q4: Huron (NASDAQ:HURN)
Founded in 2002 during a time of significant regulatory change in corporate America, Huron Consulting Group (NASDAQ:HURN) is a professional services firm that helps clients develop growth strategies, optimize operations, and implement digital transformation solutions.
Huron reported revenues of $399.3 million, up 14.1% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.7%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter for the company with a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates.
“The fourth quarter of 2024 produced record revenues before reimbursable expenses (RBR) as our growth rate accelerated, reflecting strong performance across all three operating segments. We also drove strong margin expansion over the prior year period,” said Mark Hussey, chief executive officer and president of Huron.
Huron Total Revenue
The stock is up 16.6% since reporting and currently trades at $146.19.
Called upon when disasters strike and complex technical questions need answers, Exponent (NASDAQ:EXPO) is a scientific and engineering consulting firm that investigates complex problems and provides solutions across various industries.
Exponent reported revenues of $123.8 million, up 8.7% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 3.5%. The business had a very strong quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Exponent Total Revenue
Exponent delivered the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. Although it had a fine quarter compared its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 7.5% since reporting. It currently trades at $82.93.
With roots dating back to 1982 and a name that stands for "Forensic Technologies International," FTI Consulting (NYSE:FCN) is a global business advisory firm that helps organizations manage change, mitigate risk, and resolve financial, legal, operational, and regulatory disputes.
FTI Consulting reported revenues of $894.9 million, down 3.2% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2.1%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted full-year revenue guidance missing analysts’ expectations.
FTI Consulting delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates, slowest revenue growth, and weakest full-year guidance update in the group. As expected, the stock is down 13.7% since the results and currently trades at $164.19.
Originally established as a business unit within General Electric before becoming independent in 2005, Genpact (NYSE:G) is a global professional services company that helps businesses transform their operations through digital technology, AI, and process expertise.
Genpact reported revenues of $1.25 billion, up 8.9% year on year. This number beat analysts’ expectations by 1.7%. It was a strong quarter as it also recorded a solid beat of analysts’ constant currency revenue estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates.
The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $49.63.
With a team of approximately 450,000 "game-changers" across 75 countries, Concentrix (NASDAQ:CNXC) designs and delivers customer experience solutions that help global brands manage customer interactions across digital channels and contact centers.
Concentrix reported revenues of $2.45 billion, up 9.7% year on year. This result was in line with analysts’ expectations. More broadly, it was a slower quarter as it logged a significant miss of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates.
The stock is down 2.9% since reporting and currently trades at $46.25.
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