Robert Half International Inc

Robert Half released its 2027 Salary Guide, projecting salary increases of between +1.1% and +1.8% across the six professional fields it covers, with 55% of managers saying they are offering higher-than-planned salaries to attract top talent. More than six in 10 employers, 61%, cite specialized skills as the reason for paying above planned budget, and 63% are increasing pay for professionals with relevant AI skills, while 32% say AI expertise commands a greater premium than other technical skills. Six in 10 organizations are raising compensation budgets despite cost pressures, and 70% of companies are taking pay transparency steps beyond legal requirements, with 49% saying this has produced higher-quality candidate pools. Among individual roles, the marketing automation specialist is expected to see the largest increase at +5.9%, followed by the business intelligence developer at +5.3%, the chief information security officer at +5.2%, the litigation support and eDiscovery director at +5.1%, and the digital strategist at +5.0%, all above the national average increase of +1.4%. The guide also flags gaps between what workers value and what employers offer, including cost of living adjustments, valued by 50% of workers but offered by 18% of employers, and flexible work schedules, valued by 66% but offered by 52%.

ManpowerGroup topped Q2 earnings among seven professional staffing and HR solutions companies tracked, with revenues of $4.86 billion, up 7.5% year on year and exceeding analyst expectations by 2.9%. The group's revenues beat consensus estimates by 2.3% on average, while next-quarter guidance came in 2% below. First Advantage also outperformed with revenues of $448.8 million, up 14.9% and beating estimates by 8.2%, while Barrett Business Services was the weakest, with revenues of $319.3 million, up 3.8% but missing EPS estimates significantly. Robert Half reported revenues of $1.34 billion, down 2.4% but beating estimates by 1%, and Insperity posted revenues of $1.69 billion, up 1.7% and topping expectations by 0.7%. Since reporting, ManpowerGroup shares have risen 59.2% to $62.13, while Barrett shares have fallen 14.9% to $34.15.

Professional staffing and HR solutions stocks reported a strong second quarter, with the seven companies tracked beating revenue consensus estimates by 2.3% on average, though next quarter's revenue guidance came in 2% below expectations. Alight reported revenues of $511 million, down 3.2% year over year, beating estimates by 2.8% but issuing weak guidance that sent its stock down 22.1% to $13.38. ManpowerGroup posted revenues of $4.86 billion, up 7.5% year over year and 2.9% above estimates, with its stock up 44.2% to $56.26. Barrett Business Services reported revenues of $319.3 million, up 3.8% year over year and in line with estimates, but missed EPS significantly and its stock fell 21.8% to $31.39. First Advantage reported revenues of $448.8 million, up 14.9% year over year and 8.2% above estimates, with its stock up 3.1% to $21.20. Robert Half reported revenues of $1.34 billion, down 2.4% year over year but beating estimates by 1%, with its stock up 11.3% to $42.15.

Several companies announced dividend declarations. Kimberly-Clark declared a regular quarterly dividend of $1.28 per share, payable on October 2, 2026 to stockholders of record on September 4, 2026. Westlake Chemical Partners declared a distribution of $0.4714 per unit, its 48th quarterly distribution since its initial public offering, payable on August 28, 2026 to unit holders of record on August 13, 2026. Eagle Materials declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share, payable on October 13, 2026 to stockholders of record on September 14, 2026. Robert Half declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.59 per share, payable on September 15, 2026 to shareholders of record on August 25, 2026. Western Union declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.235 per common share, payable on September 30, 2026 to stockholders of record on September 16, 2026. Northern Oil and Gas declared a cash dividend of $0.45 per share, equal to the prior quarterly dividend, payable on October 30, 2026 to stockholders of record on September 29, 2026.

Several U.S. companies are looking to expand their workforce after months of holding back, signaling a potential shift in hiring trends even as artificial intelligence continues to drive job cuts. U.S. tech firms have cut nearly 140,000 jobs this year, with Amazon, Oracle, Meta, and Microsoft accounting for about 50,000 of those cuts, according to a Financial Times analysis. However, Robert Half CEO Keith Waddell noted that AI's impacts on the job market are proving more benign than feared, while Booz Allen Hamilton is accelerating hiring after last year's layoffs, CSX expects modest headcount increases, Alphabet plans to keep hiring in AI and Cloud, Ford rehired hundreds of experienced engineers, and IBM will triple its U.S. entry-level hiring this year. Gartner predicted that up to 30% of roles displaced by AI will be rehired by 2029, often at a higher cost. Still, companies including Amazon, Uber, and monday.com continue to announce AI-driven layoffs.

Shares of Robert Half surged 7.4% to close at $32.97 after the ADP National Employment Report showed private sector employment rose by 98,000 in June, beating analyst estimates of 92,500. The stronger-than-expected labor market data signaled resilience in hiring, a positive sign for staffing firms like Robert Half. ADP also reported annual pay increased 4.4% year-over-year, though its chief economist noted a slowdown in job creation due to supply and demand factors. The stock remains 23.4% below its 52-week high of $43.03 from July 2025.

Robert Half stock may be undervalued according to two valuation approaches from Simply Wall St, even after a recent rally that pushed the share price to US$32.76. A discounted cash flow model estimates an intrinsic value of US$60.21 per share, implying a 45.6% discount to the current price. Separately, the stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.45x, which is below Simply Wall St's proprietary fair ratio of 27.26x, also suggesting undervaluation. The analysis comes as the stock has gained 20.8% over the past month and 19.8% year to date, though it remains down over the past one, three, and five years.

Third Avenue Value Fund initiated a new position in Robert Half Inc. during the first quarter of 2026. The fund described Robert Half as a professional staffing company specializing in temporary placements in finance, accounting, technology, and administrative support, and noted it also operates the consulting firm Protiviti. The investment comes amid a three-year cyclical downturn in U.S. temporary staffing following a post-pandemic hiring surge, with temporary workers at a historically low share of the workforce. The fund argued that Robert Half's decades of proprietary candidate data and its two-sided professional network could prove valuable as artificial intelligence reshapes the industry.

Nearly half of US workers plan to look for a new position in the next six months, up from 38% in the first half of 2026 and 27% one year ago, according to a survey from hiring firm Robert Half. Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half, described the moment as a reset on both sides, with workers reassessing whether their current role aligns with their goals and companies hiring more as business picks up. Nearly 6 in 10 human resource executives plan to increase hiring over the next six months, the strongest outlook in three years according to the Conference Board. More than half of job switchers are eyeing healthcare roles, followed by technology and marketing, and the motivation to move includes better benefits and perks, career advancement, remote work options, higher salary, and burnout. New hires with the right skill set earn 3.6% more than tenured employees on average, per Payscale, and small businesses are offering opportunities to make an impact quickly.