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Has HireQuest (HQI) Outpaced Other Business Services Stocks This Year?

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For those looking to find strong Business Services stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. HireQuest, Inc. (HQI - Free Report) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Business Services sector should help us answer this question.

HireQuest, Inc. is a member of the Business Services sector. This group includes 344 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #2. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups.

The Zacks Rank emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. HireQuest, Inc. is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for HQI's full-year earnings has moved 11.6% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

According to our latest data, HQI has moved about 30.1% on a year-to-date basis. Meanwhile, the Business Services sector has returned an average of 2.2% on a year-to-date basis. This shows that HireQuest, Inc. is outperforming its peers so far this year.

Another Business Services stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Huron Consulting (HURN - Free Report) . The stock has returned 11.4% year-to-date.

Over the past three months, Huron Consulting's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 1.6%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, HireQuest, Inc. belongs to the Staffing Firms industry, a group that includes 18 individual stocks and currently sits at #33 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 1% this year, meaning that HQI is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

On the other hand, Huron Consulting belongs to the Consulting Services industry. This 15-stock industry is currently ranked #29. The industry has moved +2.7% year to date.

Investors interested in the Business Services sector may want to keep a close eye on HireQuest, Inc. and Huron Consulting as they attempt to continue their solid performance.


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