We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
3 Top Stocks From the Flourishing Business Services Industry
Read MoreHide Full Article
Economic recovery, leading to a rise in manufacturing and service activities, along with the increased technology adoption and success of the work-from-home trend, is enabling the Zacks Business-Services industry to support a growing demand environment.
Prudent growth strategies, innovation and technology enhancements are helping Avis Budget Group (CAR - Free Report) , HeadHunterGroup (HHR - Free Report) and WNS (Holdings) Limited (WNS - Free Report) to sail through the ongoing pandemic.
About the Industry
The Zacks Business-Services industry comprises companies that offer a range of services, including specialty rental, supply-chain management, electronic commerce, technology, document management, digital audience, data, voice, analytical and business transformation among others. The pandemic will continue to change the way industry players have conducted businesses and delivered services so far. The key focus within the industry is currently on channelizing money and efforts toward more effective operational components, such as technology, digital transformation, data-driven decision-making and cybersecurity. To position themselves suitably in the post-pandemic era, service providers are increasing their efforts toward formulating and reassessing strategic initiatives, identifying sources of demand, and targeting end markets.
What's Shaping the Future of the Business Services Industry?
Economic Recovery: The industry is a major beneficiary of manufacturing and service activities, which, in turn, are dependent on economic health. A steady economic recovery is evident from the latest third-quarter 2021 GDP number, which according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, increased at an annual rate of 2%. The October Manufacturing PMI measured by Institute for Supply Management (ISM) touched 60.8%, clocking the 17th consecutive month of expansion in economic activity. Non-manufacturing activities clocked 4.8% growth from September to October, as the Services PMI measured by ISM touched an all-time high of 64.1% and registered the 17th consecutive month of expansion.
Demand Stability: The industry is mature with demand for services being in good shape over time. Revenues, income and cash flows are anticipated to steadily make way to the pre-pandemic healthy levels, helping most industry players pay out stable dividends.
Relaxing Immigration Restrictions: Higher talent costs due to a competitive talent market, especially under the Trump-era restrictions on immigration, have been a headwind for the industry. However, President Joe Biden’s ongoing moves to lift the Trump-era ban on legal immigration will help service providers thrive with the increased flow of foreign talent.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Strong Prospects
The Business-Services industry is housed within the broader Business Servicessector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #90, which places it in the top 36% of more than 250 Zacks industries.
The group’s Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates outperformance in the near term. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
The analysts covering the companies in this industry have been steadily pushing their estimates north. Over the past year, the industry’s consensus earnings estimate for 2021 has moved 60.7% north.
Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and current valuation.
Industry Outperforms Sector and the S&P 500
Over the past year, the Zacks Business Services industry has outperformed the S&P 500 composite and the broader sector.
While the industry has gained a huge 226.9%, the S&P 500 composite has rallied 33.8%. In contrast, the broader sector has declined 16.9%.
One-Year Price Performance
Industry's Current Valuation
On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which is commonly used for valuing business-services stocks, the industry is currently trading at 25.93 compared with the S&P 500’s 22.19 and the sector’s 30.74.
Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 30.43X, as low as 10.72X and at the median of 23.63X, as the charts below show.
Price to Forward 12 Month P/E Ratio
3 Service Stocks to Bet On
We are presenting three stocks that are well poised to grow in the near term.
Avis Budget Group, Inc.: This provider of car and truck rentals, car sharing, and ancillary services currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Avis Budget is currently focusing on boosting its top line by enhancing the customer experience with the help of technology and improved service quality. The company is targeting margin improvement by controlling fixed and variable expenses.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current-year EPS moved up 55.9% in the past 60 days. The stock has skyrocketed 688.3% in a year’s time.
Price and Consensus: CAR
HeadHunterGroup PLC: The company operates an online recruitment platform globally and currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Its business is benefiting from increasing demand for online platforms and the resultant addition of customers. The acquisition of cloud-based HCMsoftware provider Skillaz will likely help the company expand in the enterprise solutions market.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the ongoing year’s EPS has been revised 3.9% upward over the past 60 days. The stock has gained 119.3% over the past year.
Price and Consensus: HHR
WNS (Holdings) Limited: This business process management (BPM) company offers data, voice, and analytical and business transformation services and currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. WNS is trying to meet the pandemic-induced digital transformation trends by investing in digital capabilities that streamline clients’ operations and enhance decision making through data and analytics. Its investments are mainly focused on creation and innovation labs, specialized centers of excellence and industry-specific digital offerings.
The company’s opportunities in the BPM space are also on the rise, with clients’ growing need to use analytics and industry-specific expertise for transforming their business models.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the ongoing year’s EPS has been revised 3.1% upward over the past 60 days. The stock has gained 30.8% over the past year.
Price and Consensus: WNS
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Bigstock
3 Top Stocks From the Flourishing Business Services Industry
Economic recovery, leading to a rise in manufacturing and service activities, along with the increased technology adoption and success of the work-from-home trend, is enabling the Zacks Business-Services industry to support a growing demand environment.
Prudent growth strategies, innovation and technology enhancements are helping Avis Budget Group (CAR - Free Report) , HeadHunterGroup (HHR - Free Report) and WNS (Holdings) Limited (WNS - Free Report) to sail through the ongoing pandemic.
About the Industry
The Zacks Business-Services industry comprises companies that offer a range of services, including specialty rental, supply-chain management, electronic commerce, technology, document management, digital audience, data, voice, analytical and business transformation among others. The pandemic will continue to change the way industry players have conducted businesses and delivered services so far. The key focus within the industry is currently on channelizing money and efforts toward more effective operational components, such as technology, digital transformation, data-driven decision-making and cybersecurity. To position themselves suitably in the post-pandemic era, service providers are increasing their efforts toward formulating and reassessing strategic initiatives, identifying sources of demand, and targeting end markets.
What's Shaping the Future of the Business Services Industry?
Economic Recovery: The industry is a major beneficiary of manufacturing and service activities, which, in turn, are dependent on economic health. A steady economic recovery is evident from the latest third-quarter 2021 GDP number, which according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, increased at an annual rate of 2%. The October Manufacturing PMI measured by Institute for Supply Management (ISM) touched 60.8%, clocking the 17th consecutive month of expansion in economic activity. Non-manufacturing activities clocked 4.8% growth from September to October, as the Services PMI measured by ISM touched an all-time high of 64.1% and registered the 17th consecutive month of expansion.
Demand Stability: The industry is mature with demand for services being in good shape over time. Revenues, income and cash flows are anticipated to steadily make way to the pre-pandemic healthy levels, helping most industry players pay out stable dividends.
Relaxing Immigration Restrictions: Higher talent costs due to a competitive talent market, especially under the Trump-era restrictions on immigration, have been a headwind for the industry. However, President Joe Biden’s ongoing moves to lift the Trump-era ban on legal immigration will help service providers thrive with the increased flow of foreign talent.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Strong Prospects
The Business-Services industry is housed within the broader Business Servicessector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #90, which places it in the top 36% of more than 250 Zacks industries.
The group’s Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates outperformance in the near term. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
The analysts covering the companies in this industry have been steadily pushing their estimates north. Over the past year, the industry’s consensus earnings estimate for 2021 has moved 60.7% north.
Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and current valuation.
Industry Outperforms Sector and the S&P 500
Over the past year, the Zacks Business Services industry has outperformed the S&P 500 composite and the broader sector.
While the industry has gained a huge 226.9%, the S&P 500 composite has rallied 33.8%. In contrast, the broader sector has declined 16.9%.
One-Year Price Performance
Industry's Current Valuation
On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which is commonly used for valuing business-services stocks, the industry is currently trading at 25.93 compared with the S&P 500’s 22.19 and the sector’s 30.74.
Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 30.43X, as low as 10.72X and at the median of 23.63X, as the charts below show.
Price to Forward 12 Month P/E Ratio
3 Service Stocks to Bet On
We are presenting three stocks that are well poised to grow in the near term.
Avis Budget Group, Inc.: This provider of car and truck rentals, car sharing, and ancillary services currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Avis Budget is currently focusing on boosting its top line by enhancing the customer experience with the help of technology and improved service quality. The company is targeting margin improvement by controlling fixed and variable expenses.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current-year EPS moved up 55.9% in the past 60 days. The stock has skyrocketed 688.3% in a year’s time.
Price and Consensus: CAR
HeadHunterGroup PLC: The company operates an online recruitment platform globally and currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Its business is benefiting from increasing demand for online platforms and the resultant addition of customers. The acquisition of cloud-based HCMsoftware provider Skillaz will likely help the company expand in the enterprise solutions market.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the ongoing year’s EPS has been revised 3.9% upward over the past 60 days. The stock has gained 119.3% over the past year.
Price and Consensus: HHR
WNS (Holdings) Limited: This business process management (BPM) company offers data, voice, and analytical and business transformation services and currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. WNS is trying to meet the pandemic-induced digital transformation trends by investing in digital capabilities that streamline clients’ operations and enhance decision making through data and analytics. Its investments are mainly focused on creation and innovation labs, specialized centers of excellence and industry-specific digital offerings.
The company’s opportunities in the BPM space are also on the rise, with clients’ growing need to use analytics and industry-specific expertise for transforming their business models.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the ongoing year’s EPS has been revised 3.1% upward over the past 60 days. The stock has gained 30.8% over the past year.
Price and Consensus: WNS