Barrett Business Services (BBSI) vs HireQuest (HQI)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
HireQuest (HQI) has outperformed Barrett Business Services (BBSI) over the past year, gaining 104.3% versus a loss of 28.8%. Over five years, BBSI leads with a +58.6% price change compared with -4.3% for HQI. Barrett Business Services is the larger company by market cap ($779.9 million vs $252.5 million), about 3.1 times the size.
On valuation, Barrett Business Services trades at a lower forward P/E (15.9x vs 21.5x for HireQuest). HireQuest offers the higher dividend yield (1.32% vs 0.99%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | BBSI | HQI |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $32.18 | $18.18 |
| Market cap | $779.89M | $252.53M |
| 1-day change | +1.77% | -1.46% |
| YTD return | -12.68% | +72.98% |
| 1-year return | -28.85% | +104.27% |
| 5-year return | +58.58% | -4.32% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 24.01 | 30.30 |
| Forward P/E | 15.89 | 21.51 |
| EPS (TTM) | $1.34 | $0.60 |
| Dividend yield | 0.99% | 1.32% |
| Annual dividend | $0.32 | $0.24 |
| 52-week high | $43.73 | $20.84 |
| 52-week low | $25.33 | $7.38 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -26.41% | -12.76% |
| Analyst consensus | none | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +26.63% | +4.51% |
| Average volume | 234.66K | 23.82K |
| Shares outstanding | 24.24M | 13.89M |
| Employees | 141,802 | 88 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Professional Services | Professional Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Barrett Business Services is about 3.1 times larger than HireQuest by market value ($779.89M vs $252.53M).
- HQI has outperformed BBSI by 133.1 percentage points over the past year.
- HireQuest trades at a higher earnings multiple (30.3x vs 24.0x trailing P/E).
About Barrett Business Services
BBSI stock →Barrett Business Services, Inc. provides business management solutions for small and mid-sized companies in the United States.
Consumer Discretionary · Professional Services · 141,802 employees
About HireQuest
HQI stock →HireQuest, Inc. provides staffing solutions in the United States.
Consumer Discretionary · Professional Services · 88 employees
BBSI vs HQI FAQ
Which is bigger, Barrett Business Services or HireQuest?
Barrett Business Services (BBSI) is larger, with a market capitalization of $779.89M compared with $252.53M for HireQuest (HQI).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BBSI or HQI?
HQI returned +104.27% over the past 12 months, compared with -28.85% for BBSI (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, BBSI or HQI?
BBSI has the lower trailing P/E at 24.0, versus 30.3 for HQI. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Barrett Business Services or HireQuest?
HireQuest has the higher yield at 1.32%, compared with 0.99% for Barrett Business Services.
Are Barrett Business Services and HireQuest in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Professional Services industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.