MetaCap

Barrett Business Services (BBSI) vs Kelly Services (KELYB)

Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.

Summary

Kelly Services (KELYB) has outperformed Barrett Business Services (BBSI) over the past year, gaining 70.3% versus a loss of 27.7%. Over five years, BBSI leads with a +61.4% price change compared with +11.2% for KELYB. Barrett Business Services is the larger company by market cap ($772.6 million vs $770.7 million), about 1.0 times the size.

Kelly Services offers the higher dividend yield (1.35% vs 1.00%).

Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology

Relative performance

BBSI-27.73%KELYB+70.30%
+203%+76%-51%
Oct 8, 20251 yearOct 8, 2026
BBSI+57.57%KELYB+12.35%
+149%+41%-67%
Oct 4, 20215 yearsOct 5, 2026

Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.

Head-to-head

BBSI versus KELYB key metrics
MetricBBSIKELYB
Share price$31.88$22.19
Market cap$772.62M$770.70M
1-day change-0.93%0.00%
YTD return-11.13%+154.76%
1-year return-27.73%+70.30%
5-year return+61.38%+11.23%
P/E ratio (TTM)23.79—
Forward P/E15.74—
EPS (TTM)$1.34$-7.79
Dividend yield1.00%1.35%
Annual dividend$0.32$0.30
52-week high$43.73$125.00
52-week low$25.33$8.38
Distance from 52-week high-27.10%-82.25%
Analyst consensusnone—
Avg. price target upside+27.82%—
Average volume234.66K4.33K
Shares outstanding24.24M3.30M
Employees141,8024,900
SectorConsumer DiscretionaryConsumer Discretionary
IndustryProfessional ServicesProfessional 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

  • KELYB has outperformed BBSI by 98.0 percentage points over the past year.

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 Kelly Services

KELYB stock →

Kelly Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides workforce solutions to various industries in the Americas, Europe, Mexico, and the Asia-Pacific region. It operates in three segments: Enterprise Talent Management, Science, Engineering & Technology, and Education.

Consumer Discretionary · Professional Services · 4,900 employees

BBSI vs KELYB FAQ

Which is bigger, Barrett Business Services or Kelly Services?

Barrett Business Services (BBSI) is larger, with a market capitalization of $772.62M compared with $770.70M for Kelly Services (KELYB).

Which stock has performed better over the past year, BBSI or KELYB?

KELYB returned +70.30% over the past 12 months, compared with -27.73% for BBSI (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.

Which pays a higher dividend, Barrett Business Services or Kelly Services?

Kelly Services has the higher yield at 1.35%, compared with 1.00% for Barrett Business Services.

Are Barrett Business Services and Kelly Services in the same industry?

Yes. Both are classified in the Professional Services industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.

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