HireQuest Announces $20 Million Share Repurchase Program
Rhea-AI Summary
HireQuest (NASDAQ: HQI) announced on December 17, 2025 that its Board approved a share repurchase program authorizing up to $20 million to repurchase outstanding common stock.
The company intends to begin the program and adopt a corresponding Rule 10b5-1 trading plan as soon as reasonably possible; the Repurchase Program will expire 12 months after its start date. Purchases may occur via open-market, private or block transactions and timing will depend on price, availability and market conditions. The program may be modified, suspended or terminated at any time and repurchased shares may be reissued for employee benefit plans or other corporate purposes.
Positive
- $20 million authorized share repurchase
- Repurchase window of 12 months from start date
- Plan includes Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangements
Negative
- Program may be modified, suspended or terminated at any time
- Repurchased shares may be reissued, reducing permanent share count impact
- Timing and volume depend on price, availability and market conditions
News Market Reaction 10 Alerts
On the day this news was published, HQI gained 0.45%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +7.9% during that session. Our momentum scanner triggered 10 alerts that day, indicating notable trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $553K to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $124M at that time. Trading volume was elevated at 2.9x the daily average, suggesting notable buying interest.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
While HQI was down 0.97% pre-announcement, peers were mixed to positive: TBI +1.26%, MHH +1.82%, BGSF +0.46%, KELYB +1.67%, with ATLN at -1.33%. This points to a stock-specific setup around the buyback news.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 01 | Ownership restructuring | Neutral | -1.6% | Shift of MRINetwork majority ownership to franchise leadership group. |
| Nov 18 | Market outlook report | Positive | +0.2% | 2026 U.S. labor outlook highlighting stabilization and growth areas. |
| Nov 07 | Dividend declaration | Positive | +15.5% | Quarterly cash dividend of $0.06 per share declared with set payment date. |
Recent news with direct capital return (dividends) drew a strong positive reaction, while strategic/corporate updates saw muted to slightly negative moves.
Over the last few months, HireQuest has focused on capital return and strategic positioning. A $0.06 quarterly dividend announcement on Nov 7, 2025 coincided with a 15.53% gain, signaling investor appreciation for cash returns. Subsequent labor market commentary on Nov 18, 2025 and an MRINetwork ownership restructuring on Dec 1, 2025 produced only modest price changes. Today’s $20 million buyback authorization continues this capital return theme at a time when shares trade near 52-week lows.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights a $20 million share repurchase authorization as a new capital return lever alongside the existing $0.06 quarterly dividend. It follows Q3 2025 results showing improved profitability despite lower revenue. Investors may focus on how aggressively the program is executed with shares about 51.14% below the 52-week high, and how buybacks interact with ongoing cash generation, debt capacity, and future dividend decisions.
Key Terms
10b5-1 plan regulatory
rule 10b5-1 trading plans regulatory
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
"We believe that a share repurchase program is the best and most efficient use of our capital at this time," Rick Hermanns, Chief Executive Officer of HireQuest, commented. "Repurchasing shares of our common stock on the open market reflects our commitment to prudent capital management and deployment, and reinforces the confidence that the Board and management team have in HireQuest's long-term strategy while simultaneously returning capital to our shareholders."
Under the program, HireQuest may repurchase shares from time to time through, among other methods, open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, block purchases, and/or pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 trading plans, subject to applicable securities laws and other legal requirements and relevant factors. The number of shares purchased and the timing of any purchases will depend upon a number of factors, including the price and availability of the Company's common stock and general market conditions. The repurchase program may be modified, suspended or terminated at any time, without prior notice. Shares repurchased may be reissued later in connection with employee benefit plans and other general corporate purposes.
About HireQuest
HireQuest is a global franchisor of on-demand, executive search, and commercial staffing solutions. Through its divisions including HireQuest Direct, Snelling Staffing, MRINetwork, TradeCorp, and others, the company provides employment for thousands of individuals each year across a wide range of industries.
Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes, and the company's officers and other representatives may sometimes make or provide certain "forward-looking statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbors from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," "project," "potential," or "plan" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements in this current report may include, without limitation: (1) statements about the Company's repurchase program, (2) projections of revenue, income, and other items relating to our financial position and results of operations, including short term and long term plans for cash, (3) statements of our plans, objectives, strategies, goals and intentions, (4) statements regarding the capabilities, capacities, market position and expected development of our business operations and (5) statements of expected industry and general economic trends.
Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that may materially adversely affect the anticipated results. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: the level of demand and financial performance of the executive search and temporary staffing industry; the ownership structure of the MRINetwork; the financial performance of the Company's franchisees; changes in customer demand; economic uncertainty caused by macroeconomic trends including potential inflation or a recessionary environment; global conflict; the relative success or failure of acquisitions and new franchised offerings; our success in reducing workers' compensation expenses; the extent to which the Company is successful in gaining new long-term relationships with customers or retaining existing ones, and the level of service failures that could lead customers to use competitors' services; significant investigative or legal proceedings including, without limitation, those brought about by the existing regulatory environment or changes in the regulations governing the temporary staffing industry and those arising from the action or inaction of the Company's franchisees and temporary employees; strategic actions, including acquisitions and dispositions and the Company's success in integrating acquired businesses including, without limitation, successful integration following any of our various acquisitions; success or failure in determining how to allocate capital; disruptions to the Company's technology network including computer systems and software; natural events such as severe weather, fires, floods, and earthquakes, or man-made or other disruptions of the Company's operating systems; and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. Shareholders, potential investors and other readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements made herein and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein are only made as of the date of this current report and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as may be required by law.
Company Contact:
HireQuest, Inc.
David Hartley, Chief Financial Officer
(800) 835-6755
Email: cdhartley@hirequest.com
Investor Relations Contact:
IMS Investor Relations
John Nesbett/Jennifer Belodeau
(203) 972-9200
Email: hirequest@imsinvestorrelations.com
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SOURCE HireQuest
FAQ
What did HireQuest (HQI) announce on December 17, 2025 regarding a share buyback?
When will the HireQuest (HQI) repurchase program start and expire?
How will HireQuest (HQI) execute repurchases under the $20 million program?
Will the HireQuest (HQI) buyback permanently reduce the share count?
Can the HireQuest (HQI) repurchase program be changed after announcement?
