Company Description
HireQuest, Inc. (NASDAQ: HQI) is a franchisor of staffing and recruiting solutions operating in the human resources consulting services industry within the broader professional, scientific, and technical services sector. The company focuses on on-demand staffing, executive search, and commercial staffing, serving employers that need temporary, contract, and direct-hire talent across multiple industries. Rather than owning and operating all locations directly, HireQuest works through a network of franchise offices, which are central to how it delivers services and generates revenue.
According to company disclosures, HireQuest’s franchisees provide various types of temporary personnel through two business models and operate under several trade names. These include HireQuest Direct, HireQuest, Snelling, DriverQuest, HireQuest Health, Northbound Executive Search, MRINetwork, and TradeCorp. Through these divisions and brands, the company offers staffing and recruiting services across industries such as construction, light industrial, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, cybersecurity, engineering, and other sectors where employers rely on flexible or specialized labor.
HireQuest describes itself as a global franchisor with a presence across the United States and international markets. Its network includes hundreds of offices that support on-demand staffing and corporate recruiting. The company states that its divisions operate as one team for customers, providing workforce solutions that range from day labor and temporary staffing to executive search and talent advisory services. This structure allows franchise owners to leverage shared infrastructure, purchasing power, training, and back-office support provided by HireQuest.
A key element of HireQuest’s business model is that its primary source of revenue is royalty fees based on the operations of its franchised offices. Franchise royalties and related service revenue are reported in its financial statements as the main components of total revenue. System-wide sales generated by franchisees drive these royalty streams, while HireQuest maintains a relatively asset-light model focused on franchising, support services, and brand management rather than directly employing large numbers of temporary workers itself.
Within its portfolio, different brands focus on distinct parts of the staffing and recruiting market. HireQuest Direct and related brands are associated with on-demand and commercial staffing, including light industrial and blue-collar segments. MRINetwork and Northbound Executive Search are positioned in executive and professional recruiting, while HireQuest Health focuses on healthcare-related staffing. TradeCorp and Snelling also participate in commercial and specialized staffing, contributing to the company’s reach across multiple skill levels and job categories.
HireQuest is incorporated in Delaware and lists its common stock on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol HQI. The company reports that it provides employment opportunities for thousands of individuals each year through its franchise network. Its disclosures emphasize a community-based franchise model and a combination of local office expertise with broader organizational scale, including technology, training, and risk management infrastructure that support franchisees and their clients.
Corporate actions disclosed in recent filings and press releases highlight how HireQuest manages its capital and shareholder returns. The Board of Directors has declared recurring quarterly cash dividends on its common stock, as reflected in multiple Form 8-K filings. In addition, the Board approved a stock repurchase program authorizing the repurchase of up to a specified dollar amount of common shares. Under this program, the company may buy back stock through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, block trades, and Rule 10b5-1 trading plans, with the flexibility to modify, suspend, or terminate the program and to reissue repurchased shares for employee benefit plans or other corporate purposes.
HireQuest also reports on its financial performance and franchise activity through quarterly results. Its financial statements show revenue derived primarily from franchise royalties and service revenue, along with selling, general and administrative expenses, depreciation and amortization, workers’ compensation-related items, and other income and expense. The company publishes non-U.S. GAAP measures such as Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income, together with reconciliations to U.S. GAAP metrics, to provide additional views of its operating performance.
Governance and shareholder matters are documented in the company’s SEC filings. For example, at its annual meeting of stockholders, HireQuest’s shareholders vote on the election of directors, ratification of the independent registered public accounting firm, advisory votes on executive compensation, and the frequency of such advisory votes. Voting results are disclosed in Form 8-K filings, which detail the number of shares voted for, against, or withheld on each proposal, as well as broker non-votes.
Within its executive search operations, MRINetwork is identified as a global executive search brand with a long history in the recruitment industry. HireQuest has announced a change in MRINetwork’s ownership structure, transitioning majority ownership to a leadership group composed of current and former MRINetwork franchise owners while retaining partial ownership. Under this arrangement, HireQuest continues to provide shared services, infrastructure, and purchasing scale to MRINetwork, illustrating how the company can adjust ownership structures within its network while maintaining operational ties.
HireQuest also publishes labor market insights based on data from its franchise network. In one outlook, the company summarizes survey responses from hundreds of offices and comments on hiring trends, time-to-fill metrics, application volumes, and the growth of fractional and contract roles. These insights reflect the company’s perspective on broader labor market dynamics and the demand patterns its franchisees observe across regions and industries.
Overall, HireQuest’s profile combines a franchise-based staffing and recruiting model, a portfolio of specialized brands, and a focus on royalty-driven revenue. Investors and analysts looking at HQI stock typically review the company’s franchise royalties, system-wide sales, dividend policy, share repurchase activity, and disclosures about its staffing and executive search operations across U.S. and international markets.
Stock Performance
Hirequest (HQI) stock last traded at $9.83, down 4.28% from the previous close. Over the past 12 months, the stock has lost 25.6%. At a market capitalization of $144.3M, HQI is classified as a micro-cap stock with approximately 14.1M shares outstanding.
Latest News
Hirequest has 10 recent news articles, with the latest published 5 days ago. Of the recent coverage, 6 articles coincided with positive price movement and 4 with negative movement. Key topics include conferences, earnings, dividends, buybacks. View all HQI news →
SEC Filings
Hirequest has filed 5 recent SEC filings, including 4 Form 4, 1 Form 8-K. The most recent filing was submitted on March 6, 2026. SEC filings provide transparency into a company's financial condition, material events, and regulatory compliance. View all HQI SEC filings →
Financial Highlights
Hirequest generated $34.6M in revenue over the trailing twelve months, operating income reached $4.4M (12.6% operating margin), and net income was $3.7M, reflecting a 10.6% net profit margin. Diluted earnings per share stood at $0.26. The company generated $12.0M in operating cash flow. With a current ratio of 2.04, the balance sheet reflects a strong liquidity position.
Upcoming Events
Earnings replay available
Q4 & FY2025 earnings call
Repurchase program expiration
Hirequest has 3 upcoming scheduled events. The next event, "Earnings replay available", is scheduled for March 30, 2026 (in 7 days). 1 of the upcoming events are financial in nature, such as earnings calls or quarterly results. Investors can track these dates to stay informed about potential catalysts that may affect the HQI stock price.
Short Interest History
Short interest in Hirequest (HQI) currently stands at 252.0 thousand shares, down 2.7% from the previous reporting period, representing 4.7% of the float. Over the past 12 months, short interest has increased by 77.6%. This relatively low short interest suggests limited bearish sentiment. With 13.5 days to cover, it would take significant time for short sellers to close their positions based on average trading volume.
Days to Cover History
Days to cover for Hirequest (HQI) currently stands at 13.5 days, up 103.6% from the previous period. This elevated days-to-cover ratio indicates it would take over two weeks of average trading volume for short sellers to exit their positions, suggesting potential for a short squeeze if positive news emerges. The days to cover has increased 81% over the past year, indicating either rising short interest or declining trading volume. The ratio has shown significant volatility over the period, ranging from 4.3 to 41.3 days.
HQI Company Profile & Sector Positioning
Hirequest (HQI) operates in the Staffing & Employment Services industry within the broader Services-help Supply Services sector and is listed on the NASDAQ.
Investors comparing HQI often look at related companies in the same sector, including Trueblue (TBI), Mastech Digital (MHH), Atlantic Intl (ATLN), Bgsf Inc (BGSF), and Kelly Svcs Inc (KELYB). Comparing financial metrics, valuation ratios, and stock performance across these peers can help investors evaluate HQI's relative position within its industry.