Kelly Services (KELYA)


Market Price (11/3/2026): $16.56 | Market Cap: $575.2 MilSector: Industrials | Industry: Human Resource & Employment Services

Kelly Services (KELYA)


Market Price (11/3/2026): $16.56
Market Cap: $575.2 Mil
Sector: Industrials
Industry: Human Resource & Employment Services

Investment Highlights Why It Matters Detailed financial logic regarding cash flow yields vs trend-riding momentum.

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Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 41%

Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Future of Work. Themes include Flexible Workforce Solutions, Talent Transformation & Reskilling, and Workforce Automation Impact.

Trading close to highs
Dist 52W High is -2.5%

Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -40%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -82%

Weak revenue growth
Rev Chg LTMRevenue Change % Last Twelve Months (LTM) is -9.6%, Rev Chg 3Y AvgRevenue Change % averaged over trailing 3 years is -5.8%, Rev Chg QQuarterly Revenue Change % is -5.8%

Valuation getting more expensive
P/S 6M Chg %Price/Sales change over 6 months. Declining P/S indicates valuation has become less expensive. is 95%

Yield minus risk free rate is negative
ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is -49%

Key risks
KELYA key risks include [1] its traditional staffing model being bypassed as clients increasingly leverage in-house generative AI and automation, Show more.

0 Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 41%
1 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Future of Work. Themes include Flexible Workforce Solutions, Talent Transformation & Reskilling, and Workforce Automation Impact.
2 Trading close to highs
Dist 52W High is -2.5%
3 Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -40%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -82%
4 Weak revenue growth
Rev Chg LTMRevenue Change % Last Twelve Months (LTM) is -9.6%, Rev Chg 3Y AvgRevenue Change % averaged over trailing 3 years is -5.8%, Rev Chg QQuarterly Revenue Change % is -5.8%
5 Valuation getting more expensive
P/S 6M Chg %Price/Sales change over 6 months. Declining P/S indicates valuation has become less expensive. is 95%
6 Yield minus risk free rate is negative
ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is -49%
7 Key risks
KELYA key risks include [1] its traditional staffing model being bypassed as clients increasingly leverage in-house generative AI and automation, Show more.

KELYA in ETFs

Weight = KELYA's share of each fund

VTI0.00%
ITOT0.00%
IWM0.02%
FNDA0.10%
AVUV0.09%
IWN0.03%
VTWO0.02%
SCHA0.01%
+4 more covered ETFs

Valuation & Metrics

Price Chart

Why The Stock Moved

Qualitative Assessment

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Updated on 11/1/2026

Kelly Services (KELYA) stock has gained about 15% since 7/31/2026 because of the following key factors:

1. Stronger-than-Expected Fiscal Q2 2026 Performance. Kelly Services reported its fiscal Q2 2026 earnings on August 6, 2026, with the quarter ending on June 28, 2026. The company posted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.37, significantly surpassing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.19 by $0.19, representing a 100% surprise. Revenue for the quarter also exceeded expectations, coming in at $1.04 billion against a consensus estimate of $1.01 billion. This robust earnings beat likely served as a primary catalyst for the stock's upward movement at the beginning of the specified period.

2. Improving Revenue Trends and Positive Future Earnings Outlook. The company demonstrated an improvement in year-over-year revenue decline in fiscal Q2 2026, with the decline improving by approximately 500 basis points compared to the prior quarter. Additionally, underlying revenue decline, excluding discrete items, improved by 270 basis points. Looking ahead, analysts project significant earnings growth for Kelly Services, with expectations of $1.10 EPS for the full fiscal year 2026 and $1.83 EPS for fiscal year 2027, anticipating a 66.36% growth in earnings per share for the next year.

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Updated on 11/1/2026

Kelly Services (KELYA) stock has gained about 15% since 7/31/2026 because of the following key factors:

1. Stronger-than-Expected Fiscal Q2 2026 Performance. Kelly Services reported its fiscal Q2 2026 earnings on August 6, 2026, with the quarter ending on June 28, 2026. The company posted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.37, significantly surpassing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.19 by $0.19, representing a 100% surprise. Revenue for the quarter also exceeded expectations, coming in at $1.04 billion against a consensus estimate of $1.01 billion. This robust earnings beat likely served as a primary catalyst for the stock's upward movement at the beginning of the specified period.

2. Improving Revenue Trends and Positive Future Earnings Outlook. The company demonstrated an improvement in year-over-year revenue decline in fiscal Q2 2026, with the decline improving by approximately 500 basis points compared to the prior quarter. Additionally, underlying revenue decline, excluding discrete items, improved by 270 basis points. Looking ahead, analysts project significant earnings growth for Kelly Services, with expectations of $1.10 EPS for the full fiscal year 2026 and $1.83 EPS for fiscal year 2027, anticipating a 66.36% growth in earnings per share for the next year.

3. Strategic Advancements in AI and Digital Infrastructure. Kelly Services announced significant strategic initiatives during the period, focusing on technology and artificial intelligence. On October 29, 2026, the company introduced AI-Powered Intake and Workforce Intelligence Capabilities within its Sevayo® platform. This was preceded by the launch of Kelly Digital Infrastructure™ on September 30, 2026, to capitalize on the accelerating adoption of AI in the workforce solutions sector. These innovations signal the company's commitment to adapting to evolving market demands and leveraging advanced technology.

4. Enhanced Market Position and Industry Recognition. Kelly Services received notable industry accolades, reinforcing its market standing. KellyOCG®, the company's outsourcing and consulting division, was ranked No. 1 on HRO Today's 2026 Total Workforce Solutions Baker's Dozen on October 27, 2026. Furthermore, KellyOCG® achieved a No. 1 ranking in Healthcare and No. 2 overall on HRO Today's 2026 RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) Baker's Dozen ratings on October 13, 2026. Earlier, on September 24, 2026, Kelly® was named a Leader on Everest Group's 2026 PEAK Matrix® for Industrial and Business & Professionals Contingent Talent Solutions. This recognition highlights the company's strong performance and leadership in key service areas.

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Stock Movement Drivers

Fundamental Drivers

The 14.0% change in KELYA stock from 7/31/2026 to 11/2/2026 was primarily driven by a 16.8% change in the company's P/S Multiple.
(LTM values as of)731202611022026Change
Stock Price ($)14.7716.8414.0%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)4,1274,063-1.5%
P/S Multiple0.10.116.8%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)3435-0.9%
Cumulative Contribution14.0%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

7/31/2026 to 11/2/2026
ReturnCorrelation
KELYA14.0% 
Market (SPY)0.7%6.3%
Sector (XLI)-5.6%-11.7%

Fundamental Drivers

The 74.7% change in KELYA stock from 4/30/2026 to 11/2/2026 was primarily driven by a 82.2% change in the company's P/S Multiple.
(LTM values as of)430202611022026Change
Stock Price ($)9.6416.8474.7%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)4,2514,063-4.4%
P/S Multiple0.10.182.2%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)35350.3%
Cumulative Contribution74.7%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

4/30/2026 to 11/2/2026
ReturnCorrelation
KELYA74.7% 
Market (SPY)4.9%-0.9%
Sector (XLI)-2.6%-12.7%

Fundamental Drivers

The 54.7% change in KELYA stock from 10/31/2025 to 11/2/2026 was primarily driven by a 68.7% change in the company's P/S Multiple.
(LTM values as of)1031202511022026Change
Stock Price ($)10.8916.8454.7%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)4,4964,063-9.6%
P/S Multiple0.10.168.7%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)35351.4%
Cumulative Contribution54.7%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

10/31/2025 to 11/2/2026
ReturnCorrelation
KELYA54.7% 
Market (SPY)11.2%10.5%
Sector (XLI)10.4%0.6%

Fundamental Drivers

The 0.7% change in KELYA stock from 10/31/2023 to 11/2/2026 was primarily driven by a 16.7% change in the company's P/S Multiple.
(LTM values as of)1031202311022026Change
Stock Price ($)16.7216.840.7%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)4,8874,063-16.9%
P/S Multiple0.10.116.7%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)36353.7%
Cumulative Contribution0.7%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

10/31/2023 to 11/2/2026
ReturnCorrelation
KELYA0.7% 
Market (SPY)86.0%24.7%
Sector (XLI)79.4%25.1%

Return vs. Risk

Price Returns Compared

 202120222023202420252026Total [1]
Returns
KELYA Return-18%2%30%-35%-35%95%-10%
Peers Return53%-22%5%-21%-40%64%-1%
S&P 500 Return27%-19%24%23%16%10%101%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
KELYA Win Rate33%58%58%33%42%73% 
Peers Win Rate67%42%47%38%40%75% 
S&P 500 Win Rate75%42%67%75%67%36% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
KELYA Max Drawdown-39%-39%-18%-48%-44%-25% 
Peers Max Drawdown-17%-40%-29%-33%-51%-37% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-5%-25%-10%-8%-19%-9% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2021
[2] Peers: MAN, RHI, KFY, TBI, NSP.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2026 data is for the year up to 11/2/2026 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

EventKELYAS&P 500
2025 US Tariff Shock
  % Loss-18.1%-18.8%
  % Gain to Breakeven22.0%23.1%
  Time to Breakeven93 days79 days
2023 SVB Regional Banking Crisis
  % Loss-14.5%-6.7%
  % Gain to Breakeven16.9%7.1%
  Time to Breakeven56 days31 days
2022 Inflation Shock & Fed Tightening
  % Loss-22.9%-24.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven29.8%32.4%
  Time to Breakeven41 days427 days
2020 COVID-19 Crash
  % Loss-44.4%-33.7%
  % Gain to Breakeven79.9%50.9%
  Time to Breakeven141 days140 days
Q4 2018 Fed Policy Error / Growth Scare
  % Loss-13.9%-19.2%
  % Gain to Breakeven16.2%23.8%
  Time to Breakeven22 days105 days
2014-2016 Oil Price Collapse
  % Loss-17.3%-6.8%
  % Gain to Breakeven20.9%7.3%
  Time to Breakeven71 days15 days

Compare to MAN, RHI, KFY, TBI, NSP

In The Past

Kelly Services's stock fell -18.1% during the 2025 US Tariff Shock. Such a loss loss requires a 22.0% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

EventKELYAS&P 500
2022 Inflation Shock & Fed Tightening
  % Loss-22.9%-24.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven29.8%32.4%
  Time to Breakeven41 days427 days
2020 COVID-19 Crash
  % Loss-44.4%-33.7%
  % Gain to Breakeven79.9%50.9%
  Time to Breakeven141 days140 days
2011 US Debt Ceiling Crisis & European Contagion
  % Loss-34.3%-17.9%
  % Gain to Breakeven52.2%21.8%
  Time to Breakeven24 days123 days
2010 Eurozone Sovereign Debt Crisis / Flash Crash
  % Loss-30.6%-15.4%
  % Gain to Breakeven44.1%18.2%
  Time to Breakeven177 days125 days
2008-2009 Global Financial Crisis
  % Loss-68.4%-53.4%
  % Gain to Breakeven216.6%114.4%
  Time to Breakeven642 days1085 days
Summer 2007 Credit Crunch
  % Loss-28.5%-8.6%
  % Gain to Breakeven39.8%9.5%
  Time to Breakeven2401 days47 days

Compare to MAN, RHI, KFY, TBI, NSP

In The Past

Kelly Services's stock fell -18.1% during the 2025 US Tariff Shock. Such a loss loss requires a 22.0% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

About Kelly Services (KELYA)

Kelly Services, Inc. (symbol: KELYA) is a long-established global provider of workforce solutions, helping companies manage their talent acquisition and human capital needs. Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the company essentially bridges the gap between employers seeking skilled personnel and individuals looking for employment opportunities across a wide range of industries.

The company offers a comprehensive suite of services, including traditional staffing (temporary, direct-hire, and outcome-based solutions) and specialized consulting. Its offerings are organized into segments like Professional & Industrial (covering office, light industrial, and contact center roles), Science, Engineering & Technology (for science, IT, and engineering professionals), and Education (staffing for early childhood and higher education). Additionally, Kelly Services provides Outsourcing & Consulting services such as Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), payroll processing, and talent advisory, allowing clients to streamline their hiring and talent management processes.

Kelly Services serves a diverse client base across numerous industries, catering to needs from general administrative support to highly specialized technical and professional roles. Its primary customers include businesses of all sizes seeking flexible or permanent staffing solutions and outsourced talent services. Geographically, the company has a significant international footprint, operating throughout North America (including the US, Canada, and Mexico), Europe (including France, UK, Germany, and Italy), and the Asia-Pacific region, providing localized and global workforce solutions.

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ADP for talent acquisition and management.

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  • Staffing Services: Provides temporary, contract, or project-based workers across diverse sectors like office, industrial, science, engineering, IT, and education.
  • Direct-Hire & Executive Search Services: Recruits and places candidates for permanent roles, including senior-level positions in various industries.
  • Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO): Manages all or part of a client's recruitment lifecycle from sourcing to onboarding.
  • Payroll Process Outsourcing: Handles the comprehensive administration of client company payrolls.
  • Talent Advisory Services: Offers strategic consulting and guidance on workforce planning, talent acquisition, and human capital management.
  • Managed Services & Outcome-Based Solutions: Provides comprehensive management of specific business functions or projects, focusing on delivering defined business outcomes.

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Kelly Services, Inc. (KELYA) primarily provides workforce solutions and services to other companies and organizations across a wide range of industries and sectors. These services include staffing, direct-hire, outcome-based services, recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), payroll process outsourcing, talent advisory services, and managed services.

Due to the nature of its business as a diversified staffing and workforce solutions provider, Kelly Services serves a vast and varied client base. Publicly traded staffing and human capital companies typically do not disclose the names of their individual major customers in their financial reports or other public statements. This is often due to competitive reasons and the fact that their revenue is usually spread across a large number of clients, with no single customer accounting for a significant percentage that would require disclosure.

Therefore, specific names of major customer companies and their public symbols cannot be provided.

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Chris Layden, President and Chief Executive Officer

Chris Layden was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Kelly Services in September 2025. He brings over two decades of industry experience, with a track record of transforming enterprises and accelerating profitable growth. Prior to joining Kelly, Layden served as Chief Operating Officer at Prolink, a staffing firm, where he drove rapid organic growth and enhanced competitive positioning. He also spent nearly 20 years at ManpowerGroup, a global workforce solutions company, in various senior roles, leading enterprise-wide initiatives and contributing to growth in the life sciences, engineering, and technology sectors.

Troy Anderson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Troy Anderson was named Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Kelly Services, effective October 14, 2024. He is a senior financial expert with extensive experience driving transformational change at public companies within the technology, business services, and workforce solutions industries. Anderson possesses significant corporate governance expertise and a long history of involvement in mergers, acquisitions, and strategic transformations that have substantially enhanced shareholder value. Before joining Kelly, he served as Executive Vice President and CFO at Universal Technical Institute (UTI), where he was instrumental in executing a growth, diversification, and optimization strategy that resulted in more than doubling revenue and significantly increasing profitability and market capitalization. His experience also includes leading debt and equity capital raises totaling billions of dollars. Earlier in his career, he held senior finance leadership roles at Conduent and Xerox, where he guided major business and finance transformations.

Amy Bouque, Chief People Officer

Amy Bouque serves as the Chief People Officer for Kelly Services, leading human resources practices for the company's more than 5,300 internal full-time employees globally. She is dedicated to empowering people to thrive in their professional and personal lives. Bouque joined Kelly from Ally Financial Inc., a digital financial services company, where she spent 12 years shaping their human capital strategy and most recently held the position of Executive Director of Talent Management. She is also a founding member and former board president of Impact100 Metro Detroit, a women's collective giving organization that provides high-impact grants to local nonprofits.

Joel Leege, President, Kelly® Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom

Joel Leege is the President of Kelly® Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom, an operating segment focused on delivering staffing and consulting services to organizations in North America. In this role, he is responsible for accelerating the profitable growth of Kelly's specialty workforce solutions across life sciences, engineering, technology, telecom, and government verticals. Leege is an accomplished executive with nearly three decades of experience in staffing, talent solutions, and managed services. Prior to Kelly, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of Red Oak Technologies, an IT talent solutions firm, and spent seven years at Randstad Digital, serving as Executive Vice President of Growth, Strategy & Development and later as Chief Strategy Officer.

Vanessa Williams, Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

Vanessa Williams holds the position of Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for Kelly Services. She oversees the legal, governance, investor relations, enterprise risk management, insurance, corporate security, and communication strategy teams. Williams joined Kelly in 2020, bringing with her 24 years of senior legal experience from companies within the data science and information industries. Her responsibilities include managing regulatory and legal compliance, directing strategic legal initiatives, and providing actionable counsel to senior management.

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The key risks to Kelly Services (KELYA) largely stem from the cyclical nature of the staffing industry and specific vulnerabilities related to its client base and labor market dynamics.

  1. Economic Volatility and Macroeconomic Uncertainty: As a provider of workforce solutions, Kelly Services' business performance is highly sensitive to the broader economic climate. During economic downturns, organizations tend to reduce their demand for temporary and contract workers, delay hiring, and become more cautious about workforce expansion. This directly leads to decreased demand for staffing services, impacting Kelly Services' revenue and cash flow. Conversely, during periods of economic growth, a surge in demand can strain staffing agencies' ability to meet client needs.
  2. Customer Concentration and Reduced Demand from Key Clients: Kelly Services faces significant risk from its reliance on a relatively small number of large customers and U.S. federal contractors. The company has experienced and anticipates further substantial revenue declines directly attributable to reduced demand from these key clients. This business concentration risk can lead to a material impact on the company's financial performance if a few major clients scale back their spending or terminate contracts.
  3. Talent Shortages, Wage Inflation, and Intense Competition for Skilled Workers: Despite varying labor market conditions, Kelly Services consistently confronts challenges in finding and retaining skilled candidates, particularly in specialized and high-demand areas such as science, engineering, and technology. This talent scarcity can lead to wage inflation, increasing Kelly Services' labor costs and putting pressure on its gross profit margins. The highly competitive nature of the staffing industry further exacerbates this risk, as other firms vie for the same talent, making it harder and more expensive to fulfill client needs.

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  • The rise of AI-powered recruitment platforms and automation: These technologies automate various aspects of the talent acquisition process, including candidate sourcing, screening, matching, and initial assessments. This reduces the need for human recruiters and traditional staffing agency services for certain roles, enabling companies to enhance internal talent acquisition capabilities or rely on technology platforms directly.
  • The expansion of gig economy platforms and direct freelance marketplaces: These platforms connect companies directly with independent contractors and freelancers for project-based work, temporary assignments, or specialized skills. This trend bypasses traditional staffing agencies, offering companies a more direct and often more flexible way to access talent, thereby challenging the conventional staffing model.
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Kelly Services (symbol: KELYA) operates in several addressable markets related to workforce solutions. The primary addressable markets for their main products and services are staffing, recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), and payroll process outsourcing.

Addressable Market Sizes:

  • Global Staffing Market: The global staffing industry is projected to reach approximately $650 billion in 2025. Another estimate indicates the global recruitment and staffing market size was around $584.10 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $945.11 billion by 2034. Furthermore, the global staffing market is projected to expand to $998 billion by 2030.
  • U.S. Staffing Market: The U.S. staffing industry's market size was $189.0 billion in 2024, and it is forecast to rebound to approximately $198 billion in 2025.
  • Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market: The global RPO market size reached USD 9.4 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 36.4 billion by 2033. Other data indicates the global RPO market was valued at $45.00 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $82.73 billion by 2033. The market is also projected to reach US$ 66.54 billion by 2031.
  • North America Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market: North America is considered the most significant shareholder in the global RPO market. The USA remains the world's largest RPO market.
  • Global Payroll Outsourcing Market: The global payroll outsourcing market was valued at $9.9 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $19.5 billion by 2031. More recent data shows the global payroll outsourcing market size was valued at USD 9.17 billion in 2024 and is poised to grow to USD 17 billion by 2033. Another source estimates the global market size at approximately USD 10.98 billion in 2025, growing to USD 19.66 billion by 2035.
  • North America Payroll Outsourcing Market: The North American payroll outsourcing market is a prominent market, valued at USD 12.44 billion in 2025 and projected to reach USD 16.87 billion by 2030. North America holds approximately 60% of the global market share, with the U.S. alone accounting for about 55% of that share. The U.S. payroll outsourcing services market size is $1,612.30 million in 2025.

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Here are the expected drivers of future revenue growth for Kelly Services (KELYA) over the next 2-3 years:
  1. Strategic Acquisitions: Kelly Services is strategically growing through acquisitions, such as the May 2024 acquisition of Motion Recruitment Partners (MRP), which significantly enhances its Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) capabilities and positions the company among the top global RPO providers. The planned integration of Sevenstep in 2025 further strengthens its RPO offerings. Additionally, the acquisition of a specialized European life sciences staffing firm in late 2024 contributes to market share and expertise in high-value sectors.
  2. Focus on High-Growth, High-Margin Specialty Segments: The company is pivoting its operations to prioritize higher-margin and higher-growth markets. This includes a targeted focus on professional and technical staffing within high-demand sectors like technology, science, engineering, and financial services, with an aim to achieve a 15% annual growth rate in these areas. The Education segment has also consistently demonstrated strong revenue growth.
  3. Organic Growth and Market Share Expansion through Differentiated Solutions: Kelly Services is concentrating on driving organic revenue growth and expanding its market share by leveraging its differentiated service offerings and implementing client-centric models. Despite challenging market conditions, the company has shown organic revenue growth and market share gains in its specialty segments. This is supported by ongoing business transformation initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and performance.
  4. Technological Advancement and Service Innovation: Investment in technological advancements, including a significant digital platform overhaul and the launch of proprietary AI platforms like GRACE Boost, is expected to enhance employee productivity and improve customer and talent experiences. These innovations are anticipated to lead to new service offerings and increased efficiency, thereby contributing to revenue growth.

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Share Repurchases

  • Kelly's board of directors authorized a share repurchase program on November 26, 2024, to purchase up to an aggregate of $50 million of its Class A common stock, with the authorization expiring on December 2, 2026.
  • Between September 29, 2025, and December 28, 2025, the company repurchased 1,158,628 shares for $10.02 million. This completed the repurchase of 1,900,791 shares for $20.04 million under the December 3, 2024 authorization.
  • The $50 million authorization represented approximately 10% of Kelly's Class A market capitalization at the time of the announcement.

Share Issuance

  • Kelly Services' shares outstanding have generally decreased over the last few years, from 0.04 billion in March 2021 to 0.035 billion in December 2025, indicating repurchases rather than issuances.

Outbound Investments

  • In May 2024, Kelly Services acquired Motions Recruitment Partners (MRP), which contributed 9.8% to reported fourth-quarter 2024 year-over-year revenue growth and 5.9% to full-year 2024 reported revenue growth.
  • This acquisition was a strategic move to shift towards higher-margin, higher-growth markets and solutions, utilizing capital unlocked from streamlining operations.
  • In 2024, Kelly completed the sale of its European staffing operations, aiming to sharpen its focus on specialty outcome-based and staffing services in North America.

Capital Expenditures

  • Capital expenditures were reported as -$8.50 million in the last 12 months as of the Q4 2025 earnings period.
  • Annual capital expenditures were $1.90 million in 2022, $15 million in 2023, and $6.80 million in 2024 (all values in USD millions).

Better Bets vs. Kelly Services (KELYA)

Peer Outperformance in Human Resource & Employment Services

KELYA has outperformed 76% of its 21 Human Resource & Employment Services peers over 5Y. Human Resource & Employment Services ranks 21st of 23 industries in Industrials by median 5Y return. The sector’s gains have largely come from elsewhere.
Share of Human Resource & Employment Services constituents that KELYA has outperformed, by holding period. Peers without a full price history over a given window are excluded from that window.
1Y
71%
of 21 industry peers · 54.7% return
3Y
52%
of 21 industry peers · -4.5% return
5Y
76%
of 21 industry peers · -0.3% return
No Human Resource & Employment Services peer with a comparable growth profile has beaten KELYA by more than 20pp over 5Y.
Median price return by industry across the Industrials sector, ranked by 5Y. Human Resource & Employment Services is KELYA's own industry. Use this to see which corners of the sector have carried the returns.
Industry Names 1Y med3Y med5Y med Top 3 by 5Y
Construction & Engineering 29 -8.2%92.7%152.3% STRL 1265% · FIX 1201% · AGX 751%
Marine Transportation 5 47.3%44.2%146.6% MATX 183% · KEX 151%
Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment 13 16.0%61.2%102.0% ALSN 260% · WAB 224% · CAT 221%
Aerospace & Defense 52 -12.4%62.8%70.6% ATI 975% · FTAI 967% · HWM 604%
Trading Companies & Distributors 19 20.9%40.4%58.3% DXPE 413% · AIT 222% · URI 216%
Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components 72 6.2%55.1%36.5% CRS 888% · MLI 337% · SYM 271%
Rail Transportation 7 33.9%56.1%34.2% CSX 55% · UNP 43% · NSC 34%
Diversified Support Services 32 21.0%43.3%33.6% CXW 240% · OPLN 169% · CACI 137%
Building Products 32 -6.2%13.0%24.0% GFF 368% · TT 141% · JCI 118%
Cargo Ground Transportation 16 33.6%10.8%9.9% R 273% · XPO 263% · ARCB 27%
Electrical Components & Equipment 37 -6.2%74.9%5.4% POWL 1808% · VRT 796% · BE 511%
Industrial Conglomerates 17 14.6%-0.6%-5.4% CSW 104% · CSL 81% · DD 67%
Office Services & Supplies 9 25.6%20.4%-11.2% PBI 174% · TILE 165% · HNI 55%
Data Processing & Outsourced Services 6 -16.4%0.3%-14.2% EXLS 64% · BR 13% · G -13%
Research & Consulting Services 13 4.9%-10.7%-19.3% HURN 270% · FCN 31% · BAH 11%
Agricultural & Farm Machinery 16 12.4%-5.6%-21.0% DE 101% · TTC 22% · AGCO 6%
Security & Alarm Services 9 -54.3%16.3%-27.6% BCO 67%
Environmental & Facilities Services 29 -33.0%23.7%-29.1% GEO 228% · CLH 153% · RSG 95%
Passenger Airlines 11 1.0%52.5%-29.7% LTM 2790% · UAL 128% · DAL 115%
Air Freight & Logistics 12 -24.7%-8.8%-39.0% FDX 86% · EXPD 74% · CHRW 53%
Human Resource & Employment Services ← 22 21.2%-9.1%-42.3% ADP 48% · FA 28% · PAYX 9%
Passenger Ground Transportation 3 -18.8%39.7%-63.3% UBER 56% · LYFT -63% · CAR -67%
Airport Services 4 -53.4%-61.7%-86.5% JOBY -51%
Median of constituents with a full price history over each window. Top names are limited to companies above $2B market cap.

Latest Trefis Analyses

Title
0ARTICLES

Recent Active Movers

Peer Comparisons

Peers to compare with:

Financials

KELYAMANRHIKFYTBINSPMedian
NameKelly Se.Manpower.Robert H.Korn Fer.TrueBlue Insperity 
Mkt Price16.5045.6643.2076.419.7051.1844.43
Mkt Cap0.62.14.3-0.31.91.9
Rev LTM4,06318,9245,293-1,6916,9005,293
Op Inc LTM1130311--242011
FCF LTM207215--6719720
FCF 3Y Avg669288--515555
CFO LTM2742256--5423242
CFO 3Y Avg7661339--319276

Growth & Margins

KELYAMANRHIKFYTBINSPMedian
NameKelly Se.Manpower.Robert H.Korn Fer.TrueBlue Insperity 
Rev Chg LTM-9.6%7.3%-4.9%-10.2%2.1%2.1%
Rev Chg 3Y Avg-5.8%-0.2%-8.5%--5.9%2.6%-5.8%
Rev Chg Q-5.8%4.4%-2.4%-11.8%1.7%1.7%
QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM-1.5%1.1%-0.6%-2.8%0.4%0.4%
Op Inc Chg LTM-79.7%33.9%-93.6%-31.1%-4.8%-4.8%
Op Inc Chg 3Y Avg-16.8%-6.6%-64.6%--64.0%-42.8%-42.8%
Op Mgn LTM0.3%1.6%0.2%--1.4%0.3%0.3%
Op Mgn 3Y Avg0.8%1.4%2.9%--1.7%1.0%1.0%
QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM-0.0%0.1%-1.2%-0.3%0.3%0.1%
CFO/Rev LTM0.7%0.2%4.8%--3.2%3.4%0.7%
CFO/Rev 3Y Avg1.7%0.3%6.0%--1.9%1.3%1.3%
FCF/Rev LTM0.5%0.0%4.1%--4.0%2.9%0.5%
FCF/Rev 3Y Avg1.5%0.0%5.1%--3.1%0.8%0.8%

Valuation

KELYAMANRHIKFYTBINSPMedian
NameKelly Se.Manpower.Robert H.Korn Fer.TrueBlue Insperity 
Mkt Cap0.62.14.3-0.31.91.9
P/S0.10.10.8-0.20.30.2
P/Op Inc50.77.1405.4--12.597.250.7
P/EBIT-6.46.3405.4--12.542.36.3
P/E-2.117.837.6--5.2648.317.8
P/CFO21.151.116.8--5.48.416.8
Total Yield-44.9%6.9%7.9%--18.9%4.7%4.7%
Dividend Yield1.9%1.5%5.3%-0.0%4.5%1.9%
FCF Yield 3Y Avg13.3%-0.6%6.5%--23.3%3.8%3.8%
D/E0.20.70.1-0.50.20.2
Net D/E0.20.6-0.0-0.4-0.10.2

Returns

KELYAMANRHIKFYTBINSPMedian
NameKelly Se.Manpower.Robert H.Korn Fer.TrueBlue Insperity 
1M Rtn5.0%-15.7%19.6%6.2%5.7%10.1%6.0%
3M Rtn10.4%-15.6%13.0%-7.1%28.6%-3.4%3.5%
6M Rtn71.3%57.1%69.7%16.7%62.5%78.4%66.1%
12M Rtn51.6%56.3%79.1%21.8%104.6%25.0%53.9%
3Y Rtn-6.5%-29.0%-33.8%72.7%-18.4%-46.1%-23.7%
1M Excs Rtn7.3%-13.4%21.9%8.5%8.0%12.4%8.3%
3M Excs Rtn11.3%-14.3%9.2%-5.0%28.6%0.2%4.7%
6M Excs Rtn66.7%52.6%65.1%12.1%57.8%73.9%61.5%
12M Excs Rtn38.2%48.9%66.4%10.2%90.1%18.2%43.5%
3Y Excs Rtn-82.1%-104.1%-110.5%1.1%-91.6%-119.6%-97.9%

Comparison Analyses

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Financials

Segment Financials

Revenue by Segment
$ Mil2025202420232022
Enterprise Talent Management (ETM)2,0062,196  
Science, Engineering & Technology (SET)1,2401,1661,2651,265
Education1,011972636636
Inter-Segment6-2-3-1
International  932887
Outsourcing & Consulting (OCG)  468468
Professional & Industrial (P&I)  1,6661,710
Total4,2624,3324,9654,965


Operating Income by Segment
$ Mil2025202420232021
Education4644183
Enterprise Talent Management (ETM)2059  
Gain on sale of EMEA staffing operations42  
Gain on sale of assets1560
Science, Engineering & Technology (SET)-36-28274
Depreciation and amortization-51-52  
Corporate Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A)-54-58-94-88
Asset impairment charge -14  
International  1010
Loss on disposal  -190
Outsourcing & Consulting (OCG)  -2119
Professional & Industrial (P&I)  3231
Total-70-151549


Assets by Segment
$ Mil2004
U.S. Commercial Staffing189
International92
Total282


Price Behavior

Price Behavior
Market Price$16.84 
Market Cap ($ Bil)0.6 
First Trading Date03/26/1990 
Distance from 52W High-2.5% 
   50 Days200 Days
DMA Price$16.29$12.45
DMA Trendupup
Distance from DMA3.3%35.2%
 3M1YR
Volatility31.0%41.2%
Downside Capture-32.995.13
Upside Capture32.4354.48
Correlation (S&P 500)1.1%11.6%
KELYA Betas & Captures as of 10/31/2026

 1M2M3M6M1Y3Y
Beta-0.60-0.020.20-0.020.340.61
Up Beta-6.89-0.400.23-0.75-0.080.60
Down Beta0.330.340.380.681.010.77
Up Capture-51%-20%40%58%39%17%
Bmk +ve Days12182862130427
Stock +ve Days12203468132378
Down Capture-85%9%-27%-117%2%82%
Bmk -ve Days10253664121325
Stock -ve Days10233057114357

[1] Upside and downside betas calculated using positive and negative benchmark daily returns respectively
Based On 1-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with KELYA
KELYA51.8%41.2%1.11-
Sector ETF (XLI)10.7%17.3%0.420.5%
Equity (SPY)11.6%12.8%0.5710.3%
Gold (GLD)-2.3%28.6%-0.09-12.2%
Commodities (DBC)43.1%20.9%1.60-16.0%
Real Estate (VNQ)11.0%13.7%0.5021.4%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)-28.8%43.6%-0.6613.0%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How
Based On 5-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with KELYA
KELYA-0.7%39.1%0.08-
Sector ETF (XLI)11.7%17.6%0.5036.0%
Equity (SPY)12.0%17.1%0.5235.5%
Gold (GLD)16.5%19.0%0.69-4.7%
Commodities (DBC)8.4%19.6%0.310.9%
Real Estate (VNQ)1.1%18.9%-0.0534.2%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)4.1%51.6%0.2618.0%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How
Based On 10-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with KELYA
KELYA0.5%40.2%0.14-
Sector ETF (XLI)13.4%20.1%0.5849.5%
Equity (SPY)15.2%17.9%0.7243.1%
Gold (GLD)11.6%16.5%0.57-5.9%
Commodities (DBC)7.8%18.1%0.3412.9%
Real Estate (VNQ)5.4%20.7%0.2241.3%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)61.7%66.3%1.0113.1%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date10152026
Short Interest: Shares Quantity1.1 Mil
Short Interest: % Change Since 93020263.1%
Average Daily Volume0.3 Mil
Days-to-Cover Short Interest4.0 days
Basic Shares Quantity34.7 Mil
Short % of Basic Shares3.1%

Earnings Returns History

Updated 9/9/2026
Expand for More
 Forward Returns
Earnings Date1D Returns5D Returns21D Returns
8/6/20262.6%1.4%10.3%
5/7/2026-0.9%-0.2%21.2%
2/12/2026-1.3%-2.6%-13.2%
11/6/2025-17.9%-24.7%-24.0%
8/7/20254.6%18.8%13.8%
5/8/202510.0%6.8%5.2%
2/13/20257.2%3.0%0.5%
11/7/2024-18.5%-29.5%-35.3%
...
SUMMARY STATS   
# Positive111213
# Negative131211
Median Positive7.2%8.2%13.2%
Median Negative-5.2%-5.8%-15.7%
Max Positive20.9%26.0%25.2%
Max Negative-18.5%-29.5%-35.3%
Collapse to Preview
 Forward Returns
Earnings Date1D Returns5D Returns21D Returns
8/6/20262.6%1.4%10.3%
5/7/2026-0.9%-0.2%21.2%
2/12/2026-1.3%-2.6%-13.2%
11/6/2025-17.9%-24.7%-24.0%
8/7/20254.6%18.8%13.8%
5/8/202510.0%6.8%5.2%
2/13/20257.2%3.0%0.5%
11/7/2024-18.5%-29.5%-35.3%
8/8/2024-5.2%-3.5%-1.7%
5/9/2024-6.3%-2.9%-7.7%
2/15/20247.3%9.9%14.1%
11/9/20234.6%9.5%15.4%
8/10/2023-4.5%-2.1%-1.0%
5/11/20237.5%12.1%13.2%
2/16/2023-11.4%-8.1%-15.7%
11/10/202216.1%6.9%-0.5%
8/11/2022-10.3%-18.3%-31.1%
5/12/2022-4.3%4.6%4.3%
2/14/202220.9%26.0%23.9%
11/10/2021-7.9%-12.1%-17.3%
8/12/2021-2.5%-13.7%-20.0%
5/13/20210.3%-0.9%0.6%
2/18/2021-1.6%5.5%7.5%
11/5/20203.2%13.1%25.2%
SUMMARY STATS   
# Positive111213
# Negative131211
Median Positive7.2%8.2%13.2%
Median Negative-5.2%-5.8%-15.7%
Max Positive20.9%26.0%25.2%
Max Negative-18.5%-29.5%-35.3%

SEC Filings

Expand for More
Report DateFiling DateFiling
06/30/202608/06/202610-Q
03/31/202605/07/202610-Q
12/31/202502/12/202610-K
09/30/202511/06/202510-Q
06/30/202508/07/202510-Q
03/31/202505/08/202510-Q
12/31/202402/13/202510-K
09/30/202411/07/202410-Q
06/30/202408/08/202410-Q
03/31/202405/09/202410-Q
12/31/202302/20/202410-K
09/30/202311/09/202310-Q
06/30/202308/10/202310-Q
03/31/202305/11/202310-Q
12/31/202202/16/202310-K
09/30/202211/10/202210-Q
Collapse to Preview
Report DateFiling DateFiling
06/30/202608/06/202610-Q
03/31/202605/07/202610-Q
12/31/202502/12/202610-K
09/30/202511/06/202510-Q
06/30/202508/07/202510-Q
03/31/202505/08/202510-Q
12/31/202402/13/202510-K
09/30/202411/07/202410-Q
06/30/202408/08/202410-Q
03/31/202405/09/202410-Q
12/31/202302/20/202410-K
09/30/202311/09/202310-Q
06/30/202308/10/202310-Q
03/31/202305/11/202310-Q
12/31/202202/16/202310-K
09/30/202211/10/202210-Q
06/30/202208/11/202210-Q
03/31/202205/12/202210-Q
12/31/202102/17/202210-K
09/30/202111/10/202110-Q
06/30/202108/12/202110-Q
03/31/202105/13/202110-Q
12/31/202002/18/202110-K
09/30/202011/05/202010-Q
06/30/202008/06/202010-Q
03/31/202005/07/202010-Q
12/31/201902/13/202010-K
09/30/201911/06/201910-Q

Recent Forward Guidance

Updated 11/2/2026

Latest: Q2 2026 Earnings Reported 8/6/2026

Forward GuidanceGuidance Change
MetricSourceLowMidHigh% Chg% DeltaChangePrior
Q3 2026 Revenue GrowthReported1.0%1.5%2.0%   
Q3 2026 RevenueReported-0.02-0.010-87.5% RaisedGuidance: -0.08 for Q2 2026
Q3 2026 Operating MarginReported 2.0%  -0.5%LoweredGuidance: 2.5% for Q2 2026
Q4 2026 Revenue GrowthReported 7.0%    
Q4 2026 Operating MarginReported 4.0%    
2026 Revenue GrowthReported -3.0%    
2026 Operating Margin ChangeReported0.1%0.15%0.2%   


Prior: Q1 2026 Earnings Reported 5/7/2026

Forward GuidanceGuidance Change
MetricSourceLowMidHigh% Chg% DeltaChangePrior
Q2 2026 Revenue DeclineReported-0.09-0.08-0.07   
Q2 2026 Adjusted EBITDA MarginReported 2.5%  1.0%Higher NewGuidance: 1.5% for Q1 2026

Q4 2025 Earnings Reported 2/12/2026

Forward GuidanceGuidance Change
MetricSourceLowMidHigh% Chg% DeltaChangePrior
Q1 2026 Revenue GrowthReported-13.0%-12.0%-11.0% 1.0%Higher NewActual: -13.0% for Q4 2025
Q1 2026 Adjusted EBITDA MarginReported 1.5%  -1.5%Lower NewActual: 3.0% for Q4 2025

Q3 2025 Earnings Reported 11/6/2025

Forward GuidanceGuidance Change
MetricSourceLowMidHigh% Chg% DeltaChangePrior
Q4 2025 Revenue GrowthReported-14.0%-13.0%-12.0% -7.0%Lower NewGuidance: -6.0% for Q3 2025
Q4 2025 Adjusted EBITDA MarginReported 3.0%    

Insider Activity

Updated 10/16/2026
Expand for More
#OwnerTitleHoldingActionFiling DatePriceSharesTransacted
Value
Value of
Held Shares
Form
1Williams, Vanessa PetersonEVP, Gen Counsel & Corp SecDirectSell51520269.7829,999293,302805,183Form
2Layden, Christopher DPresident, and CEODirectBuy32420268.7610,00087,5613,349,322Form
3Layden, Christopher DPresident, and CEODirectBuy324202613.521001,3521,352Form
4Brock-Kyle, Angela DirectBuy313202614.771001,4771,477Form
5Hunt, James Christopher DirectBuy22620269.304,00037,200278,777Form
Collapse to Preview
#OwnerTitleHoldingActionFiling DatePriceSharesTransacted
Value
Value of
Held Shares
Form
1Williams, Vanessa PetersonEVP, Gen Counsel & Corp SecDirectSell51520269.7829,999293,302805,183Form
2Layden, Christopher DPresident, and CEODirectBuy32420268.7610,00087,5613,349,322Form
3Layden, Christopher DPresident, and CEODirectBuy324202613.521001,3521,352Form
4Brock-Kyle, Angela DirectBuy313202614.771001,4771,477Form
5Hunt, James Christopher DirectBuy22620269.304,00037,200278,777Form
6Hunt, James Christopher DirectBuy22520269.4310,00094,300244,954Form
7Hunt, James Christopher DirectBuy22420269.5710,00095,733152,943Form
8Hunt, James Christopher DirectBuy21920269.581,0009,58057,249Form
9Terence, E. Adderley Revocable Trust K DirectSell130202634.873,039,940  Form
10Murphy, Leslie A DirectSell122920258.5247400268,184Form
Core Cache Last Updated: 11/2/2026