Kelly Services (KELYA)


Market Price (9/19/2026): $16.17 | Market Cap: $561.1 MilSector: Industrials | Industry: Human Resource & Employment Services

Kelly Services (KELYA)


Market Price (9/19/2026): $16.17
Market Cap: $561.1 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.

Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -56%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -76%

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 87%

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 -51%

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 Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -56%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -76%
3 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%
4 Valuation getting more expensive
P/S 6M Chg %Price/Sales change over 6 months. Declining P/S indicates valuation has become less expensive. is 87%
5 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 -51%
6 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%
FNDA0.14%
AVUV0.08%
IWN0.03%
VTWO0.01%
SCHA0.01%
+4 more covered ETFs

Valuation & Metrics

Price Chart

Why The Stock Moved

Qualitative Assessment

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Updated on 9/8/2026

Kelly Services (KELYA) stock has gained about 40% since 5/31/2026 because of the following key factors:

1. Strong Fiscal Q2 2026 Earnings Beat and Raised Full-Year Outlook.

Kelly Services significantly outperformed analyst expectations for its fiscal second quarter, which ended on July 3, 2026. The company reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.37, surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.19 by $0.19. Quarterly revenue also exceeded forecasts, coming in at $1.04 billion against estimates of $1.01 billion. Despite a 5.8% year-over-year decline in total revenue, underlying revenue trends showed marked improvement, contributing to the company exceeding its own guidance for both revenue and adjusted EBITDA margin. Following these results, management raised its full-year 2026 outlook, anticipating improved revenue trends and margin expansion in the second half of the year, with fiscal Q4 revenue growth projected in the mid-to-upper single digits. This positive financial performance and optimistic forward guidance were key drivers of investor confidence.

2. Strategic Focus on High-Growth Sectors and AI Adoption.

Kelly Services has demonstrated a strategic pivot towards high-growth areas and significant investment in artificial intelligence, which has resonated positively with the market. The company is experiencing strong momentum in specialized sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing, life sciences, and data center construction. These areas are benefiting from broader secular trends like industrial reshoring and increased AI investment. Furthermore, Kelly Services has been actively modernizing its technology infrastructure, including a successful implementation of a unified AI-powered CRM platform and the scaling of its proprietary AI platform, Grace, to enhance efficiency and productivity. This strategic direction toward higher-margin professional and AI-driven talent solutions indicates potential for sustained growth.

Show more
Updated on 9/8/2026

Kelly Services (KELYA) stock has gained about 40% since 5/31/2026 because of the following key factors:

1. Strong Fiscal Q2 2026 Earnings Beat and Raised Full-Year Outlook.

Kelly Services significantly outperformed analyst expectations for its fiscal second quarter, which ended on July 3, 2026. The company reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.37, surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.19 by $0.19. Quarterly revenue also exceeded forecasts, coming in at $1.04 billion against estimates of $1.01 billion. Despite a 5.8% year-over-year decline in total revenue, underlying revenue trends showed marked improvement, contributing to the company exceeding its own guidance for both revenue and adjusted EBITDA margin. Following these results, management raised its full-year 2026 outlook, anticipating improved revenue trends and margin expansion in the second half of the year, with fiscal Q4 revenue growth projected in the mid-to-upper single digits. This positive financial performance and optimistic forward guidance were key drivers of investor confidence.

2. Strategic Focus on High-Growth Sectors and AI Adoption.

Kelly Services has demonstrated a strategic pivot towards high-growth areas and significant investment in artificial intelligence, which has resonated positively with the market. The company is experiencing strong momentum in specialized sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing, life sciences, and data center construction. These areas are benefiting from broader secular trends like industrial reshoring and increased AI investment. Furthermore, Kelly Services has been actively modernizing its technology infrastructure, including a successful implementation of a unified AI-powered CRM platform and the scaling of its proprietary AI platform, Grace, to enhance efficiency and productivity. This strategic direction toward higher-margin professional and AI-driven talent solutions indicates potential for sustained growth.

3. Positive Analyst Sentiment and Price Target Upgrades.

Following the robust fiscal Q2 2026 results and the company's strategic advancements, analysts reacted favorably, issuing positive ratings and increasing price targets for KELYA. On August 10, 2026, analysts raised their average price target by 13% to $20.00, which represented a 28% upside from the stock's closing price of $15.67 at that time. The stock currently holds a "Buy" consensus rating from analysts. This analyst confidence was attributed to the better-than-expected underlying revenue trends, sequential operational improvements, and the company's progress in its organic growth and margin expansion initiatives.

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Stock Movement Drivers

Fundamental Drivers

The 39.5% change in KELYA stock from 5/31/2026 to 9/18/2026 was primarily driven by a 43.0% change in the company's P/S Multiple.
(LTM values as of)53120269182026Change
Stock Price ($)11.5716.1439.5%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)4,1274,063-1.5%
P/S Multiple0.10.143.0%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)3435-0.9%
Cumulative Contribution39.5%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

5/31/2026 to 9/18/2026
ReturnCorrelation
KELYA39.5% 
Market (SPY)0.9%-5.7%
Sector (XLI)-2.0%-16.9%

Fundamental Drivers

The 68.3% change in KELYA stock from 2/28/2026 to 9/18/2026 was primarily driven by a 75.6% change in the company's P/S Multiple.
(LTM values as of)22820269182026Change
Stock Price ($)9.5916.1468.3%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)4,2514,063-4.4%
P/S Multiple0.10.175.6%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)35350.3%
Cumulative Contribution68.3%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

2/28/2026 to 9/18/2026
ReturnCorrelation
KELYA68.3% 
Market (SPY)11.6%7.2%
Sector (XLI)-3.9%-6.1%

Fundamental Drivers

The 16.8% change in KELYA stock from 8/31/2025 to 9/18/2026 was primarily driven by a 27.4% change in the company's P/S Multiple.
(LTM values as of)83120259182026Change
Stock Price ($)13.8216.1416.8%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)4,4964,063-9.6%
P/S Multiple0.10.127.4%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)35351.4%
Cumulative Contribution16.8%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

8/31/2025 to 9/18/2026
ReturnCorrelation
KELYA16.8% 
Market (SPY)19.4%13.4%
Sector (XLI)12.8%6.8%

Fundamental Drivers

The -6.8% change in KELYA stock from 8/31/2023 to 9/18/2026 was primarily driven by a -16.9% change in the company's Total Revenues ($ Mil).
(LTM values as of)83120239182026Change
Stock Price ($)17.3216.14-6.8%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)4,8874,063-16.9%
P/S Multiple0.10.18.0%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)36353.7%
Cumulative Contribution-6.8%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

8/31/2023 to 9/18/2026
ReturnCorrelation
KELYA-6.8% 
Market (SPY)75.6%25.4%
Sector (XLI)63.4%26.8%

Return vs. Risk

Price Returns Compared

 202120222023202420252026Total [1]
Returns
KELYA Return-18%2%30%-35%-35%88%-13%
Peers Return53%-22%5%-21%-40%60%-4%
S&P 500 Return27%-19%24%23%16%12%103%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
KELYA Win Rate33%58%58%33%42%67% 
Peers Win Rate67%42%47%38%40%71% 
S&P 500 Win Rate75%42%67%75%67%44% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
KELYA Max Drawdown-39%-39%-18%-48%-44%-25% 
Peers Max Drawdown-17%-40%-29%-33%-51%-35% 
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 9/18/2026 (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 67% of its 21 Human Resource & Employment Services peers over 5Y. Human Resource & Employment Services ranks 20th 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
76%
of 21 industry peers · 15.9% return
3Y
62%
of 21 industry peers · -5.2% return
5Y
67%
of 21 industry peers · -9.6% 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 31 7.6%101.5%179.0% FIX 2325% · CDNL 2275% · STRL 2177%
Marine Transportation 5 83.2%67.4%170.7% HOS 44163% · MATX 199% · SFL 171%
Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment 13 9.3%56.2%124.5% CAT 341% · ALSN 253% · WAB 230%
Aerospace & Defense 55 -6.6%68.1%68.1% ATI 1043% · FTAI 964% · HWM 652%
Rail Transportation 7 29.5%58.9%48.8% FSTR 143% · CSX 66% · UNP 55%
Trading Companies & Distributors 19 3.3%36.9%48.2% DXPE 570% · AIT 302% · WCC 212%
Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components 72 7.4%47.7%41.2% CRS 1269% · PSIX 1091% · EROC 652%
Diversified Support Services 33 10.6%30.8%31.7% LIME 3498% · TH 499% · WLFC 368%
Passenger Ground Transportation 3 -25.6%34.9%30.0% UBER 77% · CAR 30% · LYFT -71%
Cargo Ground Transportation 16 32.4%-0.2%29.4% XPO 244% · R 242% · CVLG 204%
Electrical Components & Equipment 41 3.4%55.2%20.3% POWL 2471% · BE 1257% · VRT 956%
Building Products 33 -13.7%1.1%18.5% LMB 701% · GFF 373% · PPIH 293%
Industrial Conglomerates 17 8.7%5.7%6.1% RCMT 454% · CSW 141% · DD 72%
Agricultural & Farm Machinery 17 2.2%3.6%-5.6% BLBD 191% · DE 109% · GENC 54%
Environmental & Facilities Services 29 -12.5%20.6%-6.6% CECO 932% · NVRI 354% · GEO 353%
Research & Consulting Services 13 -14.0%-24.4%-9.7% HURN 205% · CRAI 90% · GRNQ 55%
Data Processing & Outsourced Services 6 -33.6%-15.9%-26.3% EXLS 44% · BR 7% · G -25%
Passenger Airlines 11 3.1%10.4%-28.8% LTM 3092% · UAL 144% · SKYW 107%
Office Services & Supplies 9 6.6%20.5%-35.1% PBI 194% · TILE 141% · HNI 46%
Human Resource & Employment Services ← 22 5.4%-20.1%-38.0% BBSI 88% · ADP 53% · PAYX 25%
Air Freight & Logistics 12 -13.0%-21.1%-38.5% CHRW 97% · FDX 64% · EXPD 63%
Security & Alarm Services 10 -26.4%17.5%-44.2% CIX 150% · MG 127% · NL 63%
Airport Services 3 -72.8%-79.0%-58.3% JOBY -34% · ASLE -58% · UP -100%
Median of constituents with a full price history over each window. Top names are unfiltered by size in this render.

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 Price16.1457.6437.3876.788.9450.3143.84
Mkt Cap0.62.73.7-0.31.91.9
Rev LTM4,06318,7185,293-1,6916,8725,293
Op Inc LTM1128811--24-311
FCF LTM2069215--6719469
FCF 3Y Avg6696288--5112896
CFO LTM27110256--54225110
CFO 3Y Avg76152339--31164152

Growth & Margins

KELYAMANRHIKFYTBINSPMedian
NameKelly Se.Manpower.Robert H.Korn Fer.TrueBlue Insperity 
Rev Chg LTM-9.6%6.7%-4.9%-10.2%2.6%2.6%
Rev Chg 3Y Avg-5.8%-0.7%-8.5%--5.9%3.0%-5.8%
Rev Chg Q-5.8%7.5%-2.4%-11.8%1.7%1.7%
QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM-1.5%1.9%-0.6%-2.8%0.4%0.4%
Op Inc Chg LTM-79.7%24.7%-93.6%-31.1%-106.4%-79.7%
Op Inc Chg 3Y Avg-16.8%-12.3%-64.6%--64.0%-65.2%-64.0%
Op Mgn LTM0.3%1.5%0.2%--1.4%-0.0%0.2%
Op Mgn 3Y Avg0.8%1.4%2.9%--1.7%1.3%1.3%
QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM-0.0%0.2%-1.2%-0.3%0.2%0.2%
CFO/Rev LTM0.7%0.6%4.8%--3.2%3.3%0.7%
CFO/Rev 3Y Avg1.7%0.8%6.0%--1.9%2.5%1.7%
FCF/Rev LTM0.5%0.4%4.1%--4.0%2.8%0.5%
FCF/Rev 3Y Avg1.5%0.5%5.1%--3.1%1.9%1.5%

Valuation

KELYAMANRHIKFYTBINSPMedian
NameKelly Se.Manpower.Robert H.Korn Fer.TrueBlue Insperity 
Mkt Cap0.62.73.7-0.31.91.9
P/S0.10.10.7-0.20.30.2
P/Op Inc49.69.4350.7--11.6-637.39.4
P/EBIT-6.38.4350.7--11.686.98.4
P/E-2.025.932.5--4.8-119.5-2.0
P/CFO20.724.614.6--5.08.514.6
Total Yield-46.9%5.1%9.5%--20.8%3.9%3.9%
Dividend Yield2.0%1.2%6.4%-0.0%4.8%2.0%
FCF Yield 3Y Avg13.3%3.1%6.5%--23.3%5.5%5.5%
D/E0.20.50.1-0.50.30.3
Net D/E0.20.5-0.0-0.4-0.10.2

Returns

KELYAMANRHIKFYTBINSPMedian
NameKelly Se.Manpower.Robert H.Korn Fer.TrueBlue Insperity 
1M Rtn-2.4%-3.0%-13.0%-9.0%-17.6%-1.8%-6.0%
3M Rtn42.7%71.8%19.9%8.3%33.4%40.5%37.0%
6M Rtn92.9%121.6%66.2%26.4%149.7%111.8%102.4%
12M Rtn15.9%58.9%15.6%7.8%38.4%5.3%15.7%
3Y Rtn-5.2%-11.8%-41.6%70.8%-37.1%-40.0%-24.5%
1M Excs Rtn-1.6%-2.2%-12.3%-8.3%-16.9%-1.1%-5.3%
3M Excs Rtn40.7%69.8%17.9%6.3%31.4%38.5%35.0%
6M Excs Rtn76.0%108.6%52.9%10.6%127.8%112.3%92.3%
12M Excs Rtn3.5%44.2%0.9%-6.6%29.0%-10.3%2.2%
3Y Excs Rtn-76.0%-82.3%-111.1%0.8%-106.0%-111.6%-94.2%

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$16.14 
Market Cap ($ Bil)0.6 
First Trading Date03/26/1990 
Distance from 52W High-6.6% 
   50 Days200 Days
DMA Price$15.83$11.31
DMA Trendupup
Distance from DMA2.0%42.7%
 3M1YR
Volatility41.6%41.1%
Downside Capture-157.8624.12
Upside Capture48.2736.99
Correlation (SPY)-12.3%13.0%
KELYA Betas & Captures as of 8/31/2026

 1M2M3M6M1Y3Y
Beta0.53-0.35-0.270.150.430.62
Up Beta0.66-1.39-1.09-0.320.150.60
Down Beta-0.380.790.620.941.040.74
Up Capture161%89%60%67%31%20%
Bmk +ve Days10213268138427
Stock +ve Days14253666126380
Down Capture-144%-184%-169%-87%25%84%
Bmk -ve Days11213259113324
Stock -ve Days7172758117353

[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
KELYA19.5%41.1%0.54-
Sector ETF (XLI)13.5%17.2%0.575.2%
Equity (SPY)16.9%12.9%0.9413.0%
Gold (GLD)19.1%29.3%0.60-11.3%
Commodities (DBC)46.9%20.6%1.76-15.2%
Real Estate (VNQ)4.9%13.6%0.1028.2%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)-34.5%43.9%-0.8414.2%

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-1.4%39.0%0.06-
Sector ETF (XLI)12.4%17.6%0.5437.2%
Equity (SPY)12.9%17.2%0.5736.3%
Gold (GLD)19.1%18.8%0.83-4.6%
Commodities (DBC)11.3%19.5%0.451.9%
Real Estate (VNQ)1.1%18.8%-0.0534.8%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)11.2%52.5%0.3917.7%

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
KELYA-0.4%40.1%0.12-
Sector ETF (XLI)13.1%20.1%0.5750.0%
Equity (SPY)15.1%18.0%0.7243.6%
Gold (GLD)12.1%16.4%0.61-5.6%
Commodities (DBC)8.3%18.1%0.3713.3%
Real Estate (VNQ)4.4%20.7%0.1841.7%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)61.7%66.1%1.0213.0%

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

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date8312026
Short Interest: Shares Quantity1.2 Mil
Short Interest: % Change Since 8152026-4.9%
Average Daily Volume0.3 Mil
Days-to-Cover Short Interest4.0 days
Basic Shares Quantity34.7 Mil
Short % of Basic Shares3.5%

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 8/7/2026

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 7/16/2026
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
11Malan, Daniel HSenior Vice PresidentDirectSell925202512.867,840100,8581,026,479Form
12Soares, Nicola MSenior Vice PresidentDirectSell923202513.4327,412368,055538,871Form
13Malan, Daniel HSenior Vice PresidentDirectSell822202514.407,650110,1601,261,886Form
14Malan, Daniel HSenior Vice PresidentDirectSell822202514.2410,000142,4001,356,801Form
Core Cache Last Updated: 9/18/2026