BBSI vs TRI

For growth investors, Barrett Business Services, Inc.

(BBSI) is the stronger pick with 8. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 8% for Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI). Barrett Business Services, Inc. (BBSI) offers the better valuation at 14. 3x trailing P/E (17. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Barrett Business Services, Inc. (BBSI) a "Buy" — based on 5 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Barrett Business Services, Inc.

(BBSI) is the cheapest at 14. 3x versus Thomson Reuters Corporation at 27. 5x. On forward P/E, Barrett Business Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 17. 1x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Barrett Business Services, Inc. wins at 1. 25x versus Thomson Reuters Corporation's 2. 83x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Barrett Business Services, Inc.

(BBSI) delivered a total return of +60. 4%, compared to +5. 7% for Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BBSI returned +326. 4% versus TRI's +155. 3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

38β versus Barrett Business Services, Inc. 's 0. 82β — meaning BBSI is approximately 117% more volatile than TRI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Barrett Business Services, Inc. (BBSI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 18% for Thomson Reuters Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Barrett Business Services, Inc.

(BBSI) is pulling ahead at 8. 4% versus 4. 8% for Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Barrett Business Services, Inc. grew EPS 5. 6% year-over-year, compared to -30. 5% for Thomson Reuters Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, BBSI leads at 5. 6% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI) is the more profitable company, earning 20.

1% net margin versus 4. 4% for Barrett Business Services, Inc. — meaning it keeps 20. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TRI leads at 26. 3% versus 5. 0% for BBSI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TRI leads at 36. 4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Barrett Business Services, Inc. (BBSI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 25x versus Thomson Reuters Corporation's 2. 83x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Barrett Business Services, Inc. (BBSI) trades at 17. 1x forward P/E versus 21. 2x for Thomson Reuters Corporation — 4. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TRI: 57. 5% to $147. 10.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI) offers the highest yield at 2. 5%, versus 1. 1% for Barrett Business Services, Inc. (BBSI).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

38), 2. 5% yield, +155. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TRI: +155. 3%, BBSI: +326. 4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: BBSI is a small-cap deep-value stock; TRI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.