Barrett Business Services, Inc. (BBSI) Financial Ratios
30 years of historical data (1996–2025) · Industrials · Staffing & Employment Services
EV/EBITDA
↑
10.52
↓-11% vs avg
5yr avg: 11.80
30Y Low4.5·High29.0
P/FCF
↓
17.20
↓-43% vs avg
5yr avg: 30.40
30Y Low2.4·High91.8
P/B Ratio
↑
3.53
-9% vs avg
5yr avg: 3.88
30Y Low0.7·High9.5
ROE
↑
23.5%
-1% vs avg
5yr avg: 23.8%
30Y Low-49%·High55%
Debt/EBITDA
↓
0.35
↓-4% vs avg
5yr avg: 0.36
30Y Low0.1·High1.1
Percentile shows where the current value sits in 30-year historical distribution. Sparklines show 5-year trend.
BBSI Valuation Multiples
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
Barrett Business Services, Inc. trades at 15.8x earnings, roughly in line with its 5-year average of 16.6x, sitting at the 42nd percentile of its historical range. Compared to the Industrials sector median P/E of 25.6x, the stock trades at a discount of 38%. On a free-cash-flow basis, the stock trades at 17.2x P/FCF, 43% below the 5-year average of 30.4x.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $811M | $933M | $1.2B | $793M | $674M | $526M | $524M | $697M | $438M | $487M | $473M |
| Enterprise Value | $741M | $863M | $1.1B | $743M | $604M | $482M | $483M | $681M | $407M | $431M | $427M |
| P/E Ratio → | 15.81 | 17.33 | 21.94 | 15.65 | 14.22 | 13.82 | 15.50 | 14.41 | 11.54 | 19.42 | 25.03 |
| P/S Ratio | 0.65 | 0.75 | 1.01 | 0.74 | 0.64 | 0.55 | 0.60 | 0.74 | 0.47 | 0.53 | 0.56 |
| P/B Ratio | 3.53 | 3.87 | 5.24 | 3.98 | 3.79 | 2.52 | 2.64 | 4.05 | 3.68 | 5.48 | 6.78 |
| P/FCF | 17.20 | 19.78 | — | 14.32 | 57.10 | — | — | 10.50 | 6.83 | 4.46 | 6.46 |
| P/OCF | 12.30 | 14.15 | 115.02 | 11.80 | 24.27 | — | — | 9.03 | 6.27 | 4.31 | 5.89 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
BBSI EV Ratios
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s enterprise value stands at 10.5x EBITDA, 11% below its 5-year average of 11.8x. The Industrials sector median is 13.9x, placing the stock at a 24% discount on an enterprise-value basis.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 0.70 | 0.98 | 0.69 | 0.57 | 0.50 | 0.55 | 0.72 | 0.43 | 0.47 | 0.51 |
| EV / EBITDA | 10.52 | 12.25 | 16.71 | 10.97 | 9.26 | 9.79 | 11.79 | 12.52 | 9.86 | 12.19 | 13.25 |
| EV / EBIT | 11.92 | 12.01 | 15.94 | 10.75 | 9.23 | 9.45 | 11.02 | 10.81 | 10.99 | 14.41 | 14.74 |
| EV / FCF | — | 18.29 | — | 13.42 | 51.15 | — | — | 10.26 | 6.34 | 3.95 | 5.83 |
BBSI Profitability
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Barrett Business Services, Inc. earns an operating margin of 5.0%, roughly in line with the Industrials sector average. ROE of 23.5% indicates solid capital efficiency, compared to the sector median of 8.2%. ROIC of 26.1% represents excellent returns on invested capital versus a sector median of 6.1%.
Margins
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 21.0% | 21.0% | 22.1% | 22.7% | 22.3% | 21.4% | 20.8% | 22.1% | 19.8% | 17.2% | 17.3% |
| Operating Margin | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 4.6% | 4.1% | 5.4% | 3.9% | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Net Profit Margin | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 4.7% | 4.5% | 4.0% | 3.8% | 5.1% | 4.0% | 2.7% | 2.2% |
Return on Capital
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 23.5% | 23.5% | 25.2% | 26.9% | 24.5% | 18.7% | 18.2% | 33.2% | 36.6% | 31.8% | 30.3% |
| ROA | 7.1% | 7.1% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 6.6% | 5.0% | 4.1% | 6.0% | 5.3% | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| ROIC | 26.1% | 26.1% | 26.6% | 35.4% | 32.5% | 20.5% | 17.3% | 31.1% | 45.8% | 78.9% | 59.7% |
| ROCE | 16.4% | 16.4% | 15.6% | 16.6% | 15.0% | 9.6% | 7.2% | 10.6% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.9% |
BBSI Leverage & Debt
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
Barrett Business Services, Inc. carries a Debt/EBITDA ratio of 0.3x, which is very conservative (89% below the sector average of 3.2x). The company holds a net cash position — cash of $95M exceeds total debt of $24M, providing substantial financial flexibility for buybacks, acquisitions, or weathering downturns. Interest coverage of 165.1x signals virtually no risk of debt distress — earnings comfortably cover interest obligations.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.11 | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.17 | 0.04 | 0.05 | 0.07 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 0.35 | 0.35 | 0.32 | 0.31 | 0.32 | 0.51 | 0.68 | 0.52 | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.14 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | -0.29 | -0.15 | -0.25 | -0.39 | -0.21 | -0.21 | -0.09 | -0.26 | -0.62 | -0.66 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -1.00 | -1.00 | -0.50 | -0.74 | -1.08 | -0.90 | -1.00 | -0.30 | -0.76 | -1.57 | -1.43 |
| Debt / FCF | — | -1.50 | — | -0.90 | -5.95 | — | — | -0.24 | -0.49 | -0.51 | -0.63 |
| Interest Coverage | 165.14 | 165.14 | 396.88 | 416.59 | 464.14 | 137.19 | 35.24 | 35.17 | 35.16 | 95.66 | 35.86 |
Net cash position: cash ($95M) exceeds total debt ($24M)
BBSI Liquidity & Efficiency
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
A current ratio of 1.29x means Barrett Business Services, Inc. can comfortably meet its short-term obligations, though there is limited excess liquidity.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 1.29 | 1.29 | 1.32 | 1.30 | 1.36 | 1.29 | 1.40 | 1.24 | 0.98 | 0.96 | 0.95 |
| Quick Ratio | 1.29 | 1.29 | 1.32 | 1.30 | 1.36 | 1.29 | 1.40 | 1.24 | 0.62 | 0.63 | 0.68 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.39 | 0.39 | 0.34 | 0.44 | 0.48 | 0.53 | 0.58 | 0.37 | 0.11 | 0.19 | 0.21 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 1.59 | 1.54 | 1.48 | 1.53 | 1.28 | 1.14 | 1.09 | 1.24 | 1.35 | 1.41 |
| Inventory Turnover | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6.26 | 7.35 | 9.42 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 74.04 | 75.64 | 61.23 | 56.72 | 59.50 | 51.79 | 63.87 | 58.82 | 54.86 | 54.92 |
BBSI Shareholder Yields
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Barrett Business Services, Inc. returns 6.9% to shareholders annually — split between a 1.0% dividend yield and 5.9% buyback yield. The payout ratio of 15.0% is conservative, leaving significant room for dividend growth or reinvestment. The earnings yield of 6.3% (inverse of P/E) provides a useful comparison to bond yields when assessing the stock's relative attractiveness to fixed income.
Dividends
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 1.0% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Payout Ratio | 15.0% | 15.0% | 15.3% | 16.0% | 18.0% | 23.8% | 27.0% | 17.0% | 19.3% | 28.9% | 33.8% |
Total Shareholder Return Metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 6.3% | 5.8% | 4.6% | 6.4% | 7.0% | 7.2% | 6.5% | 6.9% | 8.7% | 5.1% | 4.0% |
| FCF Yield | 5.8% | 5.1% | — | 7.0% | 1.8% | — | — | 9.5% | 14.6% | 22.4% | 15.5% |
| Buyback Yield | 5.9% | 5.1% | 2.5% | 4.3% | 7.0% | 3.3% | 1.5% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 6.9% | 6.0% | 3.2% | 5.3% | 8.3% | 5.0% | 3.3% | 1.2% | 2.4% | 1.8% | 1.4% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $26M | $27M | $27M | $29M | $30M | $31M | $31M | $31M | $30M | $30M |
Peer Comparison
Compare BBSI with 10 similar companies in its peer group
| Company | Market Cap | P/E | EV/EBITDA | P/FCF | Gross Margin | Op Margin | ROE | ROIC | Debt/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 BBSIYou | $811M | 15.8 | 10.5 | 17.2 | 21.0% | 5.0% | 23.5% | 26.1% | 0.3 |
 INSP | $1B | 8.7 | 17.8 | 15.6 | 85.4% | 5.6% | 19.8% | 6.0% | 0.5 |
 TRI | $34B | 23.1 | 12.3 | 16.7 | 75.8% | 26.6% | 12.6% | 11.2% | 0.7 |
 TNET | $2B | 14.3 | 3.1 | 6.8 | 17.4% | 5.3% | 252.0% | — | 2.8 |
 KFRC | $830M | 23.2 | 16.1 | 17.7 | 26.8% | 3.8% | 24.9% | 19.1% | 1.3 |
 HCI | $2B | 6.6 | 2.2 | 4.8 | 73.2% | 47.7% | 37.8% | 675.0% | 0.2 |
 ADP | $88B | 21.9 | 15.9 | 18.4 | 50.8% | 26.3% | 76.0% | 47.1% | 1.5 |
 PAYX | $35B | 21.4 | 16.0 | 20.0 | 72.4% | 39.6% | 41.8% | 30.9% | 2.1 |
 NSP | $1B | -201.2 | 33.6 | — | 13.2% | -0.1% | -9.8% | — | 12.4 |
 KELYA | $394M | -1.6 | — | 3.5 | 20.1% | -1.6% | -23.0% | -4.0% | — |
 WTW | $24B | 15.7 | 10.5 | 15.6 | 42.1% | 23.0% | 20.0% | 14.0% | 2.6 |
| Industrials Median | — | 25.6 | 13.9 | 20.0 | 32.0% | 4.3% | 8.2% | 6.1% | 3.2 |
Peer selection based on competitive and market overlap. Compare multiple stocks →
Download Financial Ratios Data
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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BBSI — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying BBSI stock.
What is Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s P/E ratio?
Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s current P/E ratio is 15.8x. The historical average is 18.5x. This places it at the 42th percentile of its historical range.
What is Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s EV/EBITDA?
Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s current EV/EBITDA is 10.5x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 11.6x.
What is Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s ROE?
Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s return on equity (ROE) is 23.5%. This is above the typical threshold of 15-20% considered good for most companies. The historical average is 15.9%.
Is BBSI stock overvalued?
Based on historical data, Barrett Business Services, Inc. is trading at a P/E of 15.8x. This is at the 42th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
What is Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s dividend yield?
Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s current dividend yield is 0.96% with a payout ratio of 15.0%.
What are Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s profit margins?
Barrett Business Services, Inc. has 21.0% gross margin and 5.0% operating margin.
How much debt does Barrett Business Services, Inc. have?
Barrett Business Services, Inc.'s Debt/EBITDA ratio is 0.3x, indicating low leverage. A ratio below 2x is generally considered financially healthy.