Gross margin has held steady near 35% to 39%, but operating margin collapsed to 1.4% as SG&A consumed most gross profit, with operating income swinging between roughly -$62M and +$75M per quarter.
Robert Half Inc. (RHI) annual income statement — 30-year revenue, gross profit & net income history
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Dec'21 | Dec'20 | Dec'19 | Dec'18 | Dec'17 | Dec'16 | Dec'15 | Dec'14 | Dec'13 | Dec'12 | Dec'11 | Dec'10 | Dec'09 | Dec'08 | Dec'07 | Dec'06 | Dec'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 | Dec'02 | Dec'01 | Dec'00 | Dec'99 | Dec'98 | Dec'97 | Dec'96 |
|---|
| Sales/Revenue | 5.3B | 5.38B | 5.8B | 6.39B | 7.24B | 6.46B | 5.11B | 6.07B | 5.8B | 5.27B | 5.25B | 5.09B | 4.7B | 4.25B | 4.11B | 3.78B | 3.18B | 3.04B | 4.6B | 4.65B | 4.01B | 3.34B | 2.68B | 1.97B | 1.9B | 2.45B | 2.7B | 2.08B | 1.79B | 1.3B | 898.6M |
| Revenue Growth % | -2.94% | -7.2% | -9.33% | -11.68% | 12.02% | 26.47% | -15.89% | 4.73% | 10.13% | 0.31% | 3.05% | 8.52% | 10.58% | 3.28% | 8.85% | 18.96% | 4.56% | -34% | -0.97% | 15.75% | 20.22% | 24.77% | 35.48% | 3.68% | -22.34% | -9.13% | 29.69% | 16.08% | 37.62% | 44.99% | 42.98% |
| Cost of Goods Sold | 3.32B | 3.38B | 3.55B | 3.82B | 4.14B | 3.77B | 3.1B | 3.55B | 3.39B | 3.1B | 3.09B | 2.98B | 2.77B | 2.52B | 2.46B | 2.29B | 1.98B | 1.93B | 2.69B | 2.67B | 2.32B | 1.97B | 1.62B | 1.25B | 1.19B | 1.44B | 1.49B | 1.19B | 1.05B | 772.7M | 538.8M |
| COGS % of Revenue | - | 62.77% | 61.23% | 59.72% | 57.25% | 58.28% | 60.61% | 58.43% | 58.45% | 58.92% | 58.85% | 58.5% | 59.04% | 59.42% | 59.89% | 60.56% | 62.39% | 63.65% | 58.41% | 57.43% | 57.79% | 58.87% | 60.52% | 63.2% | 62.48% | 58.56% | 55.09% | 56.95% | 58.63% | 59.31% | 59.96% |
| Gross Profit | 1.98B | 2B | 2.25B | 2.58B | 3.09B | 2.7B | 2.01B | 2.53B | 2.41B | 2.16B | 2.16B | 2.11B | 1.92B | 1.72B | 1.65B | 1.49B | 1.19B | 1.1B | 1.91B | 1.98B | 1.69B | 1.37B | 1.06B | 726.74M | 714.74M | 1.02B | 1.21B | 896.1M | 741.8M | 530.2M | 359.8M |
| Gross Margin % | 37.29% | 37.23% | 38.77% | 40.28% | 42.75% | 41.72% | 39.39% | 41.57% | 41.55% | 41.08% | 41.15% | 41.5% | 40.96% | 40.58% | 40.11% | 39.44% | 37.61% | 36.35% | 41.59% | 42.57% | 42.21% | 41.13% | 39.48% | 36.8% | 37.52% | 41.44% | 44.91% | 43.05% | 41.37% | 40.69% | 40.04% |
| Gross Profit Growth % | - | -10.9% | -12.73% | -16.78% | 14.76% | 33.96% | -20.3% | 4.78% | 11.38% | 0.15% | 2.19% | 9.96% | 11.6% | 4.49% | 10.7% | 24.75% | 8.19% | -42.32% | -3.25% | 16.74% | 23.39% | 29.99% | 45.35% | 1.68% | -29.69% | -16.14% | 35.28% | 20.8% | 39.91% | 47.36% | 45.26% |
| Operating Expenses | 1.9B | 1.93B | 2B | 2.11B | 2.12B | 1.95B | 1.67B | 1.96B | 1.82B | 1.65B | 1.61B | 1.53B | 1.43B | 1.33B | 1.31B | 1.24B | 1.08B | 1.04B | 1.5B | 1.5B | 1.24B | 991.82M | 825.41M | 717.63M | 715.82M | 828.81M | 921.06M | 667.5M | 526.2M | 375.5M | 258.4M |
| OpEx % of Revenue | - | 35.81% | 34.59% | 33.01% | 29.25% | 30.2% | 32.61% | 32.24% | 31.43% | 31.29% | 30.62% | 30.11% | 30.38% | 31.24% | 31.77% | 32.84% | 34% | 34.2% | 32.59% | 32.3% | 31.01% | 29.71% | 30.85% | 36.34% | 37.58% | 33.79% | 34.12% | 32.07% | 29.35% | 28.82% | 28.76% |
| Selling, General & Admin | 1.9B | 1.93B | 2B | 2.11B | 2.12B | 1.95B | 1.67B | 1.96B | 1.82B | 1.65B | 1.61B | 1.53B | 1.43B | 1.32B | 1.31B | 1.24B | 1.08B | 1.04B | 1.5B | 1.5B | 1.24B | 991.49M | 824.38M | 707.35M | 709.54M | 823.48M | 864.42M | 628.4M | 501.6M | 357.8M | 246.5M |
| SG&A % of Revenue | - | 35.81% | 34.59% | 32.97% | 29.25% | 30.2% | 32.61% | 32.24% | 31.4% | 31.26% | 30.59% | 30.1% | 30.37% | 31.2% | 31.76% | 32.84% | 33.98% | 34.15% | 32.54% | 32.24% | 30.99% | 29.7% | 30.81% | 35.82% | 37.25% | 33.57% | 32.02% | 30.19% | 27.98% | 27.46% | 27.43% |
| Research & Development | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| R&D % of Revenue | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Operating Expenses | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Operating Income | 71.91M | 76.46M | 241.47M | 464.59M | 976.75M | 742.5M | 346.57M | 566.83M | 587.22M | 515.72M | 553.22M | 580.48M | 496.63M | 396.58M | 343.05M | 249.26M | 114.59M | 65.32M | 414.12M | 477.28M | 449.45M | 381.23M | 230.9M | 9.11M | -1.09M | 187.76M | 291.19M | 228.6M | 210M | 150.5M | 99.2M |
| Operating Margin % | 1.36% | 1.42% | 4.17% | 7.27% | 13.49% | 11.49% | 6.78% | 9.33% | 10.12% | 9.79% | 10.54% | 11.39% | 10.58% | 9.34% | 8.34% | 6.6% | 3.61% | 2.15% | 9% | 10.27% | 11.2% | 11.42% | 8.63% | 0.46% | -0.06% | 7.66% | 10.79% | 10.98% | 11.71% | 11.55% | 11.04% |
| Operating Income Growth % | - | -68.34% | -48.02% | -52.44% | 31.55% | 114.24% | -38.86% | -3.47% | 13.86% | -6.78% | -4.7% | 16.89% | 25.23% | 15.6% | 37.62% | 117.53% | 75.43% | -84.23% | -13.23% | 6.19% | 17.9% | 65.11% | 2433.97% | 937.5% | -100.58% | -35.52% | 27.38% | 8.86% | 39.53% | 51.71% | 45.67% |
| EBITDA | 128.07M | 158.09M | 330.79M | 563.56M | 1.05B | 796.96M | 428.47M | 632.46M | 653.17M | 581.21M | 617.54M | 580.67M | 497.18M | 445.35M | 391.77M | 249.42M | 115M | 66.78M | 416.73M | 548.72M | 510.54M | 461.04M | 303.2M | 75.02M | 71.22M | 260.88M | 347.83M | 267.7M | 234.6M | 168.2M | 111.1M |
| EBITDA Margin % | 2.42% | 2.94% | 5.71% | 8.82% | 14.57% | 12.33% | 8.39% | 10.41% | 11.26% | 11.04% | 11.76% | 11.4% | 10.59% | 10.49% | 9.53% | 6.6% | 3.62% | 2.2% | 9.06% | 11.81% | 12.72% | 13.81% | 11.33% | 3.8% | 3.74% | 10.64% | 12.89% | 12.86% | 13.08% | 12.91% | 12.36% |
| EBITDA Growth % | -36.94% | -52.21% | -41.3% | -46.57% | 32.35% | 86% | -32.25% | -3.17% | 12.38% | -5.88% | 6.35% | 16.79% | 11.64% | 13.68% | 57.07% | 116.89% | 72.21% | -83.98% | -24.05% | 7.48% | 10.74% | 52.06% | 304.18% | 5.33% | -72.7% | -25% | 29.93% | 14.11% | 39.48% | 51.4% | 45.23% |
| D&A (Non-Cash Add-back) | 56.16M | 81.63M | 89.31M | 98.97M | 77.99M | 54.45M | 81.9M | 65.63M | 65.95M | 65.49M | 64.31M | 192K | 557K | 48.77M | 48.72M | 153K | 411K | 1.46M | 2.62M | 71.44M | 61.09M | 79.81M | 72.31M | 65.9M | 72.31M | 73.12M | 56.64M | 39.1M | 24.6M | 17.7M | 11.9M |
| EBIT | 90.91M | 194.35M | 357.67M | 576.58M | 975.09M | 742.5M | 345.35M | 565.47M | 598.71M | 515.72M | 553.22M | 580.48M | 496.63M | 397.58M | 343.05M | 249.26M | 114.59M | 70.11M | 424.62M | 494.5M | 449.45M | 381.23M | 235.87M | 9.11M | -1.09M | 187.76M | 291.19M | 228.6M | 215.6M | 154.7M | 101.4M |
| Net Interest Income | 10.36M | 11.8M | 22.12M | 23.97M | 8.01M | 197K | 1.34M | 5.13M | 4.38M | 1.8M | 888K | 550K | 724K | 1M | 1.2M | 951K | 579K | -1.44M | 5.16M | 13.1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Interest Income | 10.36M | 11.8M | 22.12M | 23.97M | 8.01M | 197K | 1.34M | 5.13M | 4.38M | 1.8M | 888K | 550K | 724K | 1M | 1.2M | 951K | 579K | 1.44M | 5.16M | 17.2M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Interest Expense | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 457K | 0 | 4.1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Income/Expense | 121.71M | 117.89M | 116.2M | 111.99M | -79.8M | 61.27M | 75.31M | 58.68M | 2.68M | 1.8M | 888K | 550K | 724K | 1M | -17.8M | 951K | 579K | -17K | 5.16M | 10.53M | 16.75M | 10.95M | 3.77M | -7.67M | -1.7M | 3.18M | 10.44M | 6.1M | 11.2M | 8.3M | 4.4M |
| Pretax Income | 193.62M | 194.35M | 357.67M | 576.58M | 896.96M | 803.78M | 421.88M | 625.51M | 591.6M | 517.52M | 554.11M | 581.03M | 497.35M | 397.58M | 344.25M | 250.22M | 115.17M | 66.76M | 419.28M | 490.4M | 466.2M | 392.17M | 234.66M | 11.71M | 3.5M | 196.28M | 301.63M | 234.7M | 221.2M | 158.8M | 103.6M |
| Pretax Margin % | 3.65% | 3.61% | 6.17% | 9.02% | 12.39% | 12.44% | 8.26% | 10.3% | 10.2% | 9.83% | 10.55% | 11.4% | 10.59% | 9.36% | 8.37% | 6.62% | 3.63% | 2.2% | 9.11% | 10.56% | 11.62% | 11.75% | 8.77% | 0.59% | 0.18% | 8% | 11.17% | 11.28% | 12.34% | 12.19% | 11.53% |
| Income Tax | 71.88M | 61.36M | 106.07M | 165.44M | 239.04M | 205.15M | 115.61M | 171.08M | 157.31M | 226.93M | 210.72M | 223.23M | 191.42M | 145.38M | 134.3M | 100.29M | 49.1M | 29.5M | 169.09M | 194.19M | 183.02M | 154.3M | 94.06M | 5.33M | 1.33M | 75.18M | 115.52M | 93.3M | 89.6M | 65.1M | 42.5M |
| Effective Tax Rate % | 37.13% | 31.57% | 29.66% | 28.69% | 26.65% | 25.52% | 27.4% | 27.35% | 26.59% | 43.85% | 38.03% | 38.42% | 38.49% | 36.57% | 39.01% | 40.08% | 42.63% | 44.19% | 40.33% | 39.6% | 39.26% | 39.35% | 40.08% | 45.45% | 38% | 38.3% | 38.3% | 39.75% | 40.51% | 40.99% | 41.02% |
| Net Income | 121.73M | 132.99M | 251.6M | 411.15M | 657.92M | 598.63M | 306.28M | 454.43M | 434.29M | 290.58M | 343.39M | 357.8M | 305.93M | 252.19M | 209.94M | 149.92M | 66.07M | 35.07M | 250.18M | 296.21M | 283.18M | 237.87M | 140.6M | 6.39M | 2.17M | 121.11M | 186.1M | 141.4M | 131.6M | 93.7M | 61.1M |
| Net Margin % | 2.3% | 2.47% | 4.34% | 6.43% | 9.09% | 9.26% | 5.99% | 7.48% | 7.49% | 5.52% | 6.54% | 7.02% | 6.52% | 5.94% | 5.11% | 3.97% | 2.08% | 1.15% | 5.44% | 6.38% | 7.06% | 7.13% | 5.25% | 0.32% | 0.11% | 4.94% | 6.89% | 6.79% | 7.34% | 7.19% | 6.8% |
| Net Income Growth % | -21.73% | -47.14% | -38.81% | -37.51% | 9.9% | 95.45% | -32.6% | 4.64% | 49.45% | -15.38% | -4.03% | 16.95% | 21.31% | 20.13% | 40.03% | 126.92% | 88.41% | -85.98% | -15.54% | 4.6% | 19.05% | 69.18% | 2100.38% | 194.74% | -98.21% | -34.92% | 31.61% | 7.45% | 40.45% | 53.36% | 51.61% |
| Net Income (Continuing) | 121.73M | 132.99M | 251.6M | 411.15M | 657.92M | 598.63M | 306.28M | 454.43M | 434.29M | 290.58M | 343.39M | 357.8M | 305.93M | 252.19M | 209.94M | 149.92M | 66.07M | 37.26M | 250.18M | 296.21M | 283.18M | 237.87M | 140.6M | 6.39M | 2.17M | 121.11M | 186.1M | 141.4M | 131.6M | 93.7M | 61.1M |
| Discontinued Operations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minority Interest | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EPS (Diluted) | 1.21 | 1.33 | 2.44 | 3.88 | 6.03 | 5.36 | 2.70 | 3.90 | 3.57 | 2.33 | 2.67 | 2.69 | 2.26 | 1.83 | 1.50 | 1.04 | 0.44 | 0.24 | 1.59 | 1.81 | 1.65 | 1.36 | 0.79 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.67 | 1.00 | 0.77 | 0.69 | 0.50 | 0.34 |
| EPS Growth % | -21.43% | -45.49% | -37.11% | -35.66% | 12.5% | 98.52% | -30.77% | 9.24% | 53.22% | -12.73% | -0.74% | 19.03% | 23.5% | 22% | 44.23% | 136.36% | 83.33% | -84.91% | -12.15% | 9.7% | 21.32% | 72.15% | 1875% | 300% | -98.51% | -33% | 29.87% | 11.59% | 38% | 47.06% | 47.83% |
| EPS (Basic) | - | 1.33 | 2.45 | 3.90 | 6.08 | 5.42 | 2.72 | 3.93 | 3.60 | 2.34 | 2.68 | 2.72 | 2.28 | 1.85 | 1.51 | 1.05 | 0.45 | 0.24 | 1.60 | 1.85 | 1.71 | 1.42 | 0.83 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.69 | 1.05 | 0.78 | 0.72 | 0.52 | 0.35 |
| Diluted Shares Outstanding | 100.94M | 100.31M | 103.03M | 106.07M | 109.17M | 111.72M | 113.32M | 116.41M | 121.6M | 124.89M | 128.77M | 132.93M | 135.54M | 137.59M | 139.41M | 141.79M | 144.03M | 146.61M | 152.53M | 163.48M | 171.71M | 174.38M | 176.87M | 173.18M | 177.79M | 180.76M | 186.1M | 183.64M | 190.72M | 187.4M | 179.71M |
| Basic Shares Outstanding | 99.96M | 100.12M | 102.66M | 105.53M | 108.21M | 110.48M | 112.73M | 115.66M | 120.51M | 124.15M | 127.99M | 131.75M | 134.36M | 136.15M | 138.2M | 140.48M | 142.83M | 145.91M | 151.61M | 159.77M | 166M | 167.66M | 169.74M | 168.72M | 172.48M | 175.52M | 177.24M | 181.28M | 182.78M | 180.19M | 174.57M |
| Dividend Payout Ratio | - | 179.13% | 87.6% | 50.08% | 28.77% | 28.5% | 50.91% | 32.05% | 31.41% | 41.64% | 33.25% | 30.06% | 31.9% | 35.36% | 40.07% | 53.56% | 115.93% | 205.75% | 27.42% | 22.12% | 19.21% | 20.09% | 22.12% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying RHI stock.
For fiscal year 2025, Robert Half Inc. (RHI) reported total revenue of $5.38B. This represents a 498.5% increase compared to $898.6M in 1996.
Robert Half Inc. (RHI) is profitable, generating $133.0M in net income for the fiscal year ending 2025 with a net profit margin of 2.5%.
Robert Half Inc. (RHI) reported an operating income of $76.5M, resulting in an operating profit margin of 1.4%. This margin reflects the operational efficiency of the business before interest and taxes.
Robert Half Inc. (RHI) generated $2.00B in gross profit for the year, representing a gross profit margin of 37.2%. This demonstrates the company's core pricing power and production efficiency.
Key Metrics
Top Statement Risk
Persistent revenue contraction and margin compression
Metrics are mathematically derived from official filings.
Revenue Contraction Persists Without Clear Trough
Based on the reported quarterly figures, RHI's revenue declined 7.2% year over year to roughly $5.38B on a trailing basis, indicating demand softness has not yet reversed across its staffing and consulting segments.
The reported quarterly series shows top-line growth remaining negative across the most recent periods, which suggests the white-collar hiring slowdown is broad rather than confined to one segment. Whether this represents a cyclical trough or a more durable step-down in permanent placement demand cannot be determined from the supplied data alone. Investors should monitor whether sequential revenue stabilization emerges before assuming a recovery in staffing volumes.
Gross Margin Holds While Operating Margin Collapses
As reported in the quarterly income statements, RHI's gross margin of roughly 35% to 39% has remained comparatively steady, while operating margin compressed to 1.4%, pointing to a cost base that has not scaled down with revenue.
The stability of gross margin suggests bill-rate spreads on temporary placements have been defended despite the volume decline. The sharp gap between gross and operating margin, however, implies that branch, sales, and consultant overhead is absorbing a disproportionate share of gross profit. This pattern appears consistent with fixed-cost deleverage and warrants closer scrutiny of utilization and headcount trends.
Negative Operating Leverage Erodes Profit Conversion
Based on the reported quarterly figures, SG&A in the most recent quarters has consumed most of gross profit, with operating income swinging between roughly negative $62M and positive $75M against a revenue base near $1.3B to $1.4B.
Operating income is not scaling with gross profit in either direction, which suggests overhead is effectively fixed relative to current volumes. This implies that modest revenue recovery could produce outsized operating improvement, but equally that further volume loss would deepen losses quickly. The data does not indicate whether management has initiated meaningful cost rationalization.
Thin Earnings Base Magnifies Quarterly Volatility
According to the reported figures, quarterly diluted EPS ranged from $0.14 to $0.66 over the period, with net margin falling to 1.1% in the latest quarter, making reported earnings highly sensitive to small operating swings.
Because net income sits on a narrow operating base, modest changes in non-operating items or tax rates can produce large swings in reported EPS. Stock-based compensation of roughly $10M to $22M per quarter is modest relative to net income but is non-trivial at current profit levels. The latest EPS outcome relative to estimates remains unconfirmed in the supplied data, so the earnings trajectory should be treated as provisional.
Bears Would Focus on Sustained Revenue Decline
Based on reported data, the strongest bear case is that revenue has contracted year over year across the window while operating margin fell to 1.4%, suggesting the cost base may need restructuring before profitability can recover.
A short-seller framing would argue that Protiviti's counter-cyclical positioning has not yet offset staffing weakness in the reported numbers, and that the valuation premium historically assigned to RHI is difficult to justify on current margins. The absence of confirmed forward guidance and an unresolved latest EPS outcome leave earnings visibility limited. These concerns are inferential from the supplied figures and would need validation against management's commentary and subsequent filings.