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Robert Half Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 July 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue down 2% reported, 3% adjusted: Global enterprise revenues were $1.336 billion, against $1.370 billion a year earlier. Management gave a reported decline of 2% and an adjusted decline of 3%. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS declined: Net income was $26 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, against $41 million, or $0.41, a year earlier. Six-month net income was $40 million, or $0.40 per share. Source
  • Reported operating loss this quarter: Operating loss was $62.3 million, against operating income of $1.5 million a year earlier. Selling, general and administrative expenses rose to $536.3 million from $507.9 million. Source
  • Talent solutions up sequentially for third quarter: Management said talent solutions grew sequentially on an adjusted basis for a third straight quarter. Adjusted talent solutions revenue was down 1.5% year over year, against down 6.6% in the first quarter. Source
  • Protiviti revenue down, adjusted 5.0%: Protiviti revenue was $471.0 million, against $495.2 million, down 4.9% reported and 5.0% adjusted. Adjusted growth was -3.8% in the first quarter. Source
  • Gross margin lower, reported and adjusted: Reported gross margin was 35.5%, against 37.2%. Adjusted gross margin was 37.2%, against 38.1%, with adjustments reclassifying deferred compensation investment results. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin 2.9%: Adjusted operating income was $38.6 million, or 2.9% of revenue, against $59.2 million, or 4.3%. The first-quarter adjusted margin was 2.2%. Source
  • Hiring demand described as improving: Management said hiring demand continues to improve and that market conditions are increasingly more supportive of the business. Source

“Hiring demand continues to improve, and market conditions are increasingly more supportive of our business.”

M. Keith Waddell, president and chief executive officer

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue down 2% reported, 3% adjusted: Global enterprise revenues were $1.336 billion, against $1.370 billion a year earlier. Management gave a reported decline of 2% and an adjusted decline of 3%. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS declined: Net income was $26 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, against $41 million, or $0.41, a year earlier. Six-month net income was $40 million, or $0.40 per share. Source
  • Reported operating loss this quarter: Operating loss was $62.3 million, against operating income of $1.5 million a year earlier. Selling, general and administrative expenses rose to $536.3 million from $507.9 million. Source
  • Talent solutions up sequentially for third quarter: Management said talent solutions grew sequentially on an adjusted basis for a third straight quarter. Adjusted talent solutions revenue was down 1.5% year over year, against down 6.6% in the first quarter. Source

Segments and regions

  • Contract talent revenue slightly lower: Contract talent solutions revenue was $747.4 million, against $759.8 million. Adjusted growth was -2.1%, against -6.8% in the first quarter. Source
  • Permanent placement adjusted growth 2.5%: Permanent placement talent solutions revenue was $118.0 million, against $114.7 million, up 2.9% reported. Management said adjusted growth was 2.5% year over year. Source
  • Protiviti revenue down, adjusted 5.0%: Protiviti revenue was $471.0 million, against $495.2 million, down 4.9% reported and 5.0% adjusted. Adjusted growth was -3.8% in the first quarter. Source
  • United States total down 2.9% reported: United States total revenue was down 2.9% reported and 2.5% adjusted in the second quarter. The first-quarter declines were 7.1% reported and 6.9% adjusted. Source
  • International total down 1.0% reported: International total revenue was down 1.0% reported and 3.8% adjusted, against 8.1% reported and 0.4% adjusted growth in the first quarter. Source

“Global enterprise revenues and earnings exceeded the midpoint of our second-quarter guidance.”

M. Keith Waddell, president and chief executive officer

Service lines and blended solutions

  • Finance and accounting slightly lower: Finance and accounting revenue was $551.7 million, against $555.6 million. Adjusted growth was -1.3%, against -6.3% in the first quarter. Source
  • Administrative and customer support lower: Administrative and customer support revenue was $154.9 million, against $165.6 million. Adjusted growth was -6.9%, against -11.8% in the first quarter. Source
  • Technology revenue higher: Technology revenue was $162.2 million, against $158.4 million. Adjusted growth was 2.3%, against -0.3% in the first quarter. Source
  • Intersegment revenue tied to Protiviti: Intersegment revenue from services to Protiviti under blended business solutions was $121.4 million, against $119.8 million, and is eliminated from total revenue. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin lower, reported and adjusted: Reported gross margin was 35.5%, against 37.2%. Adjusted gross margin was 37.2%, against 38.1%, with adjustments reclassifying deferred compensation investment results. Source
  • Protiviti gross margin fell sharply: Protiviti reported gross margin was 13.5%, against 19.7%. Adjusted Protiviti gross margin was 18.5%, against 22.3% a year earlier. Source
  • SG&A higher as share of revenue: Reported SG&A was 40.1% of revenue, against 37.1%. Adjusted SG&A was 34.3%, against 33.8%, after removing deferred compensation reclassifications with no effect on pre-tax income. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin 2.9%: Adjusted operating income was $38.6 million, or 2.9% of revenue, against $59.2 million, or 4.3%. The first-quarter adjusted margin was 2.2%. Source
  • Permanent placement margin higher on adjusted basis: Permanent placement adjusted operating margin was 9.2%, against 7.2% a year earlier. Reported margin was 1.5%, against 2.9%. Source

Demand and hiring conditions

  • Hiring demand described as improving: Management said hiring demand continues to improve and that market conditions are increasingly more supportive of the business. Source
  • First quarter called conditions conducive: The first-quarter release said management believed market conditions were becoming increasingly conducive to the business. The second-quarter release uses the wording more supportive.
  • First-quarter trends strengthened into April: The first-quarter release said revenue trends strengthened as that quarter progressed and into early April.

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • Cash balance lower year over year: Cash and cash equivalents were $324.7 million at June 30, 2026, against $380.5 million a year earlier and $278.4 million at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Capex lower, no repurchases this year: Six-month capital expenditures were $15.7 million, against $27.6 million. No open market repurchases were made in the six months of 2026, against 1,128 thousand shares in 2025. Source
  • Equity and current liabilities moved: Total stockholders’ equity was $1,207.7 million, against $1,311.9 million a year earlier. Total current liabilities were $1,456.1 million, against $1,322.6 million. Source

Strategy, investment and people

  • Capitalized cloud computing costs higher: Six-month capitalized cloud computing implementation costs were $16.2 million, against $13.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Management cites combined capabilities and expertise: Management said its combination of high-tech capabilities and high-touch expertise positions it to serve clients navigating a dynamic business environment. Source
  • Forbes ranks company No. 1 recruiter: The company said it earned the No. 1 ranking among Forbes’ America’s Best Professional Recruiting Firms. Source
  • Thanks to global workforce: Management thanked the global workforce for continued dedication to excellence. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management described the business environment as dynamic, and said the company helps clients navigate it. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said revenues and earnings exceeded the midpoint of its second-quarter guidance. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.