5 Stocks to Buy Amid Growing Strength in the Business Services Sector

Industry Overview - The U.S. Business Services Sector is supported by strong domestic economic fundamentals, encompassing companies that provide various services such as consulting, staffing, financial transactions, outsourcing, advertising, waste removal, building maintenance, technology services, and auction/valuation services [1] - The sector is mature with stable demand for services, and revenues, income, and cash flows are above pre-pandemic levels. It ranks in the top 25% of the Zacks Sector Rank, indicating expected outperformance over the next three to six months [2] Stock Recommendations - Five business services stocks with favorable Zacks Rank that have shown double-digit returns in the past three months are Duolingo Inc. (DUOL), Cintas Corp. (CTAS), Stantec Inc. (STN), Thomson Reuters Corp. (TRI), and FirstCash Holdings Inc. (FCFS). Each stock carries a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [3] Company Highlights Duolingo Inc. (DUOL) - Duolingo operates a mobile learning platform offering courses in 40 languages and provides a digital language proficiency assessment exam [6] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 33.4% and 55.3%, respectively, with a 10.2% improvement in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings over the last 60 days [7][9] Cintas Corp. (CTAS) - Cintas is benefiting from solid momentum across its segments, with product penetration into existing customers aiding its Uniform Rental and Facility Services segment [8] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 7% and 10.8%, respectively, with a 1.9% improvement in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings over the last 60 days [10] Stantec Inc. (STN) - Stantec provides professional consulting services in various fields including planning, engineering, architecture, and environmental sciences [11][12] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 11.1% and 19.5%, respectively, with a 3.2% improvement in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings over the last 30 days [13] Thomson Reuters Corp. (TRI) - Thomson Reuters operates as a content and technology company across multiple regions, providing value-added information and technology in law, tax, accounting, and other fields [14][15] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 3.2% and 4.2%, respectively, with a 1.3% improvement in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings over the last 60 days [15] FirstCash Holdings Inc. (FCFS) - FirstCash operates retail pawn stores in the U.S., Mexico, and Latin America, providing pawn loans and retail payment solutions [16][17] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are -0.2% and 17.3%, respectively, with a 2.7% improvement in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings over the last 60 days [18]