During the quarter, BBSI added approximately 8,300 WSEs year-over-year from net new clients , which management described as the result of its “sale and service” engine and other top-of-funnel initiatives. Still, reductions across “all geographies and nearly all industries” tempered growth, with California clients and construction having the most pronounced impact on gross billings.Kramer said the company produced record growth in its worksite employee (WSE) base, powered by sales execution and retention, bu ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the full year 2025, gross billings increased by 8.6% to $9 billion, compared to $8.3 billion in the prior year, while diluted earnings per share rose by 5% to $2.08 from $1.98 [15] - In Q4 2025, gross billings increased by 6.4% to $2.4 billion, compared to $2.25 billion in Q4 2024, and diluted earnings per share increased by 2% to $0.64 from $0.60 [15][16] - Average billing per worksite employee (WSE) per day increased by 1.5% in the quarter, driven by sustained wage growth [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The staffing business declined by 13% year-over-year in Q4 and 11% for the full year, reflecting client reluctance to place staffing orders amid macroeconomic uncertainty [8] - PEO gross billings increased by 6.6% in Q4 to $2.38 billion, while staffing revenues declined to $18 million [15][16] - PEO worksite employees grew by 5.1% in Q4, driven by record WSEs added from new clients, despite client workforce reductions [16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Southern and Northern California both grew by 5%, while the Mountain and East Coast regions grew by 10%. The Pacific Northwest declined by 4%, and asset-light markets grew by 95% [16] - Client net hiring has been below historical norms throughout 2025, with reductions across all geographies and nearly all industries, particularly in California and construction [7][16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on expanding its asset-light model and has successfully converted two emerging markets to traditional branches [4] - Continued investment in technology and product development, including enhancements to the myBBSI platform and new IT products, is a key part of the strategy [10][12] - The company aims to maintain controllable growth despite macroeconomic headwinds, with expectations for gross billings to increase between 3% and 5% in 2026 [23][24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management remains optimistic about future growth despite macroeconomic uncertainties, with a focus on client needs and retention [3][14] - The company anticipates that negative hiring trends will continue into 2026, but expects improvements as the year progresses [27] - Wage growth is expected to moderate, with clients facing challenges in finding skilled labor [29][30] Other Important Information - The company repurchased $17 million of shares in Q4 2025, with a total of $42 million repurchased throughout the year [23] - The company paid $8.2 million in dividends for the year, returning a total of $50 million to shareholders [23] - The balance sheet remains strong with $157 million of unrestricted cash and investments and no debt [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are you hearing from your clients in terms of being able to improve growth throughout 2026? - Management anticipates that negative hiring trends will continue into 2026, with a potential for improvement later in the year [26][27] Question: What are you hearing from clients regarding the ability to pay higher wages in 2026? - Wage growth is real and has moderated, with clients still facing challenges in finding skilled labor [29][30] Question: Is there any improvement in sight for 2026 on the payroll tax side? - Payroll tax rates are expected to see a modest increase, but mechanisms are in place to manage these costs [33] Question: Are you expecting margins to improve as the year progresses relative to the workers' compensation pricing environment? - Management is cautiously optimistic about margin improvements, particularly in California, where rates are expected to increase [34][35] Question: How does the new client pipeline of qualified leads look currently? - The pipeline remains strong, with good volume and consistency in client acquisition [43] Question: Is the hiring trend improving this year, and is it broad-based? - The deterioration in hiring trends has been broad across industries, with construction remaining particularly weak [45]

Barrett Business Services (NasdaqGS:BBSI) Q4 2025 Earnings call February 25, 2026 05:00 PM ET Company ParticipantsAnthony Harris - CFOGary Kramer - President and CEOConference Call ParticipantsChristopher Moore - Senior Research AnalystJeff Martin - Co-Director of Research and Senior Research AnalystMarc Riddick - Senior Research AnalystVincent Colicchio - Senior Investment AnalystOperatorGood afternoon, everyone, and thank you for participating in today's conference call to discuss BBSI's financial results ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the full year 2025, gross billings increased by 8.6% to $9 billion, compared to $8.3 billion in the prior year, while diluted earnings per share rose by 5% to $2.08 from $1.98 [13][14] - In Q4 2025, gross billings increased by 6.4% to $2.4 billion, compared to $2.25 billion in Q4 2024, with diluted earnings per share increasing by 2% to $0.64 from $0.60 [14][15] - Average billing per worksite employee (WSE) per day increased by 1.5% in the quarter, driven by sustained wage growth [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - PEO gross billings increased by 6.6% in Q4 to $2.38 billion, while staffing revenues declined by 13% to $18 million [14][15] - The staffing business declined by 13% year-over-year, reflecting client reluctance to place staffing orders amid macroeconomic uncertainty [7] - The company added approximately 8,300 WSEs year-over-year from net new clients, achieving a 5.1% increase in worksite employees for the quarter [6][15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Southern and Northern California both grew by 5%, while the Mountain and East Coast regions grew by 10%. The Pacific Northwest declined by 4%, and asset-light markets grew by 95% [15][16] - Client workforce reductions were noted across all geographies and nearly all industries, with the construction industry and California clients being most affected [6][15] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on expanding its asset-light model and has successfully converted two emerging markets to traditional branches [4] - Continued investment in technology and product development is a priority, with multiple product releases planned for 2026 [10][20] - The company aims to maintain controllable growth despite macroeconomic headwinds, with expectations for gross billings to increase between 3% and 5% in 2026 [21][22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management anticipates that client hiring will continue to grow at a rate below historical norms due to macroeconomic uncertainties [11][21] - The workers' compensation market is expected to experience a positive shift with recent premium rate increases, which may help improve margins [17][22] - The company remains cautious in its planning for margins in 2026, balancing top-line growth with margin protection [22] Other Important Information - The company repurchased $17 million of shares in Q4 2025, with a total of $42 million repurchased throughout the year [21] - The company paid $8.2 million in dividends for the year, returning a total of $50 million to shareholders [21] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are you hearing from your clients in terms of being able to improve growth throughout 2026? - Management noted that they anticipate a continuation of negative hiring trends into 2026, with a potential for improvement later in the year as macroeconomic conditions stabilize [24][25] Question: What are you hearing from clients regarding the ability to pay higher wages in 2026? - Wage growth is real and has moderated to a range of 2%-4%. Clients are still facing challenges in finding skilled labor [26] Question: Is there any improvement in sight for 2026 on the payroll tax side? - Management indicated that payroll tax rates are modestly higher but manageable through pricing mechanisms [31] Question: Are you expecting margins to improve as the workers' compensation pricing environment evolves? - Management expressed cautious optimism about margin improvement, particularly in California, where rates are expected to rise [32][33] Question: How does the new client pipeline of qualified leads look currently? - The pipeline remains strong, with good volume and consistency in client acquisition, particularly in the benefits sector [42][43] Question: What impact do you anticipate from artificial intelligence on the business? - Management believes AI will enhance internal efficiency but does not foresee it replacing the human element in complex business operations [51][55]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2024, gross billings increased by 10% to $2.25 billion compared to $2.05 billion in Q4 2023, while diluted earnings per share rose by 17% to $0.63 from $0.54 in the prior year quarter [30] - For the full year 2024, gross billings grew by 7.9% to $8.3 billion from $7.7 billion in the previous year, and diluted earnings per share increased by 7% to $1.98 from $1.85 [30] - Average billing per worksite employee (WSE) increased by 3.3% in Q4 [32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - PEO growth billings increased by 10% in Q4, while staffing revenues declined by 9% to $20 million [31] - PEO worksite employees grew by 5.2% in Q4, driven by a record number of WSEs added from new clients [31] - Staffing business declined by 9% year-over-year, but the rate of decline has slowed significantly compared to the previous year [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Year-over-year PEO gross billings growth by region for Q4: East Coast grew by 21%, Southern California by 11%, Mountain by 10%, Northern California by 5%, and Pacific Northwest declined by 4% [33] - The East Coast region has achieved 15 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth, while the Pacific Northwest is expected to return to growth in 2025 [34] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on expanding its asset-light model and has successfully entered new markets, with 21 new market development managers added [16] - Continued investment in technology and product development is a priority, with multiple product releases planned for 2025 [9][21] - The company aims to enhance its employee life cycle experience through new product launches and technology investments [22][26] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism for 2025, anticipating gross billings to increase between 7% and 9% and average WSEs to rise between 4% and 6% [43] - The company expects continued growth in net client adds and modest improvements in client hiring [44] - Management noted that wage inflation remains stable and is a baseline driver of growth [49] Other Important Information - The company achieved a Net Promoter Score increase of 5 points to 69, indicating strong client satisfaction [10] - The balance sheet remains strong with $122 million in unrestricted cash investments and no debt [40] - The company repurchased over 3% of its outstanding shares in 2024, totaling more than $29 million [42] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on client hiring and wage inflation - Management noted stability and recovery in hiring metrics, with consistent wage inflation being a driver of growth [49] Question: Average WSE growth and client contributions - The majority of WSE growth is expected to come from new clients and client retention [52] Question: Healthcare revenue mechanics - The company earns through reseller fees and administrative fees, with plans to disclose more detailed metrics in the future [60] Question: Technology investments and client attraction - Technology initiatives have been enhanced to support non-traditional clients and larger clients, with a focus on software to support business operations [67] Question: Workers' compensation pricing trends - Management indicated a deceleration in rate decreases for workers' compensation, with hopes for a market turnaround soon [80] Question: Impact of California wildfires - Minimal impact on employees and clients was reported, with potential future business opportunities arising from rebuilding efforts [84][87] Question: Competitive positioning in benefits - The company emphasizes its strong local teams and expanding product offerings as key differentiators in the market [96]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2024, gross billings increased by 10% to $2.25 billion compared to $2.05 billion in Q4 2023, while diluted earnings per share rose by 17% to $0.63 from $0.54 in the prior year quarter [30] - For the full year 2024, gross billings increased by 7.9% to $8.3 billion from $7.7 billion in the prior year, and diluted earnings per share increased by 7% to $1.98 from $1.85 [30] - Average billing per worksite employee (WSE) increased by 3.3% in Q4 [32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - PEO growth billings increased by 10% in Q4, while staffing revenues declined by 9% to $20 million [31] - PEO worksite employees grew by 5.2% in Q4, driven by a record number of WSEs added from new clients [31] - Staffing business declined by 9% year-over-year, but the rate of decline has slowed significantly compared to the previous year [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Year-over-year PEO gross billings growth by region for Q4: East Coast grew by 21%, Southern California by 11%, Mountain by 10%, Northern California by 5%, and Pacific Northwest declined by 4% [33] - The East Coast region has achieved 15 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth, while the Pacific Northwest region is expected to return to growth in 2025 [34] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on expanding its asset-light model and has entered new markets, with 21 new market development managers contributing to growth [16] - Continued investment in technology and product development is a priority, with new product launches planned for 2025 [21][26] - The company aims to enhance its value proposition through improved service offerings and technology integration [20][28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about continued hiring trends in 2025, despite client hiring remaining below historical averages [27] - The company anticipates gross billings growth of 7% to 9% and average WSE growth of 4% to 6% in 2025 [43] - Management noted that while there is pressure on workers' compensation pricing, favorable claim trends are expected to offset some of these pressures [36][45] Other Important Information - The company achieved a Net Promoter Score increase of 5 points to 69, indicating strong client satisfaction [10] - The balance sheet remains strong with $122 million in unrestricted cash investments and no debt [40] - The company repurchased over 3% of its shares outstanding in 2024, returning a total of $37 million to shareholders through dividends and stock buybacks [42] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on client hiring and wage inflation - Management noted stability and recovery in hiring metrics, with consistent wage inflation being a baseline driver of growth [49][50] Question: Average WSE growth and client contributions - The majority of WSE growth is expected to come from new clients [51][52] Question: Mechanics of healthcare revenue generation - The company earns through reseller fees and administrative fees, with plans to provide more detailed disclosures in the future [58][60] Question: Technology investments and client attraction - Technology initiatives have been enhanced to support non-traditional clients and larger clients, with a focus on improving the employee life cycle experience [67][70] Question: Workers' compensation pricing trends - Management indicated a deceleration in rate decreases for workers' compensation, with hopes for stabilization soon [80][81] Question: Impact of California wildfires - Minimal impact on employees and clients was reported, with potential future business opportunities arising from rebuilding efforts [84][86] Question: Industry verticals leading growth - The company experienced broad-based success across various industries, with notable contributions from market development managers [94]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2024, gross billings increased by 10% to $2.25 billion compared to $2.05 billion in Q4 2023, while diluted earnings per share rose by 17% to $0.63 from $0.54 in the prior year quarter [20] - For the full year 2024, gross billings grew by 7.9% to $8.3 billion from $7.7 billion in the previous year, and diluted earnings per share increased by 7% to $1.98 from $1.85 [21] - Average billing per worksite employee (WSE) increased by 3.3% in Q4 [22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - PEO (Professional Employer Organization) gross billings increased by 10% in Q4, while staffing revenues declined by 9% to $20 million [21] - PEO worksite employees grew by 5.2% in Q4, driven by a record number of new client additions [21][22] - Staffing business declined by 9% year-over-year, but the rate of decline has slowed significantly compared to the previous year [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q4 gross billings growth by region showed East Coast growth at 21%, Southern California at 11%, Mountain region at 10%, Northern California at 5%, and Pacific Northwest declining by 4% [22] - The Pacific Northwest region, while the smallest, is expected to return to growth in 2025 after stabilizing trends [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on an asset-light model and expanding into new geographies, with a record number of worksite employees added from new clients [5][6] - Continued investment in technology and product development, including the launch of new products like the BBSI Applicant Tracking System, is aimed at enhancing client support and operational efficiency [15][50] - The company aims to enhance its value proposition by integrating technology into its service offerings, particularly for white-collar clients [46][66] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about continued hiring trends in 2025, despite client growth remaining below historical averages [10][18] - The company anticipates gross billings and average WSEs to strengthen in 2025, with expected growth rates between 7% and 9% [29] - Management noted that while wage rates are increasing, they are seeing stability in client hiring metrics, which is a positive indicator for future growth [34][35] Other Important Information - The company achieved a Net Promoter Score increase of five points to 69, indicating strong client satisfaction [6][7] - The company has a strong balance sheet with $122 million in unrestricted cash and no debt, allowing for continued investments and shareholder returns [27][28] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are clients saying about growth in the current environment? - Management noted stability and recovery in metrics, with consistent wage inflation and improved hiring trends observed in Q3 and Q4 [34][35] Question: Is the majority of average WSE growth coming from new clients? - Yes, the majority of growth is attributed to controllable growth from new client additions and retention [36] Question: Can you discuss the mechanics of healthcare revenue? - The company earns through reseller fees and administrative fees, providing value through compliance and IT services [39][40] Question: Are there any signs of a turnaround in the workers' compensation pricing market? - Management indicated a deceleration in rate decreases but no clear bottom has been identified yet [56][57] Question: What is the exposure to businesses affected by California wildfires? - Minimal impact was reported on employees and branches, with expectations of future business opportunities arising from rebuilding efforts [58][60]