Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Key Takeaways Tutor Perini is among four stocks highlighted for rising cash flows and strong financial health.Estimates for National Energy Services' 2026 earnings rose 4.6% over 30 days to $1.82.Estimates for RCM Technologies' 2026 earnings climbed 13.3% over 30 days to $3.07 per share. If achieving profit is a company’s goal, then having a healthy cash flow is essential for its existence, development and success. Cash offers the company flexibility to make decisions, the means to make investments, the fuel to run its growth engine, and can, indeed, be called the lifeblood of any business.

In this regard, stocks like Tutor Perini Corporation (TPC - Free Report) , National Energy Services Reunited Corp. (NESR - Free Report) , Huron Consulting Group Inc. (HURN - Free Report) and RCM Technologies, Inc. (RCMT - Free Report) are worth buying.

Often, investors flock to companies with solid top-line growth and increasing profit numbers. However, even a profit-making company can have a dearth of cash flow and face bankruptcy while meeting its obligations.

To invest in the right stocks, one must go beyond profit numbers and look at a company’s efficiency in generating cash flows because cash not only guards it from market mayhem but also suggests that profits are being channeled in the right direction. Cash indicates a company’s true financial health. This holds more relevance in today’s world amid uncertainties in the global economy, market disruptions and dislocations, as well as liquidity concerns.

To figure out this efficiency, one needs to consider a company’s net cash flow. While in any business, cash moves in and out, it is net cash flow that explains how much money a company is actually generating.

If a company is experiencing a positive cash flow, it denotes an increase in its liquid assets, which gives it the means to meet debt obligations, shell out for expenses, reinvest in the business, endure downturns and finally return wealth to shareholders. On the other hand, a negative cash flow indicates a decline in the company’s liquidity, which, in turn, lowers its flexibility to support these moves.

However, having a positive cash flow merely does not secure a company’s future growth. To ride on the growth curve, a company must have its cash flow increasing because that indicates management’s efficiency in regulating its cash movements and less dependency on outside financing for running its business.

Keep yourself abreast with the following screen to bet on stocks with rising cash flows.

Screening Parameters:To find stocks that have seen increasing cash flow over time, we ran the screen for those whose cash flow in the latest reported quarter was at least equal to or greater than the five-year average cash flow per common share. This implies a positive trend and increasing cash over a period of time.

In addition to this, we chose:

Zacks Rank 1: No matter whether market conditions are good or bad, stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) have a proven history of outperformance. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Average Broker Rating 1: This indicates that brokers are also highly hopeful about the company’s future performance.

Current Price greater than or equal to $5: This sieves out low-priced stocks.

VGM Score of B or better: This score is also of great assistance in selecting stocks. Importantly, this scoring system helps in picking winning stocks in their industry categories.

Here are four out of the eight stocks that qualified the screening:

Tutor Perini provides diversified general contracting, construction management and design-build services to private clients and public agencies worldwide.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Tutor Perini’s 2026 revenues indicates an improvement of 14% from the prior-year reported numbers. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TPC’s 2026 earnings has been revised 5.8% upward over the past 30 days. TPC currently has a VGM Score of A.

National Energy Services is one of the largest national oilfield services providers in the MENA and Asia Pacific regions. NESR helps its customers unlock the full potential of their reservoirs by providing Production Services such as Cementing, Coiled Tubing, Filtration, Completions, Stimulation and Fracturing, and Nitrogen Services.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for National Energy Services’ 2026 earnings has improved 4.6% over the past 30 days to $1.82. NESR currently has a VGM Score of A.

Huron Consulting provides financial and operational consulting services. The company's experienced and credentialed professionals employ their expertise in accounting, finance, economics and operations to a wide variety of both financially sound and distressed organizations.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Huron Consulting’s 2026 earnings has moved upward by 2% to $9.18 per share over the past 30 days. HURN has a VGM Score of B.

RCM Technologies is a national provider of business, technology and resource solutions in information technology and professional engineering to customers in corporate and government sectors.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RCM Technologies’ 2026 earnings has moved northward by 13.3% to $3.07 per share over the past 30 days. RCMT has a VGM Score of A.

HURN's integrated consulting, Digital, and Managed Services platform supports deeper client relationships and broader cross-selling opportunities. Healthcare and Education are its core revenue base, while Commercial and recent acquisitions have the most growth potential. I also think AI should ultimately help strengthen HURN's offerings, although long-term disruption remains a tail risk worth monitoring.

Bank of America Corp DE grew its position in Huron Consulting Group Inc. (NASDAQ: HURN) by 6.6% during the undefined quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 267,172 shares of the business services provider's stock after acquiring an additional

Key Takeaways HURN, EDRY, ENVA and QUAD demonstrate solid net profit margins, reflecting operational strength.All stocks have witnessed upward EPS estimate revisions recently, highlighting confidence in their outlooks.All picks hold high Zacks Ranks and strong VGM Scores, supporting their upside potential. Investors focus on businesses that consistently generate profits. The net profit margin is key to assessing profitability. A higher net margin indicates a company's efficiency in converting sales into actual profits, providing insights into its operational effectiveness and the challenges it faces. Companies like Huron Consulting Group Inc. (HURN - Free Report) , EuroDry Ltd. (EDRY - Free Report) , Enova International, Inc. (ENVA - Free Report) and Quad/Graphics, Inc. (QUAD - Free Report) exhibit strong net profit margins.

Net Profit Margin = Net Profit / Sales * 100

Net profit represents the amount a company retains after all costs, interest, depreciation, taxes and other expenses are deducted. The net profit margin can be a valuable indicator of a company's operational strength and cost management. Higher net profits are crucial for rewarding stakeholders and attracting skilled employees, ultimately enhancing business value. A higher net profit margin compared to competitors provides a competitive edge.

Pros and Cons of Net Profit MarginNet profit margin offers investors clarity on a company’s business model, including its pricing policy, cost structure and manufacturing efficiency. A strong net profit margin is preferred by all types of investors. However, this metric has its limitations. It varies significantly across industries, and while net income is crucial in traditional sectors, it is less relevant for technology companies. Differences in accounting treatments, particularly for non-cash expenses like depreciation and stock-based compensation, can complicate comparisons.

Moreover, companies that grow through debt rather than equity funding incur higher interest expenses, which can negatively impact net profit. In such cases, the net profit margin becomes less effective for evaluating performance. Despite these challenges, net profit margin remains a fundamental measure for understanding a company's profitability and operational efficiency.

The Winning StrategyA healthy net profit margin and solid EPS growth are the two most sought-after elements in a business model.

Apart from these, we have added a few criteria to ensure maximum returns from this strategy.

Screening Parameters

Net Margin 12 months – Most Recent (%) greater than equal to 0: High net profit margin indicates solid profitability.

Percentage Change in EPS F(0)/(F-1) greater than equal to 0: It indicates earnings growth.

Average Broker Rating (1-5) equal to 1: A rating of #1 indicates brokers’ extreme bullishness on the stock.

Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: Stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) generally perform better than their peers in all types of market environments. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

VGM Score of A or B: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2, offer the best upside potential.

Here we discuss our four picks from the 14 stocks that qualified the screen:

Huron Consulting provides financial and operational consulting services. The company's experienced and credentialed professionals employ their expertise in accounting, finance, economics and operations to a wide variety of both financially sound and distressed organizations. The stock sports a Zacks Rank #1 and has a VGM Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Huron Consulting’s 2026 earnings has moved upward by 5.4% to $9.18 per share over the past 30 days. HURN outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 12.44%.

EuroDry is an owner and operator of drybulk vessels and provider of seaborne transportation for drybulk cargoes. The stock sports a Zacks Rank #1 and has a VGM Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EuroDry’s 2026 earnings has moved upward by 35.1% to $5.77 per share over the past seven days. EDRY outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings twice in the trailing four quarters while missing the same on two occasions, the average surprise being -5.59%.

Enova International is a prominent financial technology company that provides online financial services to non-prime consumers and small businesses. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present and has a VGM Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Enova International’s 2026 earnings has been revised upward by 5.7% to $17.36 per share in the past 30 days. ENVA surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 8.01%.

Quad/Graphics provides marketing solutions. The company offers a comprehensive range of marketing and print services, which seamlessly integrate creative, production and media solutions across online and offline channels. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a VGM Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Quad/Graphics’ 2026 earnings has moved upward by 7 cents to $1.27 per share over the past 30 days. QUAD outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate thrice in the trailing four quarters while matching the same on one occasion, with the average surprise being 12.1%.

Key Takeaways ENVA, IVZ, PBF, HURN and CAKE passed a screen targeting sustained relative price strength.The stocks beat the S&P 500 over 12 weeks, four weeks and one week, with rising Q1 estimates.One-year gains range from 17.3% for HURN to 187.1% for PBF, highlighting strong momentum. The U.S. stock market enters August on a positive note despite a mix of economic and geopolitical challenges. Investors drew confidence from stronger-than-expected manufacturing data, with the ISM index rising to its highest level since 2022, reinforcing expectations that business activity remains resilient. The earnings season has also delivered encouraging results so far, providing another source of support for equities.

Markets continue to watch inflation, interest rates and developments in the Middle East. The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, while a softer Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) reading helped ease inflation concerns. Meanwhile, hopes for easing tensions between the United States and Iran, including progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz, have improved sentiment by raising expectations of lower oil prices and reduced inflation pressures.

In this environment, focusing on stocks showing strong relative price strength appears to be a sensible strategy. Companies consistently outperforming the broader market often reflect solid fundamentals and sustained investor confidence, making them well positioned if the market's upward trend continues.

At this stage, investors would be wise to consider companies such as Enova International (ENVA - Free Report) , Invesco Ltd. (IVZ - Free Report) , PBF Energy (PBF - Free Report) , Huron Consulting Group Inc. (HURN - Free Report) and The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (CAKE - Free Report) .

Relative Price Strength StrategyInvestors generally gauge a stock’s potential returns by examining earnings growth and valuation multiples. At the same time, it’s essential to measure the performance of such a stock relative to its industry, peers, or an appropriate benchmark.

If you see that a stock is underperforming on fundamental factors, it would be prudent to move on and find a better alternative. However, those outperforming their respective sectors in terms of price should be selected because they stand a better chance of providing considerable returns.

Then again, it is imperative that you determine whether or not an investment has relevant upside potential when considering stocks with significant relative price strength. Stocks delivering better than the S&P 500 for 1 to 3 months, at least, and having solid fundamentals, indicate room for growth and the best way to go about this strategy.

Finally, it is crucial to find out whether analysts are optimistic about the upcoming earnings of these companies. In order to do this, we have added positive estimate revisions for the current quarter’s (Q1) earnings to our screen. When a stock undergoes an upward revision, it leads to additional price gains.

Screening ParametersRelative % Price change – 12 weeks greater than 0

Relative % Price change – 4 weeks greater than 0

Relative % Price change – 1 week greater than 0

(We have considered those stocks that have been outperforming the S&P 500 over the last 12 weeks, four weeks and one week.)

% Change (Q1) Est. over 4 Weeks greater than 0: Positive current-quarter estimate revisions over the last four weeks.

Zacks Rank equal to 1: Only Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks — that have returned more than 26% annually over the last 26 years and surpassed the S&P 500 in 23 of the last 26 years — can get through. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Current Price greater than or equal to $5 and Average 20-day Volume greater than or equal to 50,000: A minimum price of $5 is a good standard to screen low-priced stocks, while a high trading volume would imply adequate liquidity.

VGM Score less than or equal to B: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 (Buy), offer the best upside potential.

Here are five of the 15 stocks that made it through the screen:

Enova International: It is a digital financial services company providing online loans and credit solutions to non-prime consumers and small and medium businesses. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Enova’s 2026 earnings indicates 34% growth. ENVA has a VGM Score of A.

Enova Hunt beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 8%, on average. ENVA shares have surged 148.8% in a year.

Invesco: Founded in 1935, Invesco is an independent investment manager serving clients in more than 120 countries with $2.5 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings of Invesco indicates 38.4% growth. IVZ has a VGM Score of A.

Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Invesco’s 2026 earnings has moved up 8.9%. The company has a market capitalization of more than $13 billion. IVZ shares have gone up 46% in a year.

PBF Energy: PBF Energy is a leading independent refiner of crude oil based in Parsippany, NJ. The company’s expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is currently 56%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 30.5%. PBF Energy has a VGM Score of A.

Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for PBF Energy’s 2026 earnings has moved up 56.5%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings indicates 364.9% growth. PBF shares have gained 187.1% in a year.

Huron Consulting Group: It is a global professional services firm helping public and private organizations solve complex challenges, improve performance, accelerate transformation and turn strategy, technology and analytics into lasting value. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Huron’s 2026 earnings indicates 14.9% growth. HURN has a VGM Score of A.

Huron beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 12.4%, on average. HURN shares have gained 17.3% in a year.

The Cheesecake Factory: The company operates a diverse restaurant portfolio across the United States and Canada, led by its namesake brand, North Italia, Flower Child and Fox Restaurant Concepts. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings of Cheesecake Factory indicates 17.5% growth. CAKE has a VGM Score of B.

Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cheesecake Factory’s 2026 earnings has moved up 10.5%. The company has a market capitalization of around $5 billion. CAKE shares have gone up 70.2% in a year.

Investors seek growth stocks to capitalize on above-average growth in financials that help these securities grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. However, it isn't easy to find a great growth stock.

By their very nature, these stocks carry above-average risk and volatility. Moreover, if a company's growth story is over or nearing its end, betting on it could lead to significant loss.

However, the task of finding cutting-edge growth stocks is made easy with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.

Huron Consulting (HURN - Free Report) is on the list of such stocks currently recommended by our proprietary system. In addition to a favorable Growth Score, it carries a top Zacks Rank.

Studies have shown that stocks with the best growth features consistently outperform the market. And returns are even better for stocks that possess the combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).

Here are three of the most important factors that make the stock of this consulting company a great growth pick right now.

Earnings GrowthEarnings growth is arguably the most important factor, as stocks exhibiting exceptionally surging profit levels tend to attract the attention of most investors. And for growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is definitely preferable, and often an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.

While the historical EPS growth rate for Huron Consulting is 32.3%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 14.9% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 7.8%.

Impressive Asset Utilization RatioGrowth investors often overlook asset utilization ratio, also known as sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio, but it is an important feature of a real growth stock. This metric shows how efficiently a firm is utilizing its assets to generate sales.

Right now, Huron Consulting has an S/TA ratio of 1.15, which means that the company gets $1.15 in sales for each dollar in assets. Comparing this to the industry average of 1.12, it can be said that the company is more efficient.

In addition to efficiency in generating sales, sales growth plays an important role. And Huron Consulting looks attractive from a sales growth perspective as well. The company's sales are expected to grow 11.4% this year versus the industry average of 4.5%.

Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsBeyond the metrics outlined above, investors should consider the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is a plus here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

The current-year earnings estimates for Huron Consulting have been revising upward. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 6% over the past month.

Bottom LineWhile the overall earnings estimate revisions have made Huron Consulting a Zacks Rank #1 stock, it has earned itself a Growth Score of A based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above.

You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

This combination indicates that Huron Consulting is a potential outperformer and a solid choice for growth investors.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 30th, 2026

Huron Consulting Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HURN – Get Free Report) gapped up before the market opened on Wednesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The stock had previously closed at $121.37, but opened at $134.09. Huron Consulting Group shares last traded at $153.93, with a volume of 122,594 shares changing hands.

The business services provider reported $2.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.17 by $0.29. The business had revenue of $475.04 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $448.98 million. Huron Consulting Group had a net margin of 6.38% and a return on equity of 30.79%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 15.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.89 EPS. Huron Consulting Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.000-9.400 EPS.

Huron Consulting Group News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Huron Consulting Group this week:

Positive Sentiment: Q2 results exceeded expectations: Huron reported adjusted earnings of $2.46 per share, versus the $2.13-$2.17 analyst estimates, while revenue reached $475.0 million compared with consensus of approximately $449.0 million. EPS increased from $1.89 a year earlier, and revenue rose 15.7% year over year. Huron Consulting Group Q2 earnings report Positive Sentiment: Record growth across the business: Second-quarter revenue before reimbursable expenses increased 16% year over year, with record performance in Consulting, Managed Services and Digital capabilities. Management attributed the results to strong organic growth across all three segments. Huron announces record second-quarter results Positive Sentiment: Full-year guidance was raised above Wall Street expectations: Huron forecast 2026 EPS of $9.00-$9.40, compared with consensus of $8.81-$8.71, and projected revenue of roughly $1.9 billion versus an estimate near $1.8 billion. The upgraded outlook reinforces expectations for continued earnings momentum. Huron Q2 results and outlook Neutral Sentiment: Huron appointed Dr. L. Thomas Richards to its board and to the governance, finance and cybersecurity committees. The appointment broadens board oversight but was not presented as a direct earnings catalyst. Huron appoints Dr. L. Thomas Richards to its board Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have recently commented on HURN shares. Weiss Ratings cut Huron Consulting Group from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. Wedbush reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $160.00 price objective on shares of Huron Consulting Group in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on Huron Consulting Group to $155.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, June 9th. Barrington Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Huron Consulting Group in a report on Wednesday, June 17th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Huron Consulting Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, July 12th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Huron Consulting Group presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $184.25.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Huron Consulting Group

Insiders Place Their Bets In other Huron Consulting Group news, Director Joy Brown sold 1,821 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.01, for a total value of $191,223.21. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 8,575 shares in the company, valued at approximately $900,460.75. This represents a 17.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Debra Zumwalt sold 598 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.44, for a total transaction of $70,827.12. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 27,201 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,221,686.44. The trade was a 2.15% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 2,862 shares of company stock valued at $314,519 in the last ninety days. 2.07% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Maseco LLP acquired a new position in Huron Consulting Group during the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Strs Ohio bought a new stake in shares of Huron Consulting Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $35,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Huron Consulting Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $39,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Huron Consulting Group in the third quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its position in shares of Huron Consulting Group by 11,900.0% during the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 240 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 238 shares during the last quarter. 93.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Huron Consulting Group Stock Up 39.6% The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $106.50 and a 200-day moving average price of $127.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.10, a current ratio of 2.22 and a quick ratio of 2.22. The company has a market capitalization of $2.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.37 and a beta of 0.12.

Huron Consulting Group Company Profile (Get Free Report)

Huron Consulting Group (NASDAQ:HURN) is a global professional services firm that advises organizations across a range of industries on strategy, operations and technology. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Chicago, the company helps clients address complex business challenges such as performance improvement, digital transformation and organizational change. Huron’s consultants work alongside executive leadership teams to develop and implement tailored solutions that drive growth, increase efficiency and manage risk.

Huron’s service offerings encompass business and financial advisory, healthcare performance improvement, life sciences consulting, higher education and research lifecycle support, as well as legal and regulatory consulting.

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Huron Consulting (HURN - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.46 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.13 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.89 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +15.49%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this consulting company would post earnings of $1.58 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.73, delivering a surprise of +9.49%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.

Huron Consulting, which belongs to the Zacks Consulting Services industry, posted revenues of $465.64 million for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.11%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $402.51 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Huron Consulting shares have lost about 32.6% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.3%.

What's Next for Huron Consulting?While Huron Consulting has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Huron Consulting was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $2.37 on $467 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $8.71 on $1.82 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Consulting Services is currently in the bottom 31% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Another stock from the same industry, CRA International (CRAI - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 6.

This consulting firm is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.12 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +12.8%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

CRA International's revenues are expected to be $198.35 million, up 6.1% from the year-ago quarter.

Huron Consulting Group NASDAQ: HURN reported record revenue before reimbursable expenses, or RBR, for the second quarter of 2026, supported by double-digit organic growth, demand across its three operating segments and contributions from acquisitions.

Second-quarter RBR rose 15.7% year over year to $465.6 million, including 10.8% organic growth, Chief Financial Officer John Kelly said on the company’s earnings call. Net income increased to $31.2 million, or $1.91 per diluted share, from $19.4 million, or $1.09 per diluted share, a year earlier.

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Adjusted EBITDA climbed to $72.6 million from $60.6 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin expanded to 15.6% of RBR from 15.1%. Adjusted net income totaled $40.2 million, or $2.46 per diluted share, compared with $33.7 million, or $1.89 per diluted share, in the prior-year quarter.

Higher Full-Year Outlook CEO Mark Hussey said the company’s first-half performance, bookings growth, backlog and pipeline supported an increase in full-year guidance. Huron raised and narrowed its 2026 RBR outlook to $1.85 billion to $1.89 billion, representing 12% growth at the midpoint compared with 2025.

The company maintained its adjusted EBITDA margin outlook of 14.5% to 15% of RBR and increased its adjusted non-GAAP earnings-per-share guidance to $9 to $9.40. The midpoint of the EPS outlook would represent a 17% increase from 2025, Hussey said.

Huron expects its June acquisition of RelateCare, a provider of AI-enabled clinical and patient-access managed services, to contribute about $30 million in RBR during 2026 and approximately $0.10 in adjusted EPS. RelateCare’s results were included in the healthcare segment beginning with the partial second quarter following the June 3 closing, Kelly said.

Segment Results Led by Healthcare and Commercial Healthcare, which accounted for 50% of second-quarter RBR, generated a record $232.3 million in RBR, up 17.4% from a year earlier. The figure included $10.1 million of incremental RBR from RelateCare, Eclipse Insights and AXIOM Systems. Excluding acquisitions, healthcare grew 12% organically, Hussey said.

Healthcare operating income margin was 30.1%, essentially unchanged from the prior-year quarter. Hussey cited demand for managed services, performance improvement, strategy, financial advisory and digital offerings. Healthcare managed services grew 64% year over year, including 43% organic growth, according to the company.

The education segment reported RBR of $139.4 million, up 7.8%, driven primarily by digital and managed-services demand. Its operating income margin rose to 26.8% from 25%, as revenue growth outpaced related professional compensation costs and project costs declined, partly offset by higher performance-bonus expense.

Commercial RBR increased 24.6% to $94 million, including $9.2 million from the Treliant and Wilson Perumal acquisitions. Organic commercial growth was 12.2%, driven by demand for financial advisory and strategy services. Commercial operating income margin increased to 21% from 16.6%.

For the full year, Huron now expects healthcare RBR growth in the mid-teens and education growth in the mid- to upper-single-digit percentage range. It retained its expectation for low-teens commercial RBR growth. Kelly said commercial growth in the second half will face pressure from annualizing acquisitions made in late 2025 and the expected wind-down of several distressed financial-advisory projects.

AI Bookings and Digital Demand Hussey said artificial intelligence is becoming a larger contributor to the company’s digital-services opportunity. Total bookings for Huron’s digital capability increased more than 20% in the first half of 2026 from a year earlier, with more than 60% of bookings involving direct AI work or delivery substantially enabled by Huron’s AI tools. Comparable projects represented about 35% of total bookings in the first half of 2025.

Digital RBR rose 9% year over year and sequentially in the second quarter, reaching a record level. Kelly said the company expects double-digit digital growth in the second half, led in part by healthcare clients investing in data foundations, digital platforms, automation and AI projects.

Hussey said Huron is using AI in its own delivery processes as well as in client engagements. In healthcare, its clinical intelligent automation offering is intended to shorten the time required to identify clinical performance-improvement opportunities from days or weeks to hours. The company also cited internal uses in contracting, billing and collections, and sales research.

During the question-and-answer session, Hussey said AI opportunities are not entirely incremental because clients may shift technology spending among priorities. However, he said Huron has not experienced material AI-related price compression and remains bullish on the technology’s longer-term potential.

Cash Flow, Buybacks and Hiring Cash flow from operations increased to $120.5 million in the second quarter from $80.1 million a year earlier. After $9.1 million in capital expenditures, free cash flow was $111.3 million. Huron maintained its full-year free-cash-flow forecast of $180 million to $220 million, excluding non-cash stock compensation.

The company spent $53.1 million during the quarter to repurchase about 438,000 shares. Year-to-date repurchases totaled $208.6 million, or approximately 1.6 million shares, representing 9% of shares outstanding at the start of the year.

Huron ended the quarter with $834 million of debt and $31.2 million of cash, resulting in net debt of $802.8 million. Its leverage ratio declined to 2.8 times adjusted EBITDA at June 30 from 3.1 times at March 31. Kelly said the company remains committed to reducing leverage to between two and 2.5 times by year-end.

Management also said it plans to continue hiring in areas with elevated utilization. Kelly said consulting headcount growth for the full year could land in the upper-single-digit percentage range, below the company’s expected revenue growth rate.

About Huron Consulting Group (NASDAQ:HURN)Huron Consulting Group NASDAQ: HURN is a global professional services firm that advises organizations across a range of industries on strategy, operations and technology. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Chicago, the company helps clients address complex business challenges such as performance improvement, digital transformation and organizational change. Huron's consultants work alongside executive leadership teams to develop and implement tailored solutions that drive growth, increase efficiency and manage risk.

Huron's service offerings encompass business and financial advisory, healthcare performance improvement, life sciences consulting, higher education and research lifecycle support, as well as legal and regulatory consulting.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global professional services firm Huron (NASDAQ: HURN) today announced Dr. L. Thomas Richards was elected to its Board of Directors, effective July 23, 2026. Dr. Richards is an experienced executive, senior advisor and board leader with deep expertise across life sciences and healthcare, capital markets, and corporate governance. He has a proven track record of helping organizations drive growth, unlock innovation, and accelerate value creation. “We are pleased to welc.

On June 30, 2026, Huron Consulting Group Inc (HURN) shares fell 5.6% to a current price of $90.16. This decline is part of a broader trend, as the shares have l

Huron Consulting (HURN) witnessed a jump in share price last session on above-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions for the stock doesn't suggest further strength down the road.

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global professional services firm Huron (NASDAQ: HURN), today announced Shoshana Vernick was elected to its Board of Directors, effective June 19, 2026. Ms. Vernick is an accomplished leader with deep expertise in the education industry and a demonstrated track record of advancing innovation, technology-enabled growth and long-term organizational value.

“We are pleased to welcome Shoshana to the Huron Board of Directors,” said Hugh Sawyer, non-executive chairman of the Huron board. “Shoshana has led organizations through periods of significant growth and transformation and is widely respected in the investment community. Her industry knowledge, financial acumen, and perspective on strategy, organizational effectiveness, capital markets, and governance will be a valuable addition to our board as we continue to advance our growth strategy and create long-term shareholder value.”

Ms. Vernick is co-founder and managing partner of Avathon Capital, a private equity firm focused on investments across the education and knowledge services sector, where she has overseen 16 platform investments since founding the firm in 2016. In her role, she drives the firm’s value creation strategy with a focus on organic and inorganic growth, advanced technology, and organizational design. Previously, she served as Managing Director at Sterling Partners, investing across education, healthcare, and business services.

Ms. Vernick also served as an independent trustee of Flowstone Opportunity Fund and was a member of its audit committee. She also serves as a board member for the Avathon Capital portfolio companies Academic Programs International, ReUp Education, Shorelight, Edvance, Summit Professional Education and OculusIT. Ms. Vernick is Vice Chair of the Illinois Venture Capital Association (IVCA), a founding Board member of the IVCA Foundation and serves on the Steering Committee of the KPMG & University of Chicago Economic Forum.

“I am excited to join Huron’s board of directors at such an exciting time in the company's growth trajectory,” said Shoshana Vernick. "Huron has a strong track record of helping clients across industries navigate a multitude of complex challenges, and I look forward to contributing to the board's work as the company continues to execute its strategy.”

The appointment of Ms. Vernick to Huron’s board advances Huron’s commitment to its periodic board refreshment process and brings the size of the board to nine members. Her skillsets and experience further strengthen the board’s collective expertise as Huron continues to execute its long-term growth strategy.

ABOUT HURON

Huron is a global professional services firm that collaborates with organizations to help solve their most complex challenges and achieve their most ambitious goals. Working across the private and public sectors, we partner closely with clients to improve performance, accelerate transformation, and unlock new opportunities for growth.

Our clients choose us because of our deep industry and technical expertise and proven track record of turning sound strategies into action. By combining practical experience, innovative thinking, and advanced analytics and technology, Huron helps organizations translate today’s ideas into tangible results and long-term value. Learn more at www.huronconsultinggroup.com.

Statements in this press release that are not historical in nature, including those concerning the company’s current expectations about its future results, are “forward-looking” statements as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “provides,” “anticipates,” “assumes,” “can,” “will,” “meets,” “could,” “likely,” “intends,” “might,” “predicts,” “seeks,” “would,” “believes,” “estimates,” “plans,” “positions,” “continues,” “goals,” “guidance,” or “outlook,” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect the company's current expectations about future requirements and needs, results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein include, without limitation: failure to achieve expected utilization rates, billing rates, and the necessary number of revenue-generating professionals; our ability to realize the expected benefits and potential opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI); inability to expand or adjust our service offerings in response to market demands; our dependence on renewal of client-based services; dependence on new business and retention of current clients and qualified personnel; failure to maintain third-party provider relationships and strategic alliances; inability to license technology to and from third parties; the impairment of goodwill; various factors related to income and other taxes; difficulties in successfully integrating the businesses we acquire and achieving expected benefits from such acquisitions; risks relating to privacy, information security, and related laws and standards; and a general downturn or volatility in market conditions, including as a result of current global trade tensions and/or tariffs. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including, among others, those described under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in Huron's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events, or for any other reason.

We see a credible path to low-to-mid teens earnings per share growth on an annualized basis. Huron views AI as a revenue opportunity while simultaneously leveraging the technology internally to reduce its own costs. Booking has tremendous scale and an asset-light business model, generating very high returns on capital and free cash flow.

Huron Consulting (HURN - Free Report) closed the last trading session at $128.57, gaining 1.3% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $205.5 indicates a 59.8% upside potential.

The mean estimate comprises four short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $33.43. While the lowest estimate of $160.00 indicates a 24.5% increase from the current price level, the most optimistic analyst expects the stock to surge 86.7% to reach $240.00. It's very important to note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.

While the consensus price target is a much-coveted metric for investors, solely banking on this metric to make an investment decision may not be wise at all. That's because the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable.

But, for HURN, an impressive average price target is not the only indicator of a potential upside. Strong agreement among analysts about the company's ability to report better earnings than they predicted earlier strengthens this view. While a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't gauge how much a stock could gain, it has proven to be powerful in predicting an upside.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Here's What You May Not Know About Analysts' Price TargetsAccording to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.

While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?

They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.

However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.

That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.

Here's Why There Could be Plenty of Upside Left in HURNAnalysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. That's because empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current year, one estimate has moved higher over the last 30 days compared to no negative revision. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased 0.2%.

Moreover, HURN currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much HURN could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.

If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider Huron Consulting (HURN - Free Report) . This company, which is in the Zacks Consulting Services industry, shows potential for another earnings beat.

This consulting company has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 12.38%.

For the most recent quarter, Huron Consulting was expected to post earnings of $1.94 per share, but it reported $2.17 per share instead, representing a surprise of 11.86%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.86 per share, while it actually produced $2.1 per share, a surprise of 12.90%.

Price and EPS Surprise

With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Huron Consulting. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank.

Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Huron Consulting currently has an Earnings ESP of +5.28%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner.

With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss.

Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.

Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 27th, 2026

Huron Consulting Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HURN – Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the five research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $205.50.

A number of research firms have weighed in on HURN. Wall Street Zen lowered Huron Consulting Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday. Barrington Research boosted their price objective on Huron Consulting Group from $190.00 to $207.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Wedbush began coverage on Huron Consulting Group in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $160.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Huron Consulting Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Friday.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Huron Consulting Group

Insiders Place Their Bets In other Huron Consulting Group news, Director John Mccartney sold 500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.68, for a total transaction of $63,840.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 40,817 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,211,514.56. The trade was a 1.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 1,296 shares of company stock worth $185,796 over the last quarter. Insiders own 2.07% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Huron Consulting Group Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Keybank National Association OH lifted its stake in shares of Huron Consulting Group by 5.6% in the 1st quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 3,789 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $483,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Huron Consulting Group in the 1st quarter valued at $159,000. OLD National Bancorp IN lifted its stake in shares of Huron Consulting Group by 9.8% in the 1st quarter. OLD National Bancorp IN now owns 1,585 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $202,000 after purchasing an additional 142 shares during the last quarter. BTC Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Huron Consulting Group by 19.7% in the 1st quarter. BTC Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,235 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $412,000 after purchasing an additional 533 shares during the last quarter. Finally, OP Asset Management Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Huron Consulting Group in the 1st quarter valued at $176,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.90% of the company’s stock.

Huron Consulting Group Stock Performance NASDAQ HURN opened at $126.51 on Monday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $130.75 and its two-hundred day moving average is $154.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.63 and a beta of 0.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a current ratio of 1.17. Huron Consulting Group has a fifty-two week low of $116.12 and a fifty-two week high of $186.77.

Huron Consulting Group (NASDAQ:HURN – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The business services provider reported $2.17 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.94 by $0.23. The company had revenue of $441.96 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $433.57 million. Huron Consulting Group had a return on equity of 28.20% and a net margin of 6.18%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.90 earnings per share. Huron Consulting Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.350-9.150 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Huron Consulting Group will post 8.71 earnings per share for the current year.

About Huron Consulting Group (Get Free Report)

Huron Consulting Group (NASDAQ:HURN) is a global professional services firm that advises organizations across a range of industries on strategy, operations and technology. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Chicago, the company helps clients address complex business challenges such as performance improvement, digital transformation and organizational change. Huron’s consultants work alongside executive leadership teams to develop and implement tailored solutions that drive growth, increase efficiency and manage risk.

Huron’s service offerings encompass business and financial advisory, healthcare performance improvement, life sciences consulting, higher education and research lifecycle support, as well as legal and regulatory consulting.

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The market expects Huron Consulting (HURN - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended March 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on May 5. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis consulting company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.58 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -6%.

Revenues are expected to be $434.63 million, up 9.8% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Huron Consulting?For Huron Consulting, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +5.28%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination indicates that Huron Consulting will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Huron Consulting would post earnings of $1.94 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.17, delivering a surprise of +11.86%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Huron Consulting appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global professional services firm Huron (Nasdaq: HURN) today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. “Revenues before reimbursable expenses (RBR) increased 12% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to 2025, driven by growth across the Healthcare, Education, and Commercial segments, including record RBR performance in Healthcare,” said Mark Hussey, chief executive officer and president of Huron. “We also continued our trajectory of margin expan.

Huron Consulting (HURN - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.73 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.58 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.68 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +9.72%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this consulting company would post earnings of $1.94 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.17, delivering a surprise of +11.86%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.

Huron Consulting, which belongs to the Zacks Consulting Services industry, posted revenues of $443.71 million for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.09%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $395.69 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Huron Consulting shares have lost about 23.6% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 5.2%.

What's Next for Huron Consulting?While Huron Consulting has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Huron Consulting was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $2.07 on $448.48 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $8.71 on $1.82 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Consulting Services is currently in the bottom 30% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Information Services Group (III - Free Report) , another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. The results are expected to be released on May 7.

This market advisory service company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.08 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +14.3%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

Information Services Group's revenues are expected to be $60.87 million, up 2.2% from the year-ago quarter.

On May 6, 2026, Lisanti Capital Growth reported a complete exit from Huron Consulting Group (HURN 0.73%), selling 45,590 shares for an estimated $6.85 million based on average quarterly pricing.

What happenedAccording to a May 6, 2026, SEC filing, Lisanti Capital Growth sold all 45,590 shares of Huron Consulting Group in the first quarter of 2026. The estimated value of this transaction was $6.85 million, calculated using the average closing price for the quarter. The exit resulted in a quarter-end net position change of $7.88 million, reflecting both the sale and movement in Huron Consulting Group’s share price during the period.

What else to knowThis was a full liquidation of the HURN stake; as of March 31, 2026. Top five holdings after the filing:NASDAQ: FIVE: $9.74 million (2.5% of AUM)NASDAQ: PTEN: $9.71 million (2.4% of AUM)NYSE: CRS: $8.27 million (2.1% of AUM)NYSE: MOD: $8.08 million (2.0% of AUM)NASDAQ: BTSG: $8.07 million (2.0% of AUM)As of May 6, 2026, Huron Consulting Group shares were priced at $120.11, down 19.5% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 50.9 percentage points.The position was previously 1.9% of the fund’s AUM as of the prior quarter.Company overviewMetricValueMarket capitalization$1.99 billionRevenue (TTM)$1.74 billionNet income (TTM)$103.75 millionPrice (as of market close May 6, 2026)$120.11Company snapshotProvides consulting services across healthcare, business advisory, and education, generating revenue primarily from advisory fees and managed services.Operates a professional services model, earning income by delivering specialized expertise, technology solutions, and transformation strategies to clients.Serves hospitals, health systems, academic institutions, life sciences, financial firms, and public sector organizations in the United States and internationally.Huron Consulting Group is a global professional services company with a diversified client base across healthcare, education, and business sectors. It leverages domain expertise and technology-driven solutions to address complex operational, financial, and organizational challenges for its clients. The company’s scale and integrated service offerings position it as a strategic partner for organizations seeking transformation and sustained performance improvement.

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What this transaction means for investorsLisanti Capital Growth specializes in small-cap and small-mid cap growth stocks, building portfolios around major trends shaping business over the next few years. Exiting Huron Consulting entirely during Q1 suggests the professional services firm no longer fit their investment thesis.

Huron provides consulting across healthcare, education, and commercial sectors, helping clients with performance improvement, digital transformation, and AI integration. The company just reported Q1 earnings that beat expectations, with revenue up 12% and strong performance across all segments.

But Lisanti sold before those results came out. The stock has been volatile, hitting a new 52-week low this week despite the earnings beat. Several large institutional investors have also trimmed or exited positions recently.

For investors evaluating professional services firms, the disconnect between strong earnings and weak stock performance often signals concerns about sustainability. Growth investors like Lisanti focus on whether revenue gains can accelerate and margins can expand. If consulting demand looks choppy or margin improvements require unsustainable cost cuts, even solid quarterly results won't justify the position.

Sara Appino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Huron Consulting Group and Modine Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Five Below. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

On May 15, 2026, Ophir Asset Management Pty Ltd disclosed in an SEC filing that it sold out of Huron Consulting Group (HURN 0.73%) during the first quarter, an estimated $36.73 million trade based on quarterly average pricing.

What happenedAccording to an SEC filing dated May 15, 2026, Ophir Asset Management Pty Ltd liquidated its position in Huron Consulting Group (HURN 0.73%), selling all 244,302 shares during the first quarter. The estimated transaction value was $36.73 million, based on the mean unadjusted closing price for the period. The quarter-end value of the position decreased by $42.24 million, reflecting both the sale and market price changes.

Top holdings after the filing:NYSE: AIR: $59.11 million (6.9% of AUM)NYSE: VVX: $58.03 million (6.8% of AUM)NASDAQ: MRX: $55.57 million (6.5% of AUM)NYSE: SXI: $50.21 million (5.8% of AUM)NASDAQ: EZPW: $41.03 million (4.8% of AUM)As of May 14, 2026, shares of Huron Consulting Group were priced at $102.92, down 30% over the past year and well underperforming the S&P 500, which is instead up about 25%.Company overviewMetricValueRevenue (TTM)$1.75 billionNet income (TTM)$103.8 millionMarket capitalization$1.7 billionPrice (as of market close May 14, 2026)$102.92Company snapshotHuron Consulting Group offers consulting services in healthcare, business advisory, and education, including financial improvement, organizational transformation, and digital solutions.The firm generates revenue primarily through advisory fees, managed services, and technology-driven consulting engagements across multiple industries.It serves hospitals, health systems, academic institutions, research organizations, and a diverse range of corporate and public sector clients.Huron Consulting Group is a leading professional services firm with a global presence, specializing in advisory and technology solutions for healthcare, education, and business sectors. The company leverages deep industry expertise and digital capabilities to drive operational improvements and strategic transformation for its clients. With a diversified client base and a focus on high-value consulting services, Huron maintains a competitive edge through innovation and sector-specific knowledge.

What this transaction means for investorsHuron has held up operationally, but it seems like some investors might be wrestling with what AI-enabled disruption could mean for traditional advisory firms over the long run. CEO Mark Hussey acknowledged the "challenged markets in an increasingly AI-enabled world" in the latest earnings release, but said he believes Huron remains "well positioned" to succeed in such an environment.

The interesting part is that the underlying business actually continues to grow at a healthy clip. First-quarter revenue before reimbursable expenses rose 12.1% year over year to a record $443.7 million, while adjusted EBITDA climbed nearly 22% to $50.6 million. Healthcare remained a big growth engine, with segment revenue up 13.5%, while commercial revenue surged more than 22%.

Management also reaffirmed full-year guidance calling for as much as $1.86 billion in revenue before reimbursable expenses. Still, the stock’s steep decline over the past year suggests investors want clearer evidence that Huron can maintain pricing power and margins as clients increasingly experiment with automation and lower-cost digital tools. And that’s what might be worth watching for here.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Huron Consulting Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.