HQI
HireQuest, Inc. Industrials - Staffing & Employment Services Investor Relations →
HireQuest, Inc. (HQI) closed at $10.94 as of 2026-02-02, trading 22.6% below its 200-week moving average of $14.15. This places HQI in the extreme value zone. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from -20.8% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 68, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 1117 weeks of data, HQI has crossed below its 200-week moving average 11 times. On average, these episodes lasted 54 weeks. Historically, investors who bought HQI at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +115.2%.
With a market cap of $154 million, HQI is a small-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 7.3%, which is healthy. Return on equity stands at 11.1%. The stock trades at 2.3x book value.
Share count has increased 2.4% over three years, indicating dilution. This stock also meets the Yartseva multibagger criteria as a small-cap with strong free cash flow yield and reasonable book value.
Over the past 21.5 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in HQI would have grown to $200, compared to $922 for the S&P 500. HQI has returned 3.3% annualized vs 10.9% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -9.2% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Growth of $100: HQI vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After HQI Crosses Below the Line?
Across 11 historical episodes, buying HQI when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +72.2% after 12 months (median +22.0%), compared to +18.5% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 64% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +126.5% vs +36.2% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment HQI crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
HQI has crossed below its 200-week MA 11 times with an average 1-year return of +115.2% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2004 | Jan 2005 | 17 | 36.5% | +160.0% | +100.3% |
| Jun 2005 | Jul 2005 | 4 | 14.9% | +738.5% | +54.1% |
| Apr 2007 | Jan 2012 | 249 | 97.5% | -70.9% | -63.6% |
| Sep 2012 | Sep 2012 | 2 | 7.3% | +91.7% | +317.2% |
| Oct 2012 | Oct 2012 | 3 | 26.9% | +87.5% | +317.2% |
| Nov 2012 | Jul 2013 | 37 | 34.5% | +133.3% | +376.8% |
| Jan 2016 | Jan 2016 | 3 | 14.3% | -2.4% | +138.4% |
| Feb 2016 | Jul 2018 | 126 | 35.4% | -15.6% | +122.5% |
| Aug 2018 | Apr 2019 | 35 | 31.4% | +37.0% | +107.5% |
| Oct 2023 | Dec 2023 | 6 | 11.7% | -7.1% | -23.3% |
| Jan 2024 | Ongoing | 110+ | 45.7% | Ongoing | -20.5% |
| Average | 54 | — | +115.2% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02