HQI
HireQuest, Inc. Industrials - Staffing & Employment Services Investor Relations →
HireQuest, Inc. (HQI) closed at $11.15 as of 2026-05-01, trading 19.6% below its 200-week moving average of $13.86. This places HQI in the extreme value zone. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from -20.3% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 49, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.5x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (0.88 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 1129 weeks of data, HQI has crossed below its 200-week moving average 11 times. On average, these episodes lasted 55 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 $156 million, HQI is a small-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 5.6%, which is healthy. Return on equity stands at 9.9%. The stock trades at 2.3x book value.
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 21.7 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in HQI would have grown to $205, compared to $962 for the S&P 500. HQI has returned 3.4% annualized vs 11.0% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
Free cash flow has been volatile over the past several years, making the quality of earnings harder to assess.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
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% | +105.1% |
| Jun 2005 | Jul 2005 | 4 | 14.9% | +738.5% | +57.8% |
| Apr 2007 | Jan 2012 | 249 | 97.5% | -70.9% | -62.7% |
| Sep 2012 | Sep 2012 | 2 | 7.3% | +91.7% | +327.2% |
| Oct 2012 | Oct 2012 | 3 | 26.9% | +87.5% | +327.2% |
| Nov 2012 | Jul 2013 | 37 | 34.5% | +133.3% | +388.3% |
| Jan 2016 | Jan 2016 | 3 | 14.3% | -2.4% | +144.1% |
| Feb 2016 | Jul 2018 | 126 | 35.4% | -15.6% | +127.9% |
| Aug 2018 | Apr 2019 | 35 | 31.4% | +37.0% | +112.5% |
| Oct 2023 | Dec 2023 | 6 | 11.7% | -7.1% | -21.4% |
| Jan 2024 | Ongoing | 122+ | 45.7% | Ongoing | -18.6% |
| Average | 55 | — | +115.2% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HQI below its 200-week moving average?
Yes. As of 2026-05-01, HireQuest, Inc. (HQI) is trading 19.6% below its 200-week moving average of $13.86. The current price is $11.15.
What is HQI's 200-week moving average price?
HireQuest, Inc.'s 200-week moving average is $13.86 as of 2026-05-01. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when HQI drops below its 200-week moving average?
HQI has crossed below its 200-week moving average 11 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +115.2%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 55 weeks on average.
Is HQI a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about HQI as of 2026-05-01: The stock is below its 200-week moving average, which is the starting point for our analysis. The 14-week RSI is 49. Free cash flow yield is 5.6%. Return on equity is 9.9%. Price-to-book is 2.3x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does HQI compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 21.7 years, $100 invested in HQI would have grown to $205, compared to $962 for the S&P 500. That's 3.4% annualized vs 11.0% for the index. HQI has underperformed the broader market over this period.
Does HQI pay a dividend?
Yes. HireQuest, Inc. currently pays a dividend yield of 215.00%.
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 week of 2026-05-01