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3 Business Services Stocks Benefiting From a Prospering Industry

Increased technology adoption and the success of the work-from-home trend are enabling the Zacks Business-Services industry to support a growing demand environment.

Prudent growth strategies, innovation and technology enhancements are helping Viad Corp VVI, Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. BWMN and BGSF, Inc. BGSF to sail through the pandemic-related challenges.

About the Industry

The Zacks Business-Services industry comprises companies that offer a range of services, including specialty rental, supply-chain management, electronic commerce, technology, document management, digital audience, data, voice, analytical and business transformation, among others. The pandemic will continue to change the way industry players conduct business and deliver services. The industry’s key focus is currently on channelizing money and efforts toward more effective operational components, such as technology, digital transformation, data-driven decision-making and enhanced cybersecurity. To position themselves suitably in the post-pandemic era and better utilize the opportunities that the economic recovery will bring, service providers are increasing their efforts toward formulating and reassessing strategic initiatives.

What's Shaping the Future of the Business Services Industry?

Demand Stability: The industry is mature, with demand for services in good shape for a while now. Revenues, income and cash flows are now hovering above the pre-pandemic healthy levels, helping most industry players pay out stable dividends.

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Relaxing Immigration Restrictions: Higher talent costs due to a competitive talent market, especially under the Trump-era restrictions on immigration, had been a headwind for the industry. However, President Joe Biden’s moves to lift the Trump-era ban on legal immigration should help service providers thrive with the increased flow of foreign talent.

Certain Headwinds to Continue: With continued uncertainty in the economy, the industry is expected to see pricing, staffing and labor cost increases with no easy savings opportunities in supply chain operations through 2023.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Solid Near-Term Prospects

The Business-Services industry is housed within the broader Business Services sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #62, which places it in the top 25% of more than 250 Zacks industries.

The group’s Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates solid near-term growth prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one.

Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and current valuation.

Industry's Price Performance

Over the past year, the Zacks Business Services industry has declined 27.1% compared with the S&P 500 composite’s fall of 11.2%. The broader sector has declined 16.5% over the same time frame.

Industry’s Price Performance

Industry's Current Valuation

On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which is commonly used for valuing business-services stocks, the industry is currently trading at 18.03 compared with the S&P 500’s 17.79 and the sector’s 24.64.

Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 31.01X, as low as 10.88X and at the median of 18.03X, as the charts below show.

Industry’s Current Valuation

3 Service Stocks to Bet On

We are presenting three stocks that are well poised to grow in the near term.

Bowman Consulting: This provider of real estate, energy, infrastructure, and environmental management solutions is currently witnessing growth across all its markets. Both the top and bottom lines are benefiting from strong organic and acquisitive growth.

The company carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the 2023 EPS has remained unchanged at 77 cents in the past 60 days.

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

Price and Consensus: BWMN

BGSF: This provider of workforce solutions and placement services carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

BGSF’s Real Estate segment is benefiting from strong demand for apartments and build-to-rent single-family housing communities across North America. Its Professional segment is benefiting from strong activity in IT and Momentum Solutions.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the 2023 EPS has remained unchanged at $1.39 in the past 60 days.

Price and Consensus: BGSF

Viad Corp: This experiential leisure travel, and live events and marketing services company also carries a Zacks Rank #3. The company is currently witnessing strong momentum across its business, driven mainly by the recovery of in-person event activity from the pandemic blues.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2023’s bottom line has remained unchanged at $1.28 in the past 60 days.

 

Price and Consensus: VVI

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Viad Corp (VVI) : Free Stock Analysis Report

BGSF, Inc. (BGSF) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. (BWMN) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research