Hays PLC (GB:HAS)
LSE:HAS
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Hays plc
(LSE:HAS)
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Rating:45Neutral
Price Target:
32.00 p
â–Ľ(-4.48% Downside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:03/11/26
The score is held back primarily by weak technicals (below all major moving averages with negative MACD) and very stretched valuation (P/E 748.65). Financial performance is mixed—loss-making and declining revenue, but improving free cash flow—providing partial support.
Positive Factors
Improving free cash flow
Sustained FCF growth (18.9%) and a high FCF-to-net-income ratio indicate the business is converting operations into cash despite accounting losses. Durable cash generation supports dividends, debt servicing, reinvestment in digital tools and RPO scale, improving medium-term financial flexibility.
Negative Factors
Declining revenue
Year-over-year revenue decline signals weaker client demand or market share pressure in key sectors. Persistent top-line contraction reduces scale benefits, limits ability to leverage fixed costs, and makes sustaining margins and reinvestment more difficult across the medium term.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Improving free cash flow
Sustained FCF growth (18.9%) and a high FCF-to-net-income ratio indicate the business is converting operations into cash despite accounting losses. Durable cash generation supports dividends, debt servicing, reinvestment in digital tools and RPO scale, improving medium-term financial flexibility.
Read all positive factors
Hays plc (HAS) vs. iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWC)
Market Cap
ÂŁ535.71M
Dividend Yield1.76%
Average Volume (3M)4.60M
Price to Earnings (P/E)748.6
Beta (1Y)1.28
Revenue Growth-4.92%
EPS Growth-58.06%
CountryUK
Employees10,300
SectorIndustrials
Sector Strength72
IndustryStaffing & Employment Services
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)<0.01
Shares Outstanding1,599,141,700
10 Day Avg. Volume5,140,711
30 Day Avg. Volume4,602,489
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio-2.51
Price to Book (P/B)2.43
Price to Sales (P/S)0.17
P/FCF Ratio11.87
Enterprise Value/Market CapN/A
Enterprise Value/RevenueN/A
Enterprise Value/Gross ProfitN/A
Enterprise Value/EbitdaN/A
Forecast
1Y Price Target
ÂŁ58.00Price Target Upside73.13% Upside
Rating ConsensusHold
Number of Analyst Covering6
EPS Forecast (FY)0.01
Revenue Forecast (FY)ÂŁ6.00B
Hays plc Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Hays plc operates as a recruitment company in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. The company offers permanent, temporary, and contractor recruitment services, such as qualified, professional, and ski...
How the Company Makes Money
Hays makes money primarily by providing recruitment and staffing services to client organizations. Its core revenue streams typically include: (1) Permanent recruitment fees: when Hays places a candidate into a permanent role, it earns a placement...
Hays plc Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
45
Neutral
Balance Sheet
55
Neutral
Cash Flow
60
Neutral
| Breakdown | TTM | Jun 2025 | Jun 2024 | Jun 2022 | Jun 2021 | Jun 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | ||||||
| Total Revenue | 6.49B | 6.61B | 6.95B | 7.58B | 6.59B | 5.93B |
| Gross Profit | 870.10M | 24.70M | 292.60M | 426.80M | 421.40M | 346.30M |
| EBITDA | 79.30M | 78.20M | 87.10M | 218.90M | 232.90M | 150.30M |
| Net Income | -10.50M | -7.80M | -4.90M | 138.30M | 154.20M | 47.50M |
Balance Sheet | ||||||
| Total Assets | 1.68B | 1.77B | 1.78B | 1.90B | 2.08B | 1.94B |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 169.90M | 168.50M | 121.80M | 145.60M | 296.20M | 484.50M |
| Total Debt | 308.80M | 312.20M | 244.30M | 199.80M | 185.10M | 228.70M |
| Total Liabilities | 1.21B | 1.30B | 1.22B | 1.23B | 1.28B | 1.09B |
| Stockholders Equity | 471.10M | 466.70M | 557.60M | 670.30M | 796.20M | 853.40M |
Cash Flow | ||||||
| Free Cash Flow | 89.70M | 95.60M | 72.40M | 134.90M | 146.80M | 327.00M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 96.50M | 102.60M | 95.80M | 164.00M | 171.20M | 352.80M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -22.90M | -22.70M | -20.20M | -30.10M | -24.40M | -25.80M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -94.10M | -65.30M | -98.80M | -280.70M | -269.40M | 28.30M |
Hays plc Technical Analysis
Negative
33.50
Price Trends
41.93
Negative
48.41
Negative
54.91
Negative
Market Momentum
-3.07
Negative
32.82
Neutral
36.03
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For GB:HAS, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 33.5 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 35.73, below the 50-day MA of 41.93, and below the 200-day MA of 54.91, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -3.07 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 32.82 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 36.03 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for GB:HAS.
Hays plc Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
69 Neutral | ÂŁ187.83M | 12.17 | 7.83% | 6.35% | -13.93% | -48.74% | |
63 Neutral | $10.79B | 15.43 | 7.44% | 2.01% | 2.89% | -14.66% | |
54 Neutral | £49.87M | 11.41 | 11.58% | ― | 1.44% | ― | |
48 Neutral | ÂŁ438.68M | 81.54 | 4.18% | 7.58% | -12.54% | -76.55% | |
46 Neutral | ÂŁ54.99M | -3.34 | -24.67% | 12.88% | -14.31% | -361.93% | |
45 Neutral | ÂŁ535.71M | 748.65 | -2.24% | 1.76% | -4.92% | -58.06% | |
40 Underperform | £11.15M | -2.13 | -33.84% | ― | -1.70% | -29.90% |
* Industrials Sector Average
GB:HAS
Hays plc
33.12
-49.48
-59.90%
GB:EMR
Empresaria
22.50
-2.00
-8.16%
GB:PAGE
PageGroup
136.00
-164.65
-54.77%
GB:RWA
Robert Walters
84.80
-133.41
-61.14%
GB:STAF
Staffline
44.00
11.00
33.33%
GB:STEM
SThree plc
147.60
-106.41
-41.89%
Hays plc Corporate Events
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Hays Grants Sharesave Options to Senior Executives
Positive
Mar 27, 2026
Hays plc has granted share options to senior executives under its Sharesave Plan, reflecting ongoing use of employee equity incentives to align management with shareholder interests. Tom Way, CEO for the UK and Ireland and a person discharging man...
Other
Hays Non-Executive Director Increases Stake With On-Market Share Purchase
Positive
Mar 25, 2026
Hays plc disclosed that non-executive director and person discharging managerial responsibilities Helen Cunningham has made an on-market purchase of ordinary shares in the company. The transaction, executed on 24 March 2026 on the London Stock Exc...
Other
Hays Interim CEO Increases Stake With On‑Market Share Purchase
Positive
Mar 4, 2026
Hays plc has disclosed that interim chief executive officer and person discharging managerial responsibilities Mark Dearnley has purchased 381,500 ordinary shares in the company on the London Stock Exchange. The on‑market transaction, execut...
Regulatory Filings and Compliance
Hays Director Cheryl Millington Buys Shares in On‑Market Trade
Positive
Mar 3, 2026
Hays plc disclosed that Senior Independent Director and PDMR Cheryl Millington purchased 5,000 ordinary shares of the company on the London Stock Exchange at a price of £0.3892 per share on 3 March 2026. The director’s on-market share p...
Regulatory Filings and Compliance
Hays Chair Michael Findlay Buys Additional Shares in the Company
Positive
Mar 2, 2026
Hays plc disclosed that its Non-Executive Chair and person discharging managerial responsibilities, Michael Findlay, purchased 25,500 ordinary shares of the company on the London Stock Exchange. The on-market transaction, executed on 2 March 2026 ...
Regulatory Filings and Compliance
Hays Updates Share Capital and Voting Rights Total
Neutral
Mar 2, 2026
Hays plc has reported that, as of 28 February 2026, its issued share capital comprised 1,600,433,092 ordinary shares of 1p each, of which 1,291,352 shares were held in treasury. This leaves a total of 1,599,141,740 voting rights in the company. Th...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Hays CEO Dirk Hahn Steps Down, Interim Chief Appointed Amid Search for Successor
Neutral
Feb 27, 2026
Hays plc announced that Chief Executive Officer Dirk Hahn has stepped down from his role and as a director with immediate effect for personal reasons. The board has appointed Chief Digital and Technology Officer Mark Dearnley as interim CEO, while...
DividendsFinancial DisclosuresRegulatory Filings and Compliance
Hays posts half-year report and maintains disciplined interim dividend
Positive
Feb 27, 2026
Hays plc has published its half-year report for the six months to 31 December 2025, making the document available via the London Stock Exchange and the company’s investor website. The update signals continued transparency with regulators and...
Regulatory Filings and Compliance
Hays Updates Share Capital and Voting Rights Total
Neutral
Feb 2, 2026
Hays plc has confirmed that as of 31 January 2026 its issued share capital comprised 1,600,433,092 ordinary shares of 1p each, of which 1,291,352 shares were held in treasury. This leaves a total of 1,599,141,740 voting rights in the company, a fi...
Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Hays Releases Second-Quarter Trading Update and Schedules Investor Call
Neutral
Jan 14, 2026
Hays plc has released its trading update for the three months to 31 December 2025, providing investors with an overview of its second-quarter performance and current trading conditions. The company has made the full statement available via the Lon...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Hays CEO Dirk Hahn Returns From Medical Leave as Chair Reverts to Non-Executive Role
Positive
Jan 5, 2026
Hays plc announced that Chief Executive Officer Dirk Hahn has returned to work following a short period of medical leave after surgery in November, signaling a resumption of normal executive leadership. During Hahn’s absence, Group Chair Mic...
Regulatory Filings and Compliance
Hays Updates Total Voting Rights and Share Capital Figures
Neutral
Jan 2, 2026
Hays plc has reported that, as of 31 December 2025, its issued share capital comprised 1,600,433,092 ordinary shares of 1p each, of which 1,291,352 shares were held in treasury, resulting in 1,599,141,740 voting rights in the company. The updated ...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.