The Hackett Group, Inc (NASDAQ:HCKT) Accelerates AI Platform Growth While Margins Recover

The Hackett Group expands Gen AI capabilities and maintains a fair-valued standing; recent corporate actions and technical momentum point toward near-term stabilization with headline risk ahead.

Recent News

Aug 6, 2025 — Board declared a $0.12 quarterly dividend payable Oct 3, 2025, with a Sept 19 record date. Sep 7, 2025 — Barrington Research reaffirmed an Outperform rating and set a $27.00 price target. Sep 21, 2025 — Rhumbline Advisers reduced its HCKT stake, selling shares reported in a 13F filing.

Technical Analysis

ADX at 31.18 signals a strong trend environment; the ADX strength supports the thesis of near-term directional conviction rather than a neutral market. This strength reinforces the possibility of continued directional moves that will interact with valuation pressures described below.

Directional indicators skew bullish: DI+ registered a dip-and-reversal, indicating DI+ increasing, while DI- registered a decrease. Together these directional moves point toward bullish directional pressure that aligns with stabilization around current prices and supports the case for momentum-driven consolidation.

MACD sits at -0.41 and has crossed above its signal line (-0.46) while the MACD trend registers as increasing. That cross above the signal line constitutes a bullish momentum cue and suggests short-term momentum has shifted from negative to constructive, which could lift near-term price action toward the valuation-implied range.

MRO reads 11.05 with a peak-and-reversal pattern. The positive MRO implies price sits above its internal target and therefore carries latent downside pressure; the peak-and-reversal annotation reinforces a shift toward price-corrective action that counters some bullish directional indicators.

RSI at 38.61 shows prior weakness but a dip-and-reversal pattern indicates the RSI began recovering from oversold or lower levels. That recovery supports the short-term momentum pickup signaled by MACD while leaving room for additional upside before hitting neutral territory.

Price sits at $19.21, marginally above the 12-day EMA ($19.12) and near the 20-day average ($19.05), yet below the 50-day ($20.05) and 200-day ($25.16) averages. Proximity to the upper Bollinger band (~$19.27) and a super trend upper boundary at $19.67 suggests upside faces structural resistance inside the next few sessions; moving-average placement points to medium-term underperformance vs. longer-term levels but near-term technical consolidation.

 


Fundamental Analysis

Total revenue measured $78,899,000 with revenue growth year-over-year at 118.42% and an overall revenue growth figure of 1.33%. The top-line expansion on a YoY basis contrasts with sequential softness (revenue growth QoQ -176.807%), indicating the recent annual comparison includes significant comp effects while quarter-to-quarter activity weakened.

Operating income (EBIT) reached $4,595,000 and EBIT margin registered 5.82%. That EBIT margin sits below the industry peer mean of 15.193% and below the industry peer median of 16.705%, though above the industry peer low of -4.292%. EBIT margin contracted sharply YoY (-63.864%) while improving QoQ by 2.989%, which highlights a recent quarter-of-quarter recovery from deeper year-over-year compression.

Net income totaled $1,661,000. EPS actual $0.38 matched the estimate $0.38, producing an EPS surprise of 0.88%. Trailing PE stands at 64.98x, marginally above the industry peer mean of 63.14x. Forward PE equals 58.85x. Price-to-book came in at 5.24, above the industry peer mean of 4.50, while price-to-sales at 7.96 sits below the industry peer mean of 9.12 — a mixed multiple profile that leaves valuation dependent on cash conversion and margin repair.

Free cash flow reached $3,739,000 with a free cash flow yield of 0.60%, below the industry peer mean of 1.20%. Free cash flow yield improved QoQ by 71.76% yet contracted YoY by 70.29%, indicating volatile cash conversion driven by timing and working capital swings. Operating cash flow registered $5,649,000 and cash on hand totaled $10,142,000.

Leverage profile remains conservative: debt-to-equity at 21.45% sits well below the industry peer mean of 85.15%, and net debt equals $12,632,000. Interest coverage at 12.55x provides ample buffer despite being below the industry peer mean of 26.20x. Return on equity measured 1.39% and return on assets 0.85%, both below industry peer means, underscoring limited current profitability relative to peers.

Dividend policy: the declared quarterly dividend equals $0.12 per share (dividend rate $0.12062) and yields 0.53%; dividends paid totaled $3,318,000. Dividend payout ratio registers 199.76% while dividend coverage ratio reads 50.06%, reflecting a payout that exceeds trailing earnings but remains supported by cash flow levels in the near term.

Valuation summary: WMDST values the stock as fair-valued. Multiples show P/E slightly above the industry peer mean, P/B above the industry peer mean, and P/S below the industry peer mean. Cash-generation measures lag the peer mean, and margin recovery remains central to moving valuation toward peer medians.

MOST-RECENT QUARTERLY REPORT
REPORT PERIOD ENDING: 2025-06-30
REPORT DATE: 2025-08-05
NEXT REPORT DATE: 2025-11-03
CASH FLOW  Begin Period Cash Flow 9.2 M
 Operating Cash Flow 5.6 M
 Capital Expenditures -1.91 M
 Change In Working Capital -6.15 M
 Dividends Paid -3.32 M
 Cash Flow Delta 963.0 K
 End Period Cash Flow 10.1 M
 
INCOME STATEMENT REVENUE
 Total Revenue 78.9 M
 Forward Revenue 142.1 M
COSTS
 Cost Of Revenue 50.9 M
 Depreciation 1.0 M
 Depreciation and Amortization 1.3 M
 Research and Development
 Total Operating Expenses 74.3 M
PROFITABILITY
 Gross Profit 28.0 M
 EBITDA 5.9 M
 EBIT 4.6 M
 Operating Income 4.6 M
 Interest Income
 Interest Expense 366.0 K
 Net Interest Income -366.00 K
 Income Before Tax 4.2 M
 Tax Provision 2.6 M
 Tax Rate 21.0 %
 Net Income 1.7 M
 Net Income From Continuing Operations 1.7 M
EARNINGS
 EPS Estimate 0.38
 EPS Actual 0.38
 EPS Difference 0.00
 EPS Surprise 0.88 %
 Forward EPS 0.43
 
BALANCE SHEET ASSETS
 Total Assets 200.5 M
 Intangible Assets 95.2 M
 Net Tangible Assets 24.6 M
 Total Current Assets 80.2 M
 Cash and Short-Term Investments 10.1 M
 Cash 10.1 M
 Net Receivables 40.0 M
 Inventory
 Long-Term Investments 368.0 K
LIABILITIES
 Accounts Payable 4.8 M
 Short-Term Debt
 Total Current Liabilities 47.0 M
 Net Debt 12.6 M
 Total Debt 25.7 M
 Total Liabilities 80.7 M
EQUITY
 Total Equity 119.8 M
 Retained Earnings 76.5 M
VALUATION & PER-SHARE METRICS EQUITY & PER-SHARE METRICS
 Book Value Per-Share 4.36
 Shares Outstanding 27.508 M
 Revenue Per-Share 2.87
VALUATION
 Market Capitalization 627.9 M
 Enterprise Value 643.4 M
 Enterprise Multiple 109.798
Enterprise Multiple QoQ -21.103 %
Enterprise Multiple YoY 137.328 %
Enterprise Multiple IPRWA high: 140.798
HCKT: 109.798
median: 58.931
mean: 51.691
low: -43.256
 EV/R 8.155
CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Asset To Equity 1.674
 Asset To Liability 2.484
 Debt To Capital 0.177
 Debt To Assets 0.128
Debt To Assets QoQ 17.715 %
Debt To Assets YoY 1196.057 %
Debt To Assets IPRWA high: 1.14
mean: 0.25
median: 0.129
HCKT: 0.128
low: 0.006
 Debt To Equity 0.215
Debt To Equity QoQ 17.556 %
Debt To Equity YoY 1082.69 %
Debt To Equity IPRWA high: 4.622
mean: 0.852
median: 0.253
HCKT: 0.215
low: -2.941
PRICE-BASED VALUATION
 Price To Book (P/B) 5.241
Price To Book QoQ -21.502 %
Price To Book YoY -16.275 %
Price To Book IPRWA high: 15.778
HCKT: 5.241
median: 4.588
mean: 4.499
low: -1.349
 Price To Earnings (P/E) 64.982
Price To Earnings QoQ -4.116 %
Price To Earnings YoY 9.48 %
Price To Earnings IPRWA high: 227.578
median: 76.338
HCKT: 64.982
mean: 63.143
low: -69.969
 PE/G Ratio -8.881
 Price To Sales (P/S) 7.958
Price To Sales QoQ -18.884 %
Price To Sales YoY -3.423 %
Price To Sales IPRWA high: 17.197
median: 11.089
mean: 9.122
HCKT: 7.958
low: 0.008
FORWARD MULTIPLES
Forward P/E 58.855
Forward PE/G -8.044
Forward P/S 4.418
EFFICIENCY OPERATIONAL
 Operating Leverage 3.284
ASSET & SALES
 Asset Turnover Ratio 0.402
Asset Turnover Ratio QoQ -0.904 %
Asset Turnover Ratio YoY -4.988 %
Asset Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 0.719
HCKT: 0.402
median: 0.287
mean: 0.242
low: 0.038
 Receivables Turnover 1.992
Receivables Turnover Ratio QoQ -3.825 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio YoY -5.59 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 3.883
HCKT: 1.992
mean: 1.537
median: 1.268
low: 0.415
 Inventory Turnover
Inventory Turnover Ratio QoQ
Inventory Turnover Ratio YoY
Inventory Turnover Ratio IPRWA
 Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) 45.807
CASH CYCLE
 Cash Conversion Cycle Days (CCC)
Cash Conversion Cycle Days QoQ
Cash Conversion Cycle Days YoY
Cash Conversion Cycle Days IPRWA
CAPITAL DEPLOYMENT
 Cash Conversion Ratio 2.376
 CapEx To Revenue -0.024
 CapEx To Depreciation -1.847
 
CAPITAL, LIQUIDITY & COVERAGE CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Total Capital 142.6 M
 Net Invested Capital 142.6 M
 Invested Capital 142.6 M
 Net Tangible Assets 24.6 M
 Net Working Capital 33.2 M
LIQUIDITY
 Cash Ratio 0.216
 Current Ratio 1.707
Current Ratio QoQ 7.388 %
Current Ratio YoY -0.469 %
Current Ratio IPRWA high: 3.358
HCKT: 1.707
mean: 1.677
median: 1.461
low: 0.34
 Quick Ratio
Quick Ratio QoQ
Quick Ratio YoY
Quick Ratio IPRWA
COVERAGE & LEVERAGE
 Debt To EBITDA 4.386
 Cost Of Debt 1.241 %
 Interest Coverage Ratio 12.555
Interest Coverage Ratio QoQ -42.402 %
Interest Coverage Ratio YoY -48.642 %
Interest Coverage Ratio IPRWA high: 46.876
median: 27.435
mean: 26.196
HCKT: 12.555
low: -32.337
 Operating Cash Flow Ratio 0.045
TIMING / LIQUIDITY
 Days Payables Outstanding (DPO) 8.852
DIVIDENDS
 Dividend Coverage Ratio 0.501
 Dividend Payout Ratio 1.998
 Dividend Rate 0.12
 Dividend Yield 0.005
PERFORMANCE GROWTH
 Asset Growth Rate 4.566 %
 Revenue Growth 1.328 %
Revenue Growth QoQ -176.807 %
Revenue Growth YoY 118.421 %
Revenue Growth IPRWA high: 15.386 %
median: 6.33 %
mean: 4.367 %
HCKT: 1.328 %
low: -11.52 %
 Earnings Growth -7.317 %
Earnings Growth QoQ -42.684 %
Earnings Growth YoY
Earnings Growth IPRWA high: 116.406 %
median: 18.932 %
mean: 0.754 %
HCKT: -7.317 %
low: -122.222 %
MARGINS
 Gross Margin 35.434 %
Gross Margin QoQ -0.934 %
Gross Margin YoY -9.784 %
Gross Margin IPRWA high: 68.47 %
HCKT: 35.434 %
median: 32.867 %
mean: 31.284 %
low: 3.216 %
 EBIT Margin 5.824 %
EBIT Margin QoQ 2.989 %
EBIT Margin YoY -63.864 %
EBIT Margin IPRWA high: 40.753 %
median: 16.705 %
mean: 15.193 %
HCKT: 5.824 %
low: -4.292 %
 Return On Sales (ROS) 5.824 %
Return On Sales QoQ 2.989 %
Return On Sales YoY -63.864 %
Return On Sales IPRWA high: 19.395 %
median: 16.057 %
mean: 14.653 %
HCKT: 5.824 %
low: -5.114 %
CASH FLOW
 Free Cash Flow (FCF) 3.7 M
 Free Cash Flow Yield 0.596 %
Free Cash Flow Yield QoQ 71.758 %
Free Cash Flow Yield YoY -70.289 %
Free Cash Flow Yield IPRWA high: 5.903 %
median: 1.788 %
mean: 1.195 %
HCKT: 0.596 %
low: -10.517 %
 Free Cash Growth 41.094 %
Free Cash Growth QoQ -147.51 %
Free Cash Growth YoY -93.106 %
Free Cash Growth IPRWA high: 539.652 %
HCKT: 41.094 %
median: 20.62 %
mean: 13.051 %
low: -467.291 %
 Free Cash To Net Income 2.251
 Cash Flow Margin 2.665 %
 Cash Flow To Earnings 1.266
VALUE & RETURNS
 Economic Value Added 0.04
 Return On Assets (ROA) 0.847 %
Return On Assets QoQ -48.322 %
Return On Assets YoY -82.239 %
Return On Assets IPRWA high: 8.172 %
median: 2.924 %
mean: 2.567 %
HCKT: 0.847 %
low: -6.078 %
 Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) 2.993 %
 Return On Equity (ROE) 0.014
Return On Equity QoQ -49.545 %
Return On Equity YoY -83.805 %
Return On Equity IPRWA high: 0.157
median: 0.071
mean: 0.056
HCKT: 0.014
low: -0.139
 DuPont ROE 1.418 %
 Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) 2.546 %
Return On Invested Capital QoQ 2.167 %
Return On Invested Capital YoY -104.825 %
Return On Invested Capital IPRWA high: 7.923 %
mean: 4.416 %
median: 4.105 %
HCKT: 2.546 %
low: -7.46 %

Six-Week Outlook

Near-term price action will hinge on momentum and fundamental catalysts. Technical signals show directional strength and a recent MACD crossover supporting constructive momentum, while a positive MRO reading and price proximity to short-term resistance suggest corrective risk exists. The company’s next scheduled report (date of next report: 2025-11-03) represents a near-term catalyst inside the six-week window and could reprice margin expectations.

Swing traders should monitor momentum confirmations and catalyst timing rather than attempt to project long-term directional conviction. Stabilization around current levels appears plausible given the mixed technical and fundamental picture; resolution toward the price target mean ($21.36) versus the low target ($12.50) will depend on visible margin improvement, cash-flow consistency, and the upcoming report’s detail on Gen AI commercialization progress.

About The Hackett Group, Inc.

The Hackett Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:HCKT) delivers strategic consulting and digital transformation services on a global scale. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Hackett serves clients across the United States, Europe, and other regions, focusing on optimizing organizational performance and fostering growth. The company structures its operations into three main segments: Global Strategy & Business Transformation, Oracle Solutions, and SAP Solutions. Hackett provides clients with innovative tools such as Hackett Connect, an extensive online repository that facilitates access to industry-leading strategies and process flows. The company supports clients with advisor inquiry services and offers best practice research to deliver actionable insights. In addition to advisory services, Hackett conducts benchmarking studies across various business functions, equipping clients with data-driven insights to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Its Oracle and SAP solutions assist clients in selecting, implementing, and managing enterprise applications that align with their strategic objectives. Founded in 1991, The Hackett Group remains at the forefront of business transformation, enabling organizations to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving digital landscape and achieve sustainable success.



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