The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how business process outsourcing & consulting stocks fared in Q1, starting with Exponent (NASDAQ: EXPO).

The sector stands to benefit from ongoing digital transformation, increasing corporate demand for cost efficiencies, and the growing complexity of regulatory and cybersecurity landscapes. For those that invest wisely, AI and automation capabilities could emerge as competitive advantages, enhancing process efficiencies for the companies themselves as well as their clients. On the flip side, AI could be a headwind as well as the technology could lower the barrier to entry in the space and give rise to more self-service solutions. Additional challenges in the years ahead could include wage inflation for highly skilled consultants and potential regulatory scrutiny on outsourcing practices—especially in industries like finance and healthcare where who has access to certain data matters greatly.

The 9 business process outsourcing & consulting stocks we track reported a mixed Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.6% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.

Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 14% since the latest earnings results.

Exponent (NASDAQ: EXPO)

With a team of over 800 consultants holding advanced degrees in 90+ technical disciplines, Exponent (NASDAQ: EXPO) is a science and engineering consulting firm that investigates complex problems and provides expert analysis for clients across various industries.

Exponent reported revenues of $151.8 million, up 10.5% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.8%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a slower quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

“Exponent delivered double-digit growth in revenues and earnings during the first quarter, reflecting the strength of our multidisciplinary portfolio and increased demand for our specialized expertise across industries,” stated Dr. Catherine Corrigan, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Unsurprisingly, the stock is down 19.8% since reporting and currently trades at $53.64.

Read our full report on Exponent here, it’s free.

Best Q1: CBIZ (NYSE: CBZ)

With over 120 offices across 33 states and a team of more than 6,700 professionals, CBIZ (NYSE: CBZ) provides accounting, tax, benefits, insurance brokerage, and advisory services to help small and mid-sized businesses manage their finances and operations.

CBIZ reported revenues of $848.6 million, up 1.3% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. However, the business still had a very strong quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

CBIZ achieved the highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. Although it had a fine quarter compared its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 14.1% since reporting. It currently trades at $28.50.

Is now the time to buy CBIZ? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q1: Concentrix (NASDAQ: CNXC)

With a team of approximately 450,000 employees across 75 countries, Concentrix (NASDAQ: CNXC) designs and delivers customer experience solutions that help global brands manage their customer interactions across digital channels and contact centers.

Concentrix reported revenues of $2.5 billion, up 5.4% year on year, in line with analysts’ expectations. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates and a miss of analysts’ EPS guidance for next quarter estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 27.9% since the results and currently trades at $23.81.

Read our full analysis of Concentrix’s results here.

Aramark (NYSE: ARMK)

From serving hot dogs at major league stadiums to managing college dining halls that feed thousands daily, Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) provides food services and facilities management to schools, healthcare facilities, businesses, sports venues, and correctional institutions across 16 countries.

Aramark reported revenues of $4.91 billion, up 14.7% year on year. This print topped analysts’ expectations by 3.1%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also logged an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Aramark pulled off the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is up 18.4% since reporting and currently trades at $52.75.

Read our full, actionable report on Aramark here, it’s free.

Huron (NASDAQ: HURN)

Founded in 2002 during a time of significant regulatory change in corporate America, Huron Consulting Group (NASDAQ: HURN) is a professional services company that helps organizations develop growth strategies, optimize operations, and implement digital transformation solutions.

Huron reported revenues of $451.8 million, up 11.8% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 0.7%. Taking a step back, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also logged a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a slight miss of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates.

The stock is down 22.2% since reporting and currently trades at $102.92.

Read our full, actionable report on Huron here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Strong Momentum Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.