3 Stocks to Consider From the Prospering Consulting Services Industry

About the Industry

Companies grouped under the Consulting Services category offer professional advice in management, IT, human resources, environmental regulations, logistics, marketing and real estate, serving multiple end markets. The space includes prominent names like Accenture and Gartner. The industry focuses on channeling money and efforts toward more effective operational components, such as technology, digital transformation and data-driven decision-making. To position themselves suitably in the post-pandemic era and better utilize the opportunities that an economic recovery will bring, service providers are increasing their efforts to formulate and reassess strategic initiatives, identify sources of demand and target end markets.

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

Exponential Growth: This multi-billion-dollar industry has entered a trajectory of exponential expansion since the 2008 financial crisis, fueled by digital transformation and innovation-driven efficiencies. The trend has sustained steady revenues, profits and cash-flow growth, enabling most industry players to distribute stable dividends.

Economic Recovery: The sector is a major beneficiary of the broader economy and increasingly digital-driven service activities. According to the second estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the economy remained resilient, with GDP growing 1.5% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with a 2.1% rise in the first quarter. Non-manufacturing activities remained strong, as reflected in the July Services PMI, which stayed in expansion territory for the 25th consecutive month.

Strong Demand Environment: The consulting services industry remains among the least disrupted by recent global uncertainties. Even in volatile conditions, organizations seek extensive guidance on safeguarding their workforce while strengthening ties with consumers and shareholders. The industry was an early pioneer of remote collaboration, now embedded in the new normal. Its work model allows players to operate efficiently, increasingly powered by AI-driven insights, digital platforms, and agile delivery frameworks.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bright Prospects

The Consulting Services industry, which is housed within the broader Business Services sector, currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank of #42. This rank places it in the top 17% of 247 Zacks industries.

The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is 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

The Consulting Services industry has underperformed the S&P 500 composite and the broader sector in the past year. The industry has declined 24.2% against the S&P 500 composite’s growth of 21.3% and the broader sector’s 16.4% decline.

Industry's Current Valuation

On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which is a commonly used multiple for valuing consulting services companies, we see that the industry is currently trading at 15.16X, below the S&P 500’s 20.37X and the sector’s 18.23X.

Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 31.53X and as low as 12.41X, with a median of 26.00X, as the charts below show.

Price-to-Forward 12-Month P/E Ratio

Price-to-Forward 12-Month P/E Ratio

3 Consulting Services Stocks to Consider

Gartner: The company’s differentiated information technology research and advisory services expertise is the primary catalyst of its overall growth. The company’s broad portfolio and low customer concentration support recurring demand across business and technology functions, strengthening top-line growth prospects.

Gartner delivers strong value to its clients through its subscription-oriented research platform, which utilizes the depth and breadth of intellectual capital to create and distribute research content. The broad range of services such as Insights, Consulting and Conferences with specialized industry expertise and global reach differentiate Gartner from its competitors. This diversification enables the company to mitigate the impacts of economic cycles, crises, events, and changes in a particular practice, industry, or country.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 EPS has increased 5.6% in the past 60 days to $14.42. IT currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The stock has gained 32.6% in the past month.  You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Price & Consensus: IT

Huron Consulting: Technological innovation and record demand across healthcare, higher education and commercial sectors continue to raise both complexity and safety expectations, and Huron Consulting is well-positioned to capitalize on these shifts. With a strong foundation of talent, deep multidisciplinary expertise, transformative innovations and acquisitions, it delivered growth in the consulting industry.

The company continues to innovate and use artificial intelligence to improve services and gain broader access to different markets. Recently, it acquired RelateCare, a leading provider of AI-enabled clinical and patient access solutions, to strengthen its patient access and care coordination capabilities. Growing health concerns further support the company’s ability to achieve sustainable growth and create long-term shareholder value.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 EPS has increased by nearly 1.1% in the past 60 days to $9.18. The stock has surged 40.4% in the past month. EXPO currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.

Price & Consensus: HURN

CBIZ: With its service breadth and specialized expertise, this provider of financial, insurance and advisory services has established itself as one of the largest professional services providers for middle-market businesses, solidifying its competitive edge and long-term growth potential.

CBIZ is entering a strong growth phase, fueled by strategic expansion and a reinforced market position. The integration of Marcum has unlocked new synergies, enhanced service offerings, and strengthened relationships with clients and stakeholders. The Marcum transaction significantly expands CBIZ’s capabilities and client base, positioning the firm for broader market reach and cross-selling opportunities.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 EPS has increased 0.7% in the past 60 days to $4.10. The stock has gained 23.2% in the past month. CBIZ currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Price & Consensus: CBIZ

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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