Buybacks largely absorbed by stock pay. Stock-based pay expense $136M vs $258M spent repurchasing shares over the 3 fiscal years to FY Apr 2026. Shares outstanding changed +4.4% from April 2023 to September 2026.
Over three fiscal years Korn Ferry recorded $136M of stock-based pay expense and spent $258M repurchasing shares (repurchases can include shares withheld to cover employees' taxes). The share count barely moved (+4.4%), so much of the repurchasing offset new employee shares rather than shrinking the count.Over three fiscal years Korn Ferry recorded $136M of stock-based pay expense and spent $258M repurchasing shares. The share count barely moved (+4.4%), so much of the repurchasing offset new employee shares rather than shrinking the count.
Profit is backed by cash. Free cash flow is 113% of reported profit.
Korn Ferry's free cash flow is 113% of its reported profit, so its earnings are turning into cash it can reinvest, pay out or use to reduce debt.
More volatile share price. Beta 1.26: tends to move more than the market.
Korn Ferry's shares have swung more with the market than most peers' (beta 1.26, above the market's 1.0).
Valuation, growth and profitability scores: higher is better. Risk: 0 is lower, 2 is higher. Risk is a relative proxy, not a bankruptcy probability. Scores depend on available sector peers.
Questions investors ask about Korn Ferry
Is Korn Ferry getting weaker?
Its latest SEC filing (Sep 9, 2026) got weaker in some ways: share count up 7.3%. Its overall score is unchanged at 64/100 since Oct 28, 2026.
How is Korn Ferry valued vs its peers?
Priced lower than most peers relative to what it earns. Valuation scores 77/100 against 2,459 industrials peers.EBITDA yield 12.9% vs a peer median of 6.9% (stronger than 80% of peers).EBITDA yield 12.9% vs peers 6.9% (stronger than 80% of peers).
Is Korn Ferry growing?
At about the same pace as its peers. Growth scores 47/100 against 2,459 industrials peers.3-year revenue growth 1.4% vs a peer median of 4.2% (weaker than 62% of peers).3-year revenue growth 1.4% vs peers 4.2% (weaker than 62% of peers).
How profitable is Korn Ferry?
More profitable than most of its peers. Profitability scores 83/100 against 2,459 industrials peers.Return on assets 7.4% vs a peer median of 3.1% (stronger than 85% of peers).Return on assets 7.4% vs peers 3.1% (stronger than 85% of peers).
How risky is Korn Ferry?
Moderate risk relative to 2,459 industrials peers, judged on debt, liquidity and share-price swings.Current ratio 2.37× vs a peer median of 1.62× (stronger than 74% of peers).Current ratio 2.37× vs peers 1.62× (stronger than 74% of peers).Beta 1.26 vs a peer median of 0.64 (weaker than 87% of peers).Beta 1.26 vs peers 0.64 (weaker than 87% of peers). A relative measure, not a bankruptcy probability.
Latest filing: what changed
Quarter ended Jul 31, 2026 · filed Sep 9, 2026 · compared with the quarter ended Apr 30, 2026
Got weaker
Share count up 7.3% (existing holders diluted)
Previous quarter
Latest quarter
Change
Revenue (12 months)
2.9B USD
3.0B USD
+1.7%
Net income (12 months)
280.8M USD
283.2M USD
+0.8%
Operating margin
12.8%
12.9%
+0.1 pts
Free cash flow (12 months)
324.3M USD
318.7M USD
−1.7%
Debt
398.6M USD
398.8M USD
+0.1%
Cash
1.1B USD
800.9M USD
−26.9%
Shares outstanding
50.9M
54.6M
+7.3%
From the company’s own SEC filings, as filed. Twelve-month figures roll forward one quarter at a time.
Industry valuation context
Sector: Industrials · 318 companies
Valuations in Industrials are near the top of their range since 2016.
85% of months since 2016 were valued lower than now.
41% of companies are in the most expensive fifth of their own price-to-sales history.
Over 24 months, company values +20% and earnings +14% (medians): prices and earnings moved broadly together.
Median price-to-sales is −24% vs the whole market, against a usual −31%.
2016Shaded: most expensive fifth of its range2026
Korn Ferry looks cheaper than most of its peers on our valuation measures, while the Industrials sector as a whole is valued high by its own standards since 2016. Both can be true at once.
Shown for Industrials: too few Staffing & Employment Services companies have a long enough history of their own.
Describes valuations since 2016; it does not predict prices. US companies worth $1B+, from SEC filings and month-end prices, as of Aug 2026. Today's companies and industry labels are used throughout. Measured on earnings, EBITDA, sales and free cash flow yields. How this works
Financials
Fiscal years from SEC annual filings · change vs the prior year
Key ratios
FY Apr 2022
FY Apr 2023
FY Apr 2024
FY Apr 2025
FY Apr 2026
Change
Operating margin
17.8%
11.0%
7.6%
12.5%
12.8%
▲ 0.2 pts
Net margin
12.3%
7.3%
6.1%
8.9%
9.4%
▲ 0.5 pts
Return on assets (ROA)
9.4%
5.9%
4.6%
6.4%
6.8%
▲ 0.5 pts
Return on equity (ROE)
21.1%
12.7%
9.8%
13.2%
14.1%
▲ 0.9 pts
Free cash flow margin
17.1%
9.6%
8.2%
10.9%
11.0%
▲ 0.1 pts
Current ratio
1.79×
1.68×
1.79×
1.83×
1.94×
▲ 6.0%
Debt to equity
0.26×
0.24×
0.23×
0.21×
0.20×
▼ 5.2%
KFY price history
Price history is added with the daily price update and will appear after the next one.