Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Stantec, FTI Consulting and Exponent
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – March 17, 2026 – Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses Stantec Inc.STN-- STN, FTI ConsultingFCN--, Inc. FCN and ExponentEXPO--, Inc. EXPO.
Industry: Consulting Services
Economic strength, encouraging service activities, and the success of the work-from-home trend enable Zacks Consulting Services industry players to meet demand.
Driven by these positives, investors interested in the industry would do well to consider including stocks like Stantec Inc., FTI Consulting, Inc. and Exponent, Inc. in their portfolios.
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 such as 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 0.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025 against a 4.4% increase in the third quarter. Non-manufacturing activities remained strong, as reflected in the February Services PMI, which stayed above the 50% threshold for the 20th 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 #70. This rank places it in the top 29% of 243 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 37.4% against the S&P 500 composite's growth of 20% and the broader sector's 19.3% decline.
Industry's Current Valuation
On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E), which is a commonly used multiple for valuing consulting services companies, we see that the industry is currently trading at 15.55X, above the S&P 500's 21.39X and the sector's 17.53X.
Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 31.53X and as low as 15.55X, with a median of 26.58X.
3 Consulting Services Stocks to Consider
FTI Consulting: The company's diversified offerings and international operations strengthen top-line growth prospects. In 2025, the company generated nearly 34% of its revenues from its international operations. The broad range of practices and services, diversified revenue streams, specialized industry expertise and global reach differentiate FTI Consulting 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 2.2% in the past 60 days to $9.33. FCNFCN-- currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The stock gained 6% in the past month. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Exponent: Technological innovation continues to raise both complexity and safety expectations, and Exponent is well-positioned to capitalize on these shifts. With a strong foundation of talent and deep multidisciplinary expertise, the company delivered growth in dispute-related activities across construction, automotive and medical devices.
Proactive risk management work in the utilities sector further supported performance, offsetting softer demand in chemical regulatory engagements. Encouragingly, momentum is building in early-stage work tied to digital health, AI usability and distributed energy systems, areas with substantial growth potential. These drivers underscore Exponent'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% in the past 60 days to $2.27. The stock has surged 8% in the past month. EXPOEXPO-- currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.
Stantec: The company provides professional services in the areas of infrastructure and facilities. It remains well-positioned for continued success, supported by industry resilience and effective internal strategies. The company benefits from strong macroeconomic and structural drivers while maintaining sharp execution on its projects, enabling margin expansion and earnings growth.
Stantec operates in a resilient sector shaped by long-term global needs, including water security, aging infrastructure, climate change response, advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies. These trends are expected to sustain strong project demand across regions.
Stantec's consistent focus on high-quality project execution and addressing clients' most urgent infrastructure and sustainability challenges supports steady growth. This disciplined approach continues to drive margin improvement and robust earnings performance.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company's 2025 EPS increased 6.4% in the past 60 days to $4.48. STNSTN-- currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.
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FTI Consulting, Inc. (FCN): Free Stock Analysis Report
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Exponent, Inc. (EXPO): Free Stock Analysis Report
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