Hudson Global (HSON) Q2 Revenue Tops 3%
Key Points
Earnings per share (non-GAAP) were $0.12, missing the analyst estimate of $0.17 for Q2 2025 and falling short by 29.4%.
Revenue (GAAP) reached $35.5 million in Q2 2025, exceeding expectations and reflecting stable client activity despite a slight year-over-year decrease.
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) nearly doubled year over year in Q2 2025, driven by margin gains in Asia Pacific, though overall profitability remained under pressure.
Hudson Global (NASDAQ:HSON), a talent solutions and recruitment process outsourcing firm, released its second quarter 2025 results on August 8, 2025. The main news from the release was a mixed performance: revenue (GAAP) came in above analyst expectations at $35.5 million, compared to the $34.38 million forecast, while adjusted earnings per share (EPS, non-GAAP) of $0.12 missed estimates by $0.05. The company's adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) climbed to $1.3 million, up significantly year over year, but the period’s bottom line was weighed down by ongoing investments and regional profit pressures. Overall, the quarter reflected a modest upturn in business activity, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, yet revealed continued weaknesses in profitability and margin improvement across other regions.
Metric | Q2 2025 | Q2 2025 Estimate | Q2 2024 | Y/Y Change |
---|---|---|---|---|
EPS (Non-GAAP) | $0.12 | $0.17 | $0.04 | 200.0% |
Revenue | $35.5 million | $34.38 million | $35.7 million | (-0.6%) |
Adjusted Net Revenue | $18.6 million | $17.6 million | 5.7% | |
Adjusted EBITDA | $1.3 million | N/A | N/A |
Source: Analyst estimates for the quarter provided by FactSet.
Business Overview and Strategic Priorities
Hudson Global operates in the recruitment process outsourcing space, delivering solutions around talent acquisition, executive search, and workforce consulting to organizations worldwide. The company’s RPO offerings allow clients to outsource all or part of their hiring processes, helping businesses adapt to evolving talent needs within a changing, competitive global market.
Recently, Hudson Global has concentrated on expanding its reach into key international growth markets, strengthening technological capabilities, and broadening its service portfolio. Its biggest priorities have included entering new geographies such as Japan, investing in proprietary digital solutions, and working to safeguard relationships with its largest clients, who contribute a significant share of total revenue.
Second Quarter Performance: Regional Developments and Investments
During Q2 2025, revenue (GAAP) of $35.5 million narrowly exceeded analyst expectations but showed a slight decrease compared to the same period last year. Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) rose sharply from $0.04 to $0.12, yet did not meet the $0.17 analyst forecast (non-GAAP). On the profitability side, adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) reached $1.3 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $0.7 million in the same period in 2024, but still a modest figure relative to total revenue.
A substantial focus was on investing for future growth. Management reported spending around $1.4 million in the first half of 2025 above normal sales, marketing, and technology maintenance levels. These investments, particularly in automation and digital platforms, are intended to enhance Hudson’s service capability but contributed to weaker short-term profits. The company’s chief digital project, Hudson Infusion, is slated for client rollout by late third or early fourth quarter, as part of a plan to improve scalability and client value.
Regionally, results were mixed. In the Americas, revenue improved modestly to $7.1 million, but adjusted net revenue slipped by 1% and EBITDA dropped. Asia Pacific stood out as a bright spot, with adjusted net revenue (non-GAAP) increasing 17% compared to the same period in 2024. Asia Pacific adjusted EBITDA was $1.9 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $0.8 million in the second quarter of 2024, with adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) more than doubling year over year. In contrast, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) posted GAAP revenue growth. EMEA adjusted net revenue decreased 9% in the second quarter of 2025, compared to the second quarter of 2024, and swung to a notable adjusted EBITDA loss (non-GAAP) in the second quarter of 2025.
Beyond operational results, the quarter was marked by strategic expansion activities. The acquisition of Alpha Consulting Group enabled Hudson’s entry into Japan, a market that had previously represented a gap in its global coverage. Integration of McKinsey CMO Group (CMRG) further broadened the service lineup to include recruitment marketing and brand strategy. Management continued to cite growth in India and Latin America, as well as foundational investments in the Middle East, as central to ongoing geographic and service diversification efforts.
Client concentration remains a significant risk. The top three clients made up 46% of Hudson’s revenue in fiscal year 2024, reflecting a vulnerability to changes in contract activity.
The company maintained a strong liquidity position, finishing the quarter with $17.5 million in cash and equivalents. Share repurchases continued, with $2.9 million used to buy back 175,041 shares as of August 8, 2025, and $2.1 million remaining in the authorized program. Cash flow from operations (GAAP) was positive at $0.1 million, improving notably from the $4.3 million outflow in cash flow from operations in the same period in 2024 Strategic use of the company’s $240 million U.S. net operating loss (NOL) carryforwards remains a potential benefit, especially as Hudson approaches its pending merger with Star Equity Holdings.
Product Lineup and Service Expansion
The core of Hudson Global’s offerings is recruitment process outsourcing: services where companies transfer part or all of their talent acquisition and hiring functions to external specialists. Alongside RPO, the company expanded into executive search in North America, particularly targeting roles in life sciences and human resources. Integration of CMRG added brand and digital recruitment marketing services, while the digital product suite, including TalentMax, aims to incorporate artificial intelligence and automation into the recruitment cycle.
Development of its own digital platform suite, referred to as Hudson Infusion, is a current priority. This initiative, led by a new Chief Digital Officer, aims to deliver scalable, proprietary recruitment technologies and automation to enterprise clients. These service expansions are key to Hudson’s goal of differentiating itself in a highly fragmented, competitive industry.
Outlook and What to Watch
Hudson Global’s leadership did not provide specific forward revenue or earnings guidance for coming quarters. Management did, however, highlight continued investments into growth initiatives, focused expansion in Asia Pacific and other high-potential regions, and ongoing digital innovation as key themes for the remainder of fiscal 2025.
The pending merger with Star Equity Holdings, which is set for a shareholder vote on August 21, could reshape the company’s financial structure, service range, and cost base. The company stated that the merger is intended to increase size, diversification, and eliminate redundant costs. Integration and execution risks remain, and success will depend on realizing expected synergies. Regional performance, particularly continued improvement in Asia Pacific, will be important markers in the coming quarters. Overreliance on a handful of large clients also remains a notable area of risk for financial stability.
Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.
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