Quarterly Report for Quarter Ending September 30, 2025 (Form 10-Q)

Management's Discussion and Analysis ofFinancial Condition and Results of Operations

General

Company BackgroundBarrett Business Services, Inc. ("BBSI," the "Company," "our" or "we"), is a leading provider of business management solutions for small and mid-sized companies. The Company has developed a management platform that integrates a knowledge-based approach from the management consulting industry with tools from the human resource outsourcing industry. This platform, through the effective leveraging of human capital, helps our business owner clients run their businesses more effectively. We believe this platform, delivered through a decentralized organizational structure, differentiates BBSI from our competitors. BBSI was incorporated in Maryland in 1965.

Business StrategyOur strategy is to align local operations teams with the mission of small and mid-sized business owners, driving value to their business. To do so, BBSI:

Business OrganizationWe operate a decentralized delivery model using operationally focused business teams, typically located within 50 miles of our client companies. These teams are led by experienced business generalists and include senior-level professionals with expertise in human resources, organizational development, risk mitigation and workplace safety, recruiting, employee benefits, and various types of administration, including payroll. These teams are responsible for growth and profitability of their operations, and for providing strategic leadership, guidance and expert consultation to our client companies. The decentralized structure fosters autonomous decision-making in which business teams deliver plans that closely align with the objectives of each business owner client.

Services OverviewBBSI's core purpose is to advocate for business owners, particularly in the small and mid-sized business segment. Our evolution from an entrepreneurially run company to a professionally managed organization has helped to form our view that all businesses experience inflection points at key stages of growth. The insights gained through our own growth, along with the trends we see in working with more than 8,100 companies each day, define our approach to guiding business owners through the challenges associated with being an employer. BBSI's business teams align with each business owner client through a structured three-tiered progression. In doing so, business teams focus on the objectives of each business owner and deliver planning, guidance and resources in support of those objectives.

Tier 1: Tactical Alignment

The first stage focuses on the mutual setting of expectations and is essential to a successful client relationship. It begins with a process of assessment and discovery in which the business owner's business objectives, philosophies, and culture are aligned with BBSI's processes, controls and culture. This stage includes an implementation process, which addresses the administrative components of employment.

Tier 2: Dynamic Relationship

The second stage of the relationship emphasizes organizational development as a means of achieving each client's business objectives. There is a focus on process improvement, development of best practices, supervisor training and leadership development.

Tier 3: Strategic Counsel

With an emphasis on advocacy on behalf of the business owner, the third stage of the relationship is more strategic and forward-looking with a goal of cultivating an environment in which all efforts are directed by the mission and long-term objectives of the business owner.

In addition to serving as a resource and guide, BBSI can provide workers' compensation coverage as a means of meeting statutory requirements and protecting our clients from employment-related injury claims. Through our third-party administrators, we provide claims management services for our clients. We work to manage and reduce job injury claims, identify fraudulent claims and structure optimal work programs, including modified duty.

In 2023, BBSI began offering additional employee benefit programs to our clients. The benefit programs available to clients include medical, dental and vision plans, flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts, life insurance and voluntary accident coverage, and critical illness and disability coverage, among others. These additional employee benefit programs are offered through fully insured arrangements with third-party carriers and are designed to provide strategic value to our clients through access to best-in-class plans and service.

Results of Operations

The following table sets forth the percentages of total revenues represented by selected items in the Company's condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 ($ in thousands):

We report PEO revenues net of direct payroll costs because we are not the primary obligor for wage payments to our clients' employees. However, management believes that gross billings and wages are useful in understanding the volume of our business activity and serve as an important performance metric in managing our operations, including the preparation of internal operating forecasts and establishing executive compensation performance goals. We therefore present for purposes of analysis gross billings and wage information for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024.

In monitoring and evaluating the performance of our operations, management also reviews the following ratios, which represent selected amounts as a percentage of gross billings. Management believes these ratios are useful in understanding the efficiency and profitability of our service offerings.

We refer to employees of our PEO clients as worksite employees ("WSEs"). Management reviews average and ending WSE growth to monitor and evaluate the performance of our operations. Average WSEs are calculated by dividing the number of unique individuals paid in each month by the number of months in the period. Ending WSEs represents the number of unique individuals paid in the last month of the period.

Three Months Ended September 30, 2025 and 2024

Net income for the third quarter of 2025 amounted to $20.6 million compared to net income of $19.6 million for the third quarter of 2024. Diluted net income per share for the third quarter of 2025 was $0.79 compared to diluted net income per share of $0.74 for the third quarter of 2024.

Revenue for the third quarter of 2025 totaled $318.9 million, an increase of $24.7 million or 8.4% over the third quarter of 2024, which reflects an increase in the Company's PEO services revenue of $26.9 million or 9.9% and a decrease in staffing services revenue of $2.2 million or 10.3%.

The increase in PEO services revenue was primarily attributable to a 6.1% increase in the average number of WSEs as well as a 2.5% increase in average billing per WSE per day.

Gross margin for the third quarter of 2025 totaled $76.8 million or 24.0% of revenue compared to $74.4 million or 25.3% of revenue for the third quarter of 2024. The decrease in gross margin as a percentage of revenues is primarily a result of the factors discussed within the separate components of gross margin below.

Direct payroll costs for the third quarter of 2025 totaled $14.6 million or 4.6% of revenue compared to $16.2 million or 5.5% of revenue for the third quarter of 2024. The decrease in direct payroll costs as a percentage of revenues was primarily due to a decrease in staffing services within the mix of our customer base compared to the third quarter of 2024.

Payroll taxes and benefits for the third quarter of 2025 totaled $176.3 million or 55.3% of revenue compared to $154.1 million or 52.4% of revenue for the third quarter of 2024. The increase in payroll taxes and benefits expense as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to higher average payroll tax rates in the third quarter of 2025 as well as expanded adoption of our PEO client benefit programs, resulting in client benefit costs of $19.6 million in the third quarter of 2025 compared to $9.0 million in the third quarter of 2024.

Workers' compensation expense for the third quarter of 2025 totaled $51.3 million or 16.1% of revenue compared to $49.5 million or 16.8% of revenue for the third quarter of 2024. The decrease in workers' compensation expense as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to lower workers' compensation costs in the third quarter of 2025, which included favorable prior year liability and premium adjustments of $3.9 million, compared to favorable prior year liability and premium adjustments of $4.3 million in the third quarter of 2024.

Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses for the third quarter of 2025 totaled $49.9 million or 15.6% of revenue compared to $49.1 million or 16.7% of revenue for the third quarter of 2024. The increase of $0.8 million in SG&A expense was primarily attributable to increased employee-related costs compared to the third quarter of 2024.

Other income, net for the third quarter of 2025 totaled $2.0 million compared to other income, net of $2.3 million for the third quarter of 2024. The decrease was primarily attributable to a decrease in investment income in the third quarter of 2025.

Our effective income tax rate for the third quarter of 2025 was 22.9% compared to 23.6% for the third quarter of 2024. Our income tax rate typically differs from the federal statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to state taxes as well as federal and state tax credits.

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2025 and 2024

Net income for the first nine months of 2025 amounted to $38.1 million compared to net income of $36.2 million for the first nine months of 2024. Diluted net income per share for the first nine months of 2025 was $1.45 compared to diluted net income per share of $1.35 for the first nine months of 2024.

Revenue for the first nine months of 2025 totaled $919.2 million, an increase of $79.5 million or 9.5% over the first nine months of 2024, which reflects an increase in the Company's PEO services revenue of $85.9 million or 11.0% and a decrease in staffing services revenue of $6.5 million or 10.6%.

The increase in PEO services revenue was primarily attributable to a 7.2% increase in the average number of WSEs as well as a 2.7% increase in average billing per WSE per day.

Gross margin for the first nine months of 2025 totaled $192.6 million or 20.9% of revenue compared to $181.9 million or 21.6% of revenue for the first nine months of 2024. The decrease in gross margin as a percentage of revenues is primarily a result of the factors discussed within the separate components of gross margin below.

Direct payroll costs for the first nine months of 2025 totaled $41.1 million or 4.5% of revenue compared to $45.6 million or 5.4% of revenue for the first nine months of 2024. The decrease in direct payroll costs as a percentage of revenues was primarily due to a decrease in staffing services within the mix of our customer base compared to the first nine months of 2024.

Payroll taxes and benefits for the first nine months of 2025 totaled $536.6 million or 58.4% of revenue compared to $464.8 million or 55.4% of revenue for the first nine months of 2024. The increase in payroll taxes and benefits expense as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to higher average payroll tax rates in the first nine months of 2025 as well as expanded adoption of our PEO client benefit programs, resulting in client benefit costs of $54.4 million in the first nine months of 2025 compared to $22.6 million in the first nine months of 2024.

Workers' compensation expense for the first nine months of 2025 totaled $148.9 million or 16.2% of revenue compared to $147.4 million or 17.6% of revenue for the first nine months of 2024. The decrease in workers' compensation expense as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to lower workers' compensation costs in the first nine months of 2025, which included favorable prior year liability and premium adjustments of $16.5 million in the first nine months of 2025 compared to favorable prior year liability and premium adjustments of $16.1 million in the first nine months of 2024.

SG&A expense for the first nine months of 2025 totaled $142.9 million or 15.5% of revenue compared to $137.1 million or 16.3% of revenue for the first nine months of 2024. The increase of $5.8 million in SG&A expense was primarily attributable to increased employee-related costs compared to the first nine months of 2025.

Other income, net for the first nine months of 2025 totaled $6.9 million compared to other income, net of $8.6 million for the first nine months of 2024. The decrease was primarily attributable to a decrease in investment income in the first nine months of 2025.

Our effective income tax rate for the first nine months of 2025 was 24.7% compared to 24.2% for the first nine months of 2024. Our income tax rate typically differs from the federal statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to state taxes as well as federal and state tax credits.

Fluctuations in Quarterly Operating Results

We historically have experienced significant fluctuations in our quarterly operating results, including losses or minimal income in the first quarter of each year, and expect such fluctuations to continue in the future. Our operating results may fluctuate due to a number of factors such as seasonality, wage limits on statutory payroll taxes, claims experience for workers' compensation, demand for our services, and competition. Payroll taxes, as a component of cost of revenues, generally decline throughout a calendar year as the applicable statutory wage bases for federal and state unemployment taxes and Social Security taxes are exceeded on a per employee basis. Our revenue levels may be higher in the third quarter due to the effect of increased business activity of our customers' businesses in the agriculture, food processing and forest products-related industries. In addition, revenues in the fourth quarter may be reduced by many customers' practice of operating on holiday-shortened schedules. Workers' compensation expense varies with both the frequency and severity of workplace injury claims reported during a quarter and the estimated future costs of such claims. Positive or adverse loss development of prior period claims during a subsequent quarter may also contribute to the volatility in the Company's estimated workers' compensation expense.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company's cash balance of $66.0 million, which includes cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, decreased $16.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, compared to a decrease of $46.1 million for the comparable period of 2024. The decrease in cash at September 30, 2025 as compared to December 31, 2024 was primarily due to the factors discussed below.

Net cash used in operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 amounted to $10.2 million, compared to cash used of $43.3 million for the comparable period of 2024. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, net cash used in operating activities was primarily due to increased trade accounts receivable of $66.1 million, decreased premium payable of $35.6 million, decreased workers' compensation claims liabilities of $19.2 million, increased prepaid expenses of $7.1 million, and decreased payroll taxes payable of $6.5 million, partially offset by increased accrued payroll and related benefits of $63.0 million, net income of $38.1 million, share-based compensation of $7.8 million, and increased other accrued liabilities of $7.3 million.

Net cash provided by investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 totaled $27.4 million, compared to cash provided of $29.0 million for the comparable period of 2024. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, net cash provided by investing activities consisted of proceeds from sales and maturities of investments and restricted investments of $84.1 million, partially offset by purchases of investments and restricted investments of $43.4 million and purchases of property, equipment and software of $13.3 million.

Net cash used in financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 was $33.8 million, compared to cash used of $31.9 million for the comparable period of 2024. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, net cash used in financing activities primarily consisted of repurchases of common stock of $24.8 million and dividend payments of $6.2 million.

The Company is required to maintain minimum collateral levels for certain policies issued under the insured program, which is held in a trust account (the "trust account"). The balance in the trust account was $159.9 million and $197.1 million at September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The trust account balance is included as a component of the current and long-term restricted cash and investments in the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheets.

See "Note 4 - Revolving Credit Facility and Long-Term Debt" to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in Item 1 of Part I of this report for additional information regarding the Company's credit agreement with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

Forward-Looking Information

Statements in this report include forward-looking statements which are not historical in nature and are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, among others, discussion of economic conditions in our market areas, especially in California, and their effect on revenue levels; the competitiveness of our service offerings; the availability of certain fully insured medical and other health and welfare benefits to qualifying worksite employees; our ability to attract and retain clients and to achieve revenue growth; the effect of changes in our mix of services on gross margin; labor market conditions; the adequacy of our workers' compensation reserves; the effect of changes in estimates of our future claims liabilities on our workers' compensation reserves, including the effect of changes in our reserving practices and claims management process on our actuarial estimates; expected levels of required surety deposits and letters of credit; the outcome of audits; the effect of our formation and operation of two wholly owned licensed insurance subsidiaries; the risks of operation and cost of our insured program; the financial viability of our excess insurance carriers; the effectiveness of our management information systems; our relationship with our primary bank lender and the availability of financing and working capital to meet our funding requirements; litigation costs; the effect of changes in the interest rate environment on the value of our investment securities; the adequacy of our allowance for expected credit losses; and the potential for and effect of acquisitions.

All our forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors with respect to the Company include: our ability to retain current clients and attract new clients; difficulties associated with integrating clients into our operations; economic trends in our service areas and the potential effects of changing governmental policies, including those related to immigration and tariffs; natural disasters; the potential for material deviations from expected future workers' compensation claims experience; changes in the workers' compensation regulatory environment in our primary markets; PEO client benefit costs, particularly with regard to health insurance benefits; security breaches or failures in the Company's information technology systems; collectability of accounts receivable; changes in executive management; changes in effective payroll tax rates and federal and state income tax rates; the carrying values of deferred income tax assets and goodwill (which may be affected by our future operating results); the effects of inflation on our operating expenses and those of our clients; the impact of and potential changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, escalating medical costs, and other health care legislative initiatives on our business; the effect of changing interest rates and conditions in the global capital markets on our investment portfolio; and the availability of capital, borrowing capacity on our revolving credit facility, or letters of credit necessary to meet state-mandated surety deposit requirements for maintaining our status as a qualified self-insured employer for workers' compensation coverage or our insured program. Additional risk factors affecting our business are discussed in Item 1A of Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed with the SEC on February 28, 2025. We disclaim any obligation to publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events or developments.