Korn Ferry research snapshot
KFY AI stock analysis as of the August 4, 2026 data cutoff reads Korn Ferry as a cash-generative talent and organizational consulting firm that is executing well and growing for the fifth consecutive quarter. At the August 3, 2026 market reading the stock traded at $83.13 with a market capitalization near $4.23 billion, above the 50-day moving average near $73.20 and the 200-day average near $67.46, and within a $58.95 to $85.69 52-week range. The Q4 FY26 report, released June 23, 2026, beat consensus with adjusted EPS of $1.40, and the June 29, 2026 announcement of a $1.1B acquisition of UK-based AMS from OMERS Private Equity is expected to be immediately accretive and to create a global leader in talent consulting with a $3.5 billion backlog pending regulatory approval. The KFY AI stock forecast remains scenario-based because AMS integration, consulting utilization, hiring demand, and Middle East-driven macro conditions can change the outcome. This page is informational research and not investment advice.
Current price
$83.13 at the August 3, 2026, 1:23 PM EDT reading, up $0.86 or 1.05% from the $82.27 previous close
Market cap
$4.23 billion
AI score
74 / 100
Rating
High-quality talent and organizational consulting franchise with five consecutive quarters of top-line growth, a transformative $1.1B AMS acquisition, and rising analyst targets, now priced close to the high end of its range
Trend status
Bullish medium-term trend with the stock above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages and trading near the $85.69 52-week high, while the latest RSI near 66 was strong but below overbought
Data cutoff (updated monthly)
August 4, 2026
Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.
| Dimension | Conclusion | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Business quality | Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm offering executive search, professional search and interim, recruitment process outsourcing, consulting, and digital talent technology, with FY2026 fee revenue of about $2.9 billion, up 7%, and adjusted EBITDA of nearly $500 million. | High |
| Moat | The moat comes from a 57-year brand in executive search, deep C-suite client relationships, a business referral rate of 29.1% of consolidated fee revenue, a library of over 113 million executive assessments, proprietary IP such as Korn Ferry Architect and Assess, and a global network of about 1,800 partners and principals. | Medium-high |
| Management | Gary D. Burnison has served as CEO since 2003 and has returned $221 million to shareholders in FY2026 through buybacks and dividends, consistently grown the dividend, maintained a net cash balance sheet, and committed $1.1B to the largest acquisition in company history with the AMS deal. | Medium-high |
| Financial trend | FY2026 revenue reached about $2.91 billion, up 6.5%, with net income of $274.04 million and EPS of $5.22 on a TTM basis. Q4 FY26 adjusted EPS of $1.40 beat consensus of $1.38, estimated remaining fees under existing contracts rose 10% to about $1.9 billion, and adjusted free cash flow reached $324.29 million. | High |
| Valuation | At $83.13, the trailing PE is about 15.76x with a forward PE near 14.23x, price to book near 2.09x, price to sales near 1.46x, EV/EBITDA near 7.81x, and a dividend yield of about 2.64%. The stock trades above the $81.00 average analyst target. | Medium-high |
| Technical trend | The stock traded at $83.13 on August 3, 2026, above its 50-day moving average near $73.20 and 200-day moving average near $67.46, with 14-day RSI near 65.74 and Barchart technical opinion at Strong Buy with a 100% rating. | Medium-high |
| Risk level | Key risks are AMS acquisition integration and regulatory approval, Middle East conflict weighing on new business in APAC and EMEA, macroeconomic hiring cycles, consulting and RPO competition from firms such as Robert Half, Manpower, Insperity, and Kforce, key-person risk among senior consultants, and currency fluctuations from global operations. | High |
| AI confidence | High for reported facts and cross-checked math that matched across StockAnalysis.com, Barchart, Yahoo Finance, and the Q4 FY26 earnings call. Medium for the forecast because AMS integration, hiring demand, and macro conditions can shift. | High data confidence |
| Investment certainty | Medium certainty. Korn Ferry has a durable brand, strong cash generation, and a shareholder-friendly capital allocation policy, but the current price requires successful AMS integration, continued talent market activity, and no major macro downturn. | Medium |
KFY AI stock forecast
The KFY AI stock forecast uses scenario math around the $83.13 August 3, 2026 reference price and the FY2027 consensus adjusted EPS of about $5.78. A three year financial_rigor.py framework using 15%, 9%, and negative 3% annual EPS growth with 16x, 14x, and 9x terminal multiples produced mechanical values near $141, $105, and $48. These are sensitivity ranges, not price promises, and they exclude the dividend yield of approximately 2.6% per year.
$125 to $145
More likely if the AMS acquisition closes on schedule and delivers cost and revenue synergies, estimated remaining fees keep growing, executive search and interim demand stay strong across the Americas and EMEA, consulting utilization holds up, and investors apply a higher earnings multiple.
$95 to $115
More likely if Korn Ferry compounds adjusted EPS near the consensus growth rate, AMS integration proceeds on plan, fee revenue growth continues in the mid single digits, buybacks continue, and the market holds roughly a 14x forward multiple.
$45 to $60
More likely if the Middle East conflict or a broader slowdown reduces executive search and consulting demand, the AMS deal is delayed or diluted, the dividend is cut, EPS contracts, and the market rerates KFY toward a single-digit earnings multiple.
KFY AI technical analysis
KFY AI technical analysis uses the August 3, 2026 market reading and available chart data. The stock traded at $83.13, up $0.86 or 1.05%, above its 50-day moving average near $73.20 and 200-day moving average near $67.46, and within the upper part of its $58.95 to $85.69 52-week range. Barchart rates the technical setup Strong Buy with a 100% rating, and the stock is about 3% below the $85.69 52-week high reached on July 29, 2026.
| Level | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Current price | $83.13 | StockAnalysis.com real-time reading for August 3, 2026 at 1:23 PM EDT, up $0.86 or 1.05% from the $82.27 previous close. |
| Near support | $81 to $82 | Barchart lists first support near $81.24 and second support near $80.21. A hold above $81 keeps the short-term trend intact. |
| Secondary support | $75 to $76 | The 61.8% Fibonacci retracement of the recent range sits near $75.48. This area is a value zone if the stock pulls back. |
| Near resistance | $84 to $85.69 | Barchart lists first resistance near $82.82 and third resistance near $84.40. The 52-week high of $85.69 is the key breakout level. |
| 50-day moving average | $73.20 | StockAnalysis.com reports the 50-day moving average near $73.20. Price above this level supports the bullish setup. |
| 200-day moving average | $67.46 | StockAnalysis.com reports the 200-day moving average near $67.46. This remains a structural floor far below the current price. |
| Momentum | Positive but not extreme | The stock is up about 20% over the last month and 25% over three months. 14-day RSI near 65.74 is strong but below the overbought threshold. |
| Volume | Average volume near 423,748 shares over 20 days | StockAnalysis.com reports average 20-day volume of about 423,748 shares. Volume expansion on a move through $85.69 would add conviction. |
| Volatility | Beta near 1.20, with implied volatility near 35% | Barchart reports implied volatility near 35.38% with a 33.35% IV rank, suggesting options priced for the September 8 earnings report. |
| Invalidation | Close below $81, then $75 | A sustained close below $81 would weaken the near-term setup. A break below the $75 area would signal a deeper correction. |
KFY AI trading strategy
The KFY AI trading strategy is a rules-based framework for a cash-generative, cyclical talent and consulting company. It is not personalized advice and should be paired with live chart data, earnings releases, AMS integration and regulatory updates, consulting utilization metrics, hiring market data, and explicit invalidation levels.
Watch for KFY to hold above the $81 support zone and break the $85.69 52-week high on above-average volume, with confirmation from AMS closing news, continued fee revenue growth, and strong new business trends in the Americas.
A failed breakout that closes back below $82 should invalidate the near-term trend setup. A close below $81 reduces the bullish setup confidence.
If KFY pulls back toward the $75 to $76 Fibonacci area or the 50-day moving average near $73 without deterioration in the balance sheet, cash flow, dividend, or consulting pipeline, compare the lower price with the talent and organizational consulting thesis.
Do not treat a lower share price as automatic value. A macro-driven hiring slowdown or a delayed AMS closing can compress earnings and multiples simultaneously.
Track KFY quarterly fee revenue by solution group (search, talent and organizational solutions, workforce solutions) and by region under the new Q1 FY27 segment reporting, plus adjusted EBITDA margin near the 16% to 18% range, estimated remaining fees, buyback activity, dividend growth, debt levels, and AMS deal milestones.
Reduce confidence if fee revenue growth stagnates, AMS integration disappoints, adjusted EBITDA margin slips below guidance, or management signals caution on Middle East and macro hiring trends.
Investment research summary
Korn Ferry helps organizations find, assess, develop, and reward their leaders and talent. Customers pay for access to a global network of senior executives, proprietary psychometric and leadership assessment data, and consulting expertise on organization design, succession, and compensation.
The moat is built from a 57-year brand reputation in executive search, deep C-suite client relationships across industries, a global consultant base of about 1,800 partners and principals, proprietary assessment tools, and a business referral rate of 29.1% of consolidated fee revenue.
The thesis fails if the AMS acquisition is delayed or diluted, the Middle East conflict or a broader slowdown cuts executive hiring and consulting demand, key senior consultants leave, AI or technology reduces the need for traditional search, or competition from larger HR services firms intensifies.
Gary D. Burnison has led Korn Ferry since 2003, consistently growing the business through organic investment, bolt-on acquisitions, and buybacks, returning $221 million to shareholders in FY2026. The $1.1B AMS deal is the largest in company history and a key test of capital allocation discipline.
The talent and organizational consulting market benefits from secular trends in workforce transformation, leadership development, and specialized talent demand. AI is changing how companies hire and assess talent, but management argues the human judgment element in executive search remains highly valued. This is a steady-growth services industry, not a hypergrowth technology market.
At about 15.8x trailing EPS, 14.2x forward EPS, 2.1x book value, and a 2.6% dividend yield, KFY is reasonably valued but trades above its $81.00 average analyst target. The margin of safety improves if the price falls toward the $75 to $76 Fibonacci area while the balance sheet and dividend remain intact.
Source-backed data
Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.
| Metric | Value | Source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current price | $83.13 | StockAnalysis.com KFY quote | August 3, 2026 |
| Market capitalization | $4.23 billion | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Shares outstanding | About 50.86 million | Calculated from market cap and price; StockAnalysis.com | August 3, 2026 |
| FY2026 revenue | $2.91 billion | StockAnalysis.com KFY financials | August 3, 2026 |
| TTM net income | $274.04 million | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| TTM EPS | $5.22 | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Trailing P/E | 15.76x | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Forward P/E | 14.23x | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Price/Book | 2.09x | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Cash and equivalents | $1.12 billion | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Total debt | $596.17 million | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Net cash | $541.71 million or $10.65 per share | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Free cash flow (TTM) | $324.29 million | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Dividend and yield | $2.20 per share, 2.64% yield | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Beta (5Y monthly) | 1.20 | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| 52-week range | $58.95 to $85.69 | StockAnalysis.com and Barchart | August 3, 2026 |
| Average daily volume (20d) | 423,748 shares | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| 50-day and 200-day moving averages | $73.20 and $67.46 | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| 14-day RSI | 65.74 | StockAnalysis.com KFY statistics | August 3, 2026 |
| Q4 FY26 revenue and adjusted EPS | $768.3 million revenue and $1.40 adjusted EPS | Korn Ferry Q4 FY26 earnings release and earnings call | June 23, 2026 |
| AMS acquisition | $1.1 billion acquisition of UK-based AMS | Korn Ferry press release and investor call | June 29, 2026 |
| Analyst consensus target | $81.00 average, range $75 to $85 | StockAnalysis.com KFY forecast | June 30, 2026 |
This KFY AI stock analysis page is an informational research tool only. It is not investment advice, financial planning, a recommendation, or a guarantee of future performance. Forecast scenarios are based on available public data and simplified assumptions as of the stated cutoff date, and they may be wrong.
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