Korn Ferry — Cyborg Score 7/10

Solid
Management Consulting & Professional Services

Strategic Profile

The company operates as one unified business with five solutions rather than segmented divisions, moving toward a consolidated "We Are Korn Ferry" strategy to increase cross-selling and business referrals. Executive Search fee revenue grew 10%, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth.

Cyborg Score Rationale

Korn Ferry achieved its fourth consecutive quarter of accelerated growth with strong performance from its Marquee and Diamond accounts. Net income was up 19% year-over-year with a 10.0% margin, an increase of 100 basis points from the year-ago quarter. However, the company's modest revenue growth outlook and slower forecast earnings expansion versus the wider US market highlight limited high growth potential.

Top Insights

  • Estimated remaining fees under existing contracts increased to $1.84 billion, up 20% year-over-year, indicating strong new business momentum in RPO
  • Business referrals grew to 27.6% of consolidated fee revenue, showing progress in the 'We Are Korn Ferry' strategy, up approximately 250 basis points year-over-year
  • Executive Search and Professional Search & Interim segments were standout performers, with fee revenue growing 10% and 17% year-over-year, respectively
  • AI has had significant impact on the RPO business, with primary usage in candidate identification and sourcing across the executive search business

Named Competitors

  • Management Consulting — Global management consulting
  • Management Consulting — Global strategy consulting
  • Talent Acquisition — Staffing and professional services

Recent Developments

  • (December 2025) Second quarter fiscal 2026 fee revenue reached $721.7 million
  • (December 2025) Net income up 19% year-over-year to $72.4 million; Adjusted EBITDA increased 7% to $124.8 million with 17.3% margin
  • (September 2025) First quarter fiscal 2026 fee revenue reached $708.6 million

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