The Consulting Services industry, benefiting from economic strength and a rise in service activities, has demonstrated resilience amid global uncertainties, as indicated by a 0.7% GDP growth in Q4 2025. The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that this sector has remained strong, with non-manufacturing activities, including consulting, maintaining a Services PMI above the 50% threshold for 20 consecutive months. The industry currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of #70, positioning it in the top 29% of 243 Zacks industries, suggesting solid near-term growth prospects.
Notably, the Consulting Services industry has faced a challenging year, with a 37.4% decline compared to a 20% growth in the S&P 500. Currently trading at a forward P/E ratio of 15.55X, the industry remains below the S&P 500’s 21.39X. Amid these dynamics, firms such as FTI Consulting (FCN), Exponent (EXPO), and Stantec (STN) stand out for their diverse offerings and robust growth projections, with Zacks consensus EPS estimates for 2026 increasing respectively by 2.2%, nearly 1%, and 6.4% over the past 60 days.
