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Evaluating Valuation After Strong Earnings Upgrades and Business Growth Momentum

Evaluating Valuation After Strong Earnings Upgrades and Business Growth Momentum

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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) is back in the spotlight after news highlighting its exceptional projected earnings growth, which stands well above peers. Investors seem energized by positive earnings revisions and strong cash flow figures.

See our latest analysis for Houlihan Lokey.

After a strong run, Houlihan Lokey’s share price has cooled recently, with a 30-day decline of 11.6% despite upbeat earnings revisions and robust cash flow news in the spotlight. Over the past five years, long-term shareholders have still seen a remarkable total return of nearly 187%, reflecting powerful growth momentum that has weathered short-term swings.

If you’re in the mood to spot more breakout opportunities, now is the perfect time to broaden your search and discover fast growing stocks with high insider ownership

Given this impressive growth trajectory and a recent pullback in share price, is the market offering a rare entry point into Houlihan Lokey, or are investors already pricing in every bit of that high-powered future growth?

With Houlihan Lokey trading at $175.40, the most widely followed narrative suggests a fair value well above the recent share price. This implies a notable upside driven by strong future expectations. Let’s take a closer look at a key narrative catalyst that underpins this view.

Ongoing global expansion, sector diversification, and talent recruitment position Houlihan Lokey for sustained revenue growth and increased market share. Strong pipelines from succession planning, resilient restructuring activity, and enhanced client engagement are stabilizing fee income and supporting earnings despite macroeconomic shifts.

Read the complete narrative.

Curious about the ambitious earnings roadmap baked into this fair value? Want to see which bold margin and revenue forecasts make analysts double down on their outlook? The real story behind this valuation could surprise you. Don’t miss the pivotal assumptions powering this price.

Result: Fair Value of $210.86 (UNDERVALUED)

Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what’s behind the forecasts.

However, Houlihan Lokey’s reliance on US market trends and persistent high costs could threaten its growth if global M&A activity or expense control falters.

Find out about the key risks to this Houlihan Lokey narrative.

Now let’s use a different lens and compare Houlihan Lokey’s share price to its earnings. The company currently trades at a ratio of 28.8 times earnings, which is significantly higher than both the industry average of 23.6 times and the peer average of just 18.1 times. Even when benchmarked against our fair ratio estimate of 16.3, HLI appears expensive.

This gap suggests the market is pricing in sustained momentum that may not be guaranteed. Will investors continue to pay a premium, or could sentiment shift if growth slows?

See what the numbers say about this price — find out in our valuation breakdown.

NYSE:HLI PE Ratio as at Nov 2025

Not convinced by the current story, or want to examine the numbers yourself? You can explore and build your own perspective in just a few minutes with Do it your way

A good starting point is our analysis highlighting 3 key rewards investors are optimistic about regarding Houlihan Lokey.

Seize the opportunity to get ahead. Simply Wall Street’s powerful screener puts the sharpest investment angles at your fingertips, so you never miss a trend.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include HLI.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com

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