Filing Flows › Robert Half (RHI) › Takeover & LBO
Is Robert Half (RHI) a takeover target?
A leveraged buyout does not work for Robert Half on its latest figures: its EBITDA margin is only 2.3% ($122M on revenue of $5.3B), too thin to carry buyout debt. Historically 4.0% of companies with its figures were bought within a year (0.79× the average).
Why a leveraged buyout does not fit
Robert Half kept 2.3% of its revenue as EBITDA over the last 12 months ($122M on $5.3B). A margin that thin cannot carry the debt a leveraged buyout needs — a small dip in sales would leave nothing for interest — so the model gives no buyout price.
What a takeover could cost
Takeovers in its sector paid a median premium of 40% over the share price before the deal (the middle half 14.7% to 60.2%), according to the 20 merger proxies and tender-offer responses on EDGAR that state a premium. At the median, Robert Half would cost about $58.37 a share, $5.9B for all its shares.
| Premium | % | Price a share | All shares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low end (a quarter of deals paid less) | 14.7% | $47.82 | $4.8B |
| Median | 40% | $58.37 | $5.9B |
| High end (a quarter paid more) | 60.2% | $66.79 | $6.7B |
The odds, from history
Historically 4.0% of companies with its figures were bought within a year (0.79× the average). Its figures put it in decile 4 of 10 (10 = the most likely to be bought). The odds come from a model of every merger proxy, tender-offer response and going-private statement filed on EDGAR since 2011, set against each company's size, margins, debt, cash flow and growth the year before.
Robert Half's latest quarter
Robert Half, Q3 2026: revenue $1.4B (+0.4% year over year), operating margin 5.5%, net earnings $49.9M, operating cash flow $66.2M. The chart follows the revenue to costs, profit and cash.
Questions
Is Robert Half being acquired?
No headline, 8-K or 13D about a sale is on file in the last year.
Could private equity buy Robert Half?
A leveraged buyout does not work for Robert Half on its latest figures: its EBITDA margin is only 2.3% ($122M on revenue of $5.3B), too thin to carry buyout debt. A margin that thin leaves almost nothing to pay interest with, so buyout debt does not fit.
What would a takeover of Robert Half cost?
Takeovers in its sector paid a median premium of 40% over the share price before the deal (the middle half 14.7% to 60.2%), according to the 20 merger proxies and tender-offer responses on EDGAR that state a premium. At the median, Robert Half would cost about $58.37 a share, $5.9B for all its shares.
Updated Nov 8, 2026. Read automatically from SEC filings and public data; errors are possible. Not investment advice.