XML 35 R24.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.25.3

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 9 Months Ended
--- | ---
Sep. 30, 2025
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Basis of Presentation We have prepared the accompanying consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), and with the instructions to Article 8 of Regulation S-X. In the opinion of management, the accompanying consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature that are necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report filed on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. Results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year or for any other period.
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of HQI and all of its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. U.S. GAAP requires the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity (“VIE”) to consolidate that entity. To be the primary beneficiary of a VIE, an entity must have both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that are significant to the beneficiary. We provide acquisition financing to some of our franchisees that could result in our having to absorb losses. This results in some franchisees being considered VIEs. We have reviewed our relationship with each of these franchisees and determined that we are not the primary beneficiary of any of these entities. Accordingly, we have not consolidated these entities.
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates and assumptions underlie our workers’ compensation claim liabilities, our workers’ compensation Risk Management Incentive Program, our deferred taxes, our allowance for credit losses, potential impairment of goodwill and other intangibles, stock-based compensation, and estimated fair value of assets and liabilities acquired.
Revenue [Policy Text Block] | Franchise Royalties Below are summaries of our franchise royalties disaggregated by business model:
|  | Three months ended |  |  | Nine months ended |
(in thousands) |  | September 30, 2025 |  |  | September 30, 2024 |  |  | September 30, 2025 |  |  | September 30, 2024 |
HireQuest Direct |  | $ | 3,938 |  |  | $ | 4,104 |  |  | $ | 10,996 |  |  | $ | 11,782 |
Snelling and HireQuest |  |  | 2,400 |  |  |  | 2,372 |  |  |  | 6,382 |  |  |  | 6,772 |
DriverQuest and TradeCorp |  |  | 214 |  |  |  | 260 |  |  |  | 630 |  |  |  | 626 |
HireQuest Health |  |  | 60 |  |  |  | 104 |  |  |  | 186 |  |  |  | 310 |
Northbound, MRI, and SearchPath |  |  | 1,498 |  |  |  | 2,148 |  |  |  | 4,161 |  |  |  | 5,539 |
Total |  | $ | 8,110 |  |  | $ | 8,988 |  |  | $ | 22,355 |  |  | $ | 25,029 |
Service revenue, which forms the other component of our total revenue, consists of interest we charge our franchisees on overdue customer accounts receivable, trademark license fees, and other fees for optional services we provide. We recognize interest income based on the effective interest rate applied to the outstanding principal balance of overdue accounts. License fees are charged to some locations that utilize our intellectual property that are not franchisees. License fees are 9.0% of the gross margin for the location and are recognized when earned. We recognize revenue from optional services as we provide them. Advertising fund revenue includes contributions to our National Advertising Fund by franchisees. Revenue related to these contributions is based on a percentage of sales of certain franchised locations and is recognized as earned.
Postemployment Benefit Plans, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Deferred Compensation Plan We offer a non-qualified defined contribution plan to eligible employees. Participating employees may elect to defer and contribute a portion of their eligible compensation. This plan allows participants to direct their account based on available investment options. As a benefit, we match 100% of each employee’s first 3% of contributions, then 50% of each employee’s contribution beyond 3%, up to a maximum match of 4% of the employee’s eligible earnings. The deferred compensation liability is included in accrued wages and benefits on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The total deferred compensation liability is funded through company-owned life insurance policies which are recorded in cash on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The carrying value of company-owned life insurance policies is based on the cash surrender value of the policies, which approximates fair value. Changes in the cash surrender value, premiums incurred, and proceeds received relating to the company-owned life insurance policies are included in Selling, general and administrative expenses on our Consolidated Statements Income.
Advertising Cost [Policy Text Block] | Marketing and Advertising We expense advertising and marketing costs as we incur them. These costs were approximately $418 thousand and $318 thousand during the three months ended September 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024, respectively, and approximately $1.2 million and $924 thousand during the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024, respectively. These costs are included in general and administrative expenses. Some of our MRI franchisees are required to pay an advertising fee equal to 0.5% - 1.0% of total net sales, which supports national advertising designed to build brand awareness and drive traffic for both potential customers and potential candidates. The national advertising effort is administered by us, with franchisees providing input. Some examples include subscriptions to various job boards, the creation of digital content for social media, supporting investments in marketing-related software, and purchasing video and print media.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements There were no new accounting pronouncements adopted during the quarter that are expected to have a significant impact on our financial statements and related disclosures. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In November 2024, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2024-03, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40) which expands the required disclosures related to an entity’s expenses and address requests from investors for more granular information about the make-up of expenses in commonly presented expense captions such as selling, general, and administrative. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2027. We are currently evaluating the impact these changes may have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740) - Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which requires enhancements and further transparency to certain income tax disclosures, primarily to the tax rate reconciliation and income taxes paid. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, and will likely result in the required additional disclosures being included in our consolidated financial statements on either a prospective or retrospective basis, once adopted.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for advertising cost. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -SubTopic 35 -Topic 720 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483406/720-35-50-1 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AdvertisingCostsPolicyTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for basis of accounting, or basis of presentation, used to prepare the financial statements (for example, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting, IFRS). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483426/235-10-50-4 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BasisOfAccountingPolicyPolicyTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting. The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483426/235-10-50-4 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481203/810-10-50-1 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ConsolidationPolicyTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy pertaining to new accounting pronouncements that may impact the entity's financial reporting. Includes, but is not limited to, quantification of the expected or actual impact. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementsPolicyPolicyTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for postemployment benefits. Postemployment benefits are benefits provided to former or inactive employees, their beneficiaries, and covered dependents after employment but before retirement, except for: a) benefits provided through a pension or postretirement benefit plan, b) individual deferred compensation arrangements, c) special or contractual termination benefits, and d) stock compensation plans. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 712 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/712/tableOfContent + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PostemploymentBenefitPlansPolicy
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for revenue. Includes revenue from contract with customer and from other sources. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 946 -SubTopic 220 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07(1)) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479134/946-220-S99-1 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionPolicyTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 942 -SubTopic 235 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S50 -Paragraph 1 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478671/942-235-S50-1 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 942 -SubTopic 235 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-05(b)(2)) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477314/942-235-S99-1 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482861/275-10-50-12 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482861/275-10-50-9 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 55 -Paragraph 6 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482836/275-10-55-6 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482861/275-10-50-6 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482861/275-10-50-4 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -SubTopic 10 -Topic 275 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482861/275-10-50-1 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -SubTopic 10 -Topic 275 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482861/275-10-50-1 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UseOfEstimates
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration