Business services providers use their specialized expertise to help enterprises streamline operations and cut costs. These firms have helped their customers unlock huge efficiencies, so it’s no surprise the industry has posted a 19.8% gain over the past six months, nearly mirrorring the S&P 500.
Nevertheless, investors should tread carefully as many companies in this space are cyclical due to their reliance on corporate spending budgets. With that said, here is one services stock poised to generate sustainable market-beating returns and two best left ignored.
Two Business Services Stocks to Sell:
MillerKnoll (MLKN)
Market Cap: $1.23 billion
Created through the 2021 merger of industry icons Herman Miller and Knoll, MillerKnoll (NASDAQ: MLKN) designs, manufactures, and distributes interior furnishings for offices, healthcare facilities, educational settings, and homes worldwide.
Why Do We Think MLKN Will Underperform?
- Sales tumbled by 2.1% annually over the last two years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle
- Estimated sales growth of 1.4% for the next 12 months is soft and implies weaker demand
- Performance over the past five years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 7.2% annually
MillerKnoll’s stock price of $17.98 implies a valuation ratio of 9.1x forward P/E. If you’re considering MLKN for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
Vimeo (VMEO)
Market Cap: $1.29 billion
Originally launched in 2004 as a platform for filmmakers seeking a high-quality alternative to YouTube, Vimeo (NASDAQ: VMEO) provides cloud-based video creation, editing, hosting, and distribution software that helps businesses and creators make, manage, and share professional-quality videos.
Why Are We Hesitant About VMEO?
- Flat sales over the last two years suggest it must find different ways to grow during this cycle
- Smaller revenue base of $415.4 million means it hasn’t achieved the economies of scale that some industry juggernauts enjoy
- Negative returns on capital show that some of its growth strategies have backfired
Vimeo is trading at $7.75 per share, or 41.6x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than VMEO.
One Business Services Stock to Buy:
Cintas (CTAS)
Market Cap: $82.59 billion
Starting as a family business collecting and cleaning shop rags in Cincinnati, Cintas (NASDAQ: CTAS) provides corporate identity uniforms, facility services, and safety products to over one million businesses across North America.
Why Will CTAS Beat the Market?
- Annual revenue growth of 8.5% over the last five years beat the sector average and underscores the unique value of its offerings
- Share repurchases over the last five years enabled its annual earnings per share growth of 15.9% to outpace its revenue gains
- Robust free cash flow margin of 16.2% gives it many options for capital deployment
At $204.38 per share, Cintas trades at 40.8x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
Donald Trump’s April 2025 "Liberation Day" tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, but stocks have since rebounded strongly, proving that knee-jerk reactions often create the best buying opportunities.
The smart money is already positioning for the next leg up. Don’t miss out on the recovery - check out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today
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