HireQuest, Inc. Earnings Per Share Disclosure
Note 16 – Earnings per Share
The following table summarizes the calculation of diluted common shares and earnings per share:
| Year ended | ||||||||
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| (in thousands except per share data) | 2024 | 2023 | ||||||
| Net income | $ | 3,672 | $ | 6,135 | ||||
| Weighted average number of common shares used in basic net income per common share | 13,838 | 13,733 | ||||||
| Dilutive effects of stock options and unvested restricted stock | 82 | 68 | ||||||
| Weighted average number of common shares used in diluted net income per common share | $ | 13,920 | $ | 13,801 | ||||
| Earnings per share | ||||||||
| Basic | $ | 0.27 | $ | 0.45 | ||||
| Diluted | $ | 0.26 | $ | 0.45 | ||||
Outstanding common stock equivalents at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 totaled approximately 106 thousand and 155 thousand, respectively.
About Earnings Per Share Disclosures
The earnings per share disclosure breaks down the calculation from net income to both basic and diluted EPS, revealing the full impact of a company's capital structure on per-share economics. The reconciliation between basic and diluted share counts exposes how many stock options, RSUs, convertible securities, and warrants are potentially dilutive to existing shareholders.
Key signals: a widening gap between basic and diluted shares indicates growing dilution from equity compensation or convertible instruments. Anti-dilutive securities excluded from the diluted calculation deserve attention — they represent latent dilution that will materialize if the stock price rises. Watch for the effect of share buybacks on per-share metrics: EPS growth driven primarily by repurchases rather than income growth signals weakening fundamentals. Compare year-over-year changes in the diluted share count against equity compensation expense to assess whether management is effectively managing dilution.