Analysts were expecting Robert Half International Inc. (RHI) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.04 for last quarter, but RHI beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.06---2 cents above the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.43 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that RHI’s earnings are down this year.

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Also, if you compare RHI's 14.00% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 12.31% for the Staffing & Outsourcing Services industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect RHI to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Staffing & Outsourcing Services industry, you can see how analysts believe RHI will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Paychex Inc. (PAYX) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Manpower Inc. (MAN) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe PAYX's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 12.89% while MAN's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 9.00%.

Earnings season can be a volatile time in the stock market. Check out these videos and articles to be better prepared to take advantage of the large price moves that tend to accompany earnings announcements.

- Earnings Season is Here - Find Out How to Trade It

- Using Options to Trade Earnings

- Understanding Stock Analyst Research and Recommendations

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