HLI

Based on Houlihan Lokey, Inc.'s historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.

What does Houlihan Lokey do?

Houlihan Lokey is an investment bank that provides advisory services across three areas: mergers and acquisitions, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory. The firm works with corporations, financial sponsors, debtors, and creditors on complex transactions worldwide. It does not take principal risk — it earns fees for advice.

Does HLI pay dividends?

Yes, Houlihan Lokey pays a regular dividend. This distinguishes it from many boutique investment banks that reinvest all earnings. The dividend reflects the firm's fee-based, relatively asset-light business model. Investors should review current payout details on the company's investor relations page.

When does HLI report earnings?

Houlihan Lokey reports on a quarterly cadence, as is standard for US-listed companies. Specific dates vary each quarter. For the most current earnings schedule, check the company's investor relations page or your brokerage's earnings calendar.

Is HLI a good stock to buy?

UQS Score rates HLI as Good overall, with Good scores on Quality, Growth, and Valuation pillars. The Moat and Risk pillars sit at Neutral. This profile suggests a reasonably balanced investment case, though individual suitability depends on your goals and risk tolerance. The full pillar breakdown is available to Pro members.

Is HLI overvalued?

HLI's Valuation pillar registers as Good within the UQS framework, suggesting the stock is not dramatically overpriced relative to its fundamentals. That said, valuation is one of five pillars — viewing it alongside Quality, Growth, Moat, and Risk gives a more complete picture. Pro members can access the detailed valuation metrics.

How does HLI compare to its competitors?

Houlihan Lokey's listed peers on this page — Hut 8, XP Inc., and Galaxy Digital — operate in very different financial services niches, from crypto mining to retail investment platforms. Houlihan Lokey's differentiation lies in its pure-play advisory model, restructuring expertise, and independent valuation practice.

What is HLI's market cap bracket?

Houlihan Lokey is classified as a large-cap company. This places it among the more established names in the independent investment banking space, with greater scale than most boutique advisory firms.

Who founded Houlihan Lokey?

Houlihan Lokey has roots going back decades before its 2015 IPO, having been built through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions. Detailed founding history is widely available through the company's official website and public filings.

Is HLI a long-term quality investment?

As a long-term quality indicator, HLI's Good UQS Score reflects a business with consistent advisory revenue, a dividend track record, and reasonable valuation. The Neutral Moat pillar is worth monitoring — durable competitive advantages are important for long-term compounding. Pro members can explore the full multi-pillar analysis.

What is the main competitive advantage of Houlihan Lokey?

Houlihan Lokey's advisory-only model — with no trading desk or lending book — positions it as a conflict-free advisor, which can be attractive to clients seeking independent counsel. Its restructuring practice also provides counter-cyclical revenue that can partially offset slower M&A periods.

What sector does HLI belong to?

Houlihan Lokey operates in the Financial Services sector, specifically within investment banking and advisory. It is not a bank in the traditional sense — it does not hold deposits or make loans — making its revenue profile more fee-driven and less capital-intensive than commercial banks.

Is HLI a growth stock or value stock?

Based on UQS pillar labels, HLI shows Good Growth and Good Valuation characteristics, suggesting it sits somewhere between a pure growth play and a deep value name. It may appeal to investors seeking quality advisory businesses at a reasonable price rather than either extreme.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. shows solid profitability with healthy returns on capital and reasonable margins.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. shows steady but unspectacular growth, typical for mature companies.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. has some risk factors including moderate leverage or solvency concerns.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. trades at a reasonable valuation with decent earnings yield and FCF multiples.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. possesses some competitive advantages but faces meaningful competition. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for HLI.

The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.

Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.

Moat (25%) assesses Houlihan Lokey, Inc.'s competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.

Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.

Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.

Valuation (15%) measures whether Houlihan Lokey, Inc. is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.

Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.