Assessing Huron Consulting Group (HURN) Valuation After Barrington’s Top Stock Idea 2026 Endorsement

Huron Consulting Group (HURN) drew fresh attention after Barrington Research named it one of its top stock ideas for 2026, following quarterly results that beat expectations and included higher full year earnings guidance.

See our latest analysis for Huron Consulting Group.

The recent endorsement from Barrington Research comes on top of strong third quarter results and appears to line up with building momentum, with a 90 day share price return of 21.49%, year to date share price return of 4.76% and a 5 year total shareholder return of 212.58% pointing to meaningful longer term gains.

If Huron’s move has you thinking about where else growth and execution might be rewarded, it could be a good moment to scan fast growing stocks with high insider ownership.

With Huron shares up sharply and the stock trading at a discount of about 15% to the latest analyst target, as well as a much larger modeled intrinsic discount, you have to ask: is there still a clear opportunity here, or is the market already pricing in the next leg of growth?

Most Popular Narrative Narrative: 11.5% Undervalued

With Huron Consulting Group last closing at $179.20 against a narrative fair value of about $203, the current setup hinges on how durable the earnings and margin outlook proves to be.

Huron's investments in digital transformation capabilities, proprietary software, and analytics are aligning with accelerating adoption of cloud, AI, and data modernization in the commercial sector, generating record sales conversions and robust project pipelines, supporting sustainable top-line expansion going forward.

Read the complete narrative.

Want to see what is really backing that valuation gap? The story focuses on expectations for faster earnings growth, firmer margins, and a lower future P/E than many peers assume. Curious which specific revenue and profit targets would need to be met to support that outcome, and how much multiple compression the narrative is prepared to accept along the way?

Result: Fair Value of $203 (UNDERVALUED)

Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts.

However, this depends on healthcare and education clients keeping budgets intact and on Huron containing rising compensation and integration costs that could squeeze margins.

Find out about the key risks to this Huron Consulting Group narrative.

Another View: Rich P/E Against Peers

There is a tension between the 11.5% narrative undervaluation and where the market actually prices Huron today. The stock trades on a P/E of 26.4x, above the US Professional Services industry average of 25x and the peer average of 21.1x, yet only slightly below its fair ratio of 27.8x.

That mix points to a company priced more like a quality premium than a clear bargain, which can limit room for multiple expansion even if earnings progress. The question for you is whether the earnings story is strong enough that you are comfortable paying close to the fair ratio for that profile.

See what the numbers say about this price — find out in our valuation breakdown.

Build Your Own Huron Consulting Group Narrative

If you see the numbers differently or just prefer testing your own assumptions, you can rebuild the full Huron story yourself in a few minutes: Do it your way.

A great starting point for your Huron Consulting Group research is our analysis highlighting 3 key rewards and 2 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision.

Ready for more investment ideas?

If you stop with just one stock story, you might miss out on other opportunities that fit your style, so widen your search before you commit.

• Spot potential value setups early by scanning these 885 undervalued stocks based on cash flows that currently trade below what their cash flows suggest.
• Target rapid growth themes by checking out these 26 AI penny stocks positioned around artificial intelligence trends.
• Build income focused watchlists with these 12 dividend stocks with yields > 3% offering yields above 3%.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com