Korn Ferry's first quarter 2027 fee revenue of $757M beat estimates behind strong Search growth

Korn Ferry reported a strong start to fiscal 2027, beating analyst expectations for both top and bottom-line performance. Fee revenue rose 7% year-over-year to $756.5 million, marking the company's sixth consecutive quarter of growth. Profitability remained steady with an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 17.0%, while the contract backlog surged 14% to a record $1.9 billion.

Key Highlights

• Segment Strength: Fee revenue growth was led by double-digit expansion in Executive Search (up 10%) and Workforce Solutions (up 11%).
• Regional Performance: The Americas remains the primary growth engine, with fee revenue increasing 9% year-over-year to $442.1 million.
• Record Backlog: Estimated remaining fees under existing contracts grew to $1.92 billion, providing significant forward visibility.
• AMS Acquisition: The company completed the acquisition of AMS on September 1, 2026, which is expected to meaningfully scale the Workforce Solutions segment starting in the second quarter.