Forensic Analysis · Technology / Software · as of Jun 28, 2026
ZIPRECRUITER, INC. (ZIP)
A forensic read on ZIPRECRUITER, INC. built from its complete SEC filings — financial-health screens, earnings quality, red flags and a price-aware rating. Reproducible math, not opinion.
D · Weak — demands caution
Forensic grade
Safe
Financial health
3.6
Altman Z-score
Clean
Earnings quality
3
Forensic signals
-80.2%
ROE
$321M
Market cap
ZIPRECRUITER, INC. earns a D (Weak — demands caution) forensic quality grade, and its Altman Z-score is 3.6, placing it in the Safe zone. 3 forensic signals were flagged in its latest SEC filings, led by return on invested capital.
What the filings flag
-5%Return on invested capital.Return on invested capital is -5% and slipping from 23% — well below its ~10% cost of capital, so reinvested dollars may be destroying value, not building it.
11% of revStock-based comp load.Stock-based compensation ran 11% of revenue and 482% of free cash flow in FY2025 — about $0.53 per diluted share. Heavy — a large slice of 'free cash flow' is really being paid out in stock, so the true owner cash per share is well below the headline.
1033% of FCFShareholder returns.Returned $102M to shareholders (buybacks + dividends) in FY2025 — 1033% of free cash flow. More than free cash flow generated — and beyond operating cash too, so the extra is coming from debt or cash reserves, which isn't sustainable indefinitely.
Key fundamentals
Net Margin-7.3%
Free Cash Flow$9.9M
Latest Revenue$449.0M
Revenue Growth YoY-5.3%
Go deeper — free with an account
The forensic grade and screens above are free — no account needed. An account adds the full interactive deep-dive on ZIPRECRUITER, INC.:
🔒The written investment read — what the numbers mean, in plain English
🔒Ask anything about ZIP's filings — AI Q&A across the 10-K, 10-Qs & 8-Ks
🔒Interactive valuation — reverse-DCF sliders, Monte Carlo & scenario stress
🔒Calibrated 12-month price forecast, with the math shown