ManpowerGroup Inc.’s MAN first-quarter 2016 earnings of 98 cents per share increased 18.1% year over year and also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 93 cents. The company has been delivering a better-than-expected earnings performance for nearly four years now.However, the quarterly earnings were hurt by 3 cents due to foreign currency headwinds. On a currency-neutral basis, the bottom line surged 22% year over year.ManpowerGroup Inc. (MAN) Street EPS & Surprise Percent - Last 5 Quarters | FindTheCompanyForex headwinds also hampered top-line growth. Though revenues inched up 1% year over year to $4,587.7 million, the top line fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,620 million. On a constant currency basis, revenues jumped 5%.Gross profit increased 1.5% (up 5.2% in constant currency) to $773.8 million, while gross margin expanded 10 basis points (bps) to 16.9%. While permanent recruitment growth contributed to gross margin expansion, overall staffing margin remained flat year over year. Operating profit of $131.7 million increased 7.2% (up 11.2% in constant currency) from the year-ago quarter.Performance of the SegmentsRevenues from the United States fell 3% year over year to $703.1 million. However, the segment’s operating profit soared 30.6% from the prior-year figure to $22.8 million.In Other Americas, revenues declined 4.6% (up 18.7% in constant currency) to $342.8 million, while operating profit fell 9.1% (up 12.9% in constant currency) to $11.6 million.In France, revenues increased 3.7% year over year (up 5.5% in constant currency) to $ 1,078.8 million, while operating profit decreased 6.1% (down 5.4% in constant currency) to $47.2 million.In Italy, revenues dipped 2.6% year over year (down 0.8% in constant currency) to $263.1 million. The segment’s operating profit rose 15.4% (up 16.6% in constant currency) to $16.1 million.In Other Southern Europe, revenues grew 4.2% (up 5.8% in constant currency) to $345.8 million. Operating profit jumped 5% (up 4.9% in constant currency) to $8.4 million.In Northern Europe, revenues dropped 0.3% (up 4.1% in constant currency) to $1,213.9 million, while operating profit increased 8.3% (up 11.4% in constant currency) to $32.5 million, both on a year-over-year basis.In APME (Asia Pacific Middle East), revenues climbed 8.1% to $576.2 million (up 21.1% in constant currency) year over year. The segment’s operating profit grew 2.4% (up 5.9% in constant currency) to $19.3 million year over year.Also, revenues from Right Management declined 0.6% (up 2.3% in constant currency) year over year to $64.0 million. The company posted operating income surged 69% to $9.5 million (up 71.5% in constant currency) from the year-ago period.Other Financial DetailsManpowerGroup ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $747.6 million, long-term debt of $850 million, and shareholders’ equity of $2,674.7 million.The company generated cash worth $164.6 million from operating activities and incurred capital expenditure of $16.6 million during in the reported quarter. Free cash flow for the quarter amounted to approximately $148 million.Also, during the first quarter, the company repurchased 1.5 million for about $180 million. At the end of the reported quarter, the company had 3.8 million shares remaining under its 6 million buyback authorization made in Oct 2015. GuidanceThe company’s impressive first-quarter 2016 performance and the strategic progress made by it in 2015, reflects the efficiency of its management team. Despite volatile macroeconomic conditions, the company remains optimistic about its future performance on the back of its strategic initiatives. Including a negative impact of 2 cents from foreign exchange, ManpowerGroup expects second-quarter 2016 earnings per share in the range of $1.47 to $1.55. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the second quarter stands at $1.50.The company expects revenue growth in the Americas as well as Southern Europe to be in the mid-single digit range. For Northern Europe and APME, the company expects revenue growth in the upper single-digit range.Zacks Rank and Other Stocks to Consider ManpowerGroup which shares space with On Assignment Inc. ASGN currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Some other stocks worth considering stocks in the same industry include Kelly Services, Inc. KELYA and BG Staffing, Inc. BGSF, each with the same rank as ManpowerGroup.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report MANPOWER INC WI (MAN): Free Stock Analysis Report KELLY SVCS A (KELYA): Free Stock Analysis Report ON ASSIGNMENT (ASGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BG STAFFING INC (BGSF): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research