Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results

Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The business services provider reported $2.16 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.15 by $0.01, FiscalAI reports. Charles River Associates had a net margin of 6.22% and a return on equity of 26.02%. The business had revenue of $210.81 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $198.91 million.

Here are the key takeaways from Charles River Associates’ conference call:

• Record Q2 performance: Revenue rose 12.8% year over year to $210.8 million, the highest quarterly level in CRA’s history, while non-GAAP EBITDA increased 15.3% and EPS rose 14.9%.
• Management raised fiscal 2026 constant-currency revenue guidance to $805 million–$820 million from $785 million–$805 million, while reaffirming its 12.0%–13.0% non-GAAP EBITDA margin outlook amid a strong pipeline.
• Growth was broad-based, with eight practices contributing year-over-year gains and particularly strong momentum in Energy, Life Sciences, Forensic Services, Risk, Investigations & Analytics, and Antitrust; international revenue increased 32.9%.
• CRA is adding capacity to support demand, with consultant headcount up 3.3% year over year and utilization improving to 77%; management expects mid-single-digit headcount growth by year-end and continued mid-to-upper-70s utilization.
• Net debt reached $197.6 million after working-capital funding, talent investments, and shareholder returns, while DSO increased to 113 days from 100 days in Q1; higher forgivable-loan amortization and a 33%–34% second-half tax rate may also pressure reported profitability.

Charles River Associates Stock Performance

Shares of Charles River Associates stock traded down $0.14 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $176.46. 265,349 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 167,648. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $156.55 and its 200-day moving average price is $162.11. The stock has a market cap of $1.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.51, a PEG ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.66. Charles River Associates has a 12 month low of $132.17 and a 12 month high of $227.29.

Charles River Associates Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 14th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 25th will be issued a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 25th. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.3%. Charles River Associates’s payout ratio is 31.67%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Weiss Ratings lowered Charles River Associates from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Monday, May 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Charles River Associates presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $245.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Jonathan D. Yellin sold 2,250 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $147.72, for a total value of $332,370.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 13,247 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,956,846.84. This represents a 14.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 4.50% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. New York State Common Retirement Fund grew its position in Charles River Associates by 25.0% during the 4th quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 7,495 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,504,000 after acquiring an additional 1,500 shares during the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC increased its holdings in Charles River Associates by 72.3% in the 3rd quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 32,642 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $6,807,000 after purchasing an additional 13,692 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its position in Charles River Associates by 61.2% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 18,552 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $3,869,000 after purchasing an additional 7,041 shares during the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Charles River Associates in the second quarter valued at about $1,424,000. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Charles River Associates by 8.2% during the fourth quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 4,180 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $839,000 after purchasing an additional 318 shares in the last quarter. 84.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates (NASDAQ: CRAI) is a global consulting firm specializing in economic, financial and management advisory services. Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the company provides expert analysis to support litigation, regulatory proceedings, and strategic decision-making. Its multidisciplinary teams draw on academic rigor and industry experience to deliver quantitative and qualitative insights tailored to clients’ needs.

The firm’s service offerings include competition economics, antitrust and merger analysis, intellectual property valuation and damages assessment, and risk management.