Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI) Releases Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.03 EPS

Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI) posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The business services provider reported $1.99 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.02 by ($0.03), FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $200.98 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $193.81 million. Charles River Associates had a net margin of 6.22% and a return on equity of 25.83%.

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

• Company reported a record quarterly revenue of $201.0 million, up 10.5% year-over-year, with broad-based growth across eight practices and international revenue rising 20.3%.
• Demand and operations strengthened — consultant headcount rose 2.5% to 971, utilization improved to 77%, and average weekly project lead flow and new project originations set quarterly records.
• Reported non-GAAP EBITDA was $23.2 million (11.5% margin), but results include $13.8 million of non-cash forgivable loan amortization (up 53% YoY), which materially reduced reported profitability.
• Capital deployment was active — $62.3 million spent on talent, $25.3 million returned to shareholders (dividends and buybacks), the credit facility was increased by $50 million to $300 million, and quarter-end net debt was $159.5 million with $86.7 million total liquidity.

Charles River Associates Stock Up 0.3%

Shares of NASDAQ:CRAI traded up $0.46 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $139.58. 122,453 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 182,809. The company has a market cap of $901.69 million, a P/E ratio of 19.39, a P/E/G ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 0.75. Charles River Associates has a one year low of $134.47 and a one year high of $227.29. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $161.81 and its 200-day simple moving average is $180.00.

Charles River Associates Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 12th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 26th will be issued a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, May 26th. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.6%. Charles River Associates’s payout ratio is currently 31.67%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CRAI has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Barrington Research restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $245.00 target price on shares of Charles River Associates in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Weiss Ratings downgraded Charles River Associates from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $245.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Charles River Associates news, EVP Jonathan D. Yellin sold 2,250 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.27, for a total transaction of $410,107.50. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 14,046 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,560,164.42. The trade was a 13.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 4.50% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Charles River Associates

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Jones Financial Companies Lllp bought a new stake in Charles River Associates during the first quarter worth $27,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its holdings in Charles River Associates by 243.8% in the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 11,511 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $2,157,000 after purchasing an additional 8,163 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Charles River Associates in the second quarter valued at $1,424,000. Kennedy Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Charles River Associates by 63.9% during the 3rd quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC now owns 6,410 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,337,000 after acquiring an additional 2,500 shares during the period. Finally, Jump Financial LLC grew its stake in shares of 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 valued at $6,807,000 after buying an additional 13,692 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.13% of the company’s stock.

Charles River Associates News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Charles River Associates this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Charles River Associates reported record first-quarter revenue of about $201 million, topping analyst expectations and signaling continued demand for its consulting services. CRA International Posts Record Revenue, Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.57 per share, which may appeal to income-focused investors and suggests confidence in cash generation. CRA International Posts Record Revenue, Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Charles River Associates also updated its FY2026 revenue outlook to $785 million-$805 million, a range that appears broadly in line with Wall Street’s expectations. CRA International Posts Record Revenue, Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Negative Sentiment: First-quarter adjusted EPS came in at $1.99, missing the $2.02 consensus estimate, which is weighing on sentiment despite the revenue beat. CRA International (CRAI) Q1 Earnings Miss Estimates

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.