CRA International (NASDAQ:CRAI) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume - Should You Buy?

Shares of CRA International, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRAI - Get Free Report) saw strong trading volume on Friday . 137,963 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 206% from the previous session's volume of 45,153 shares.The stock last traded at $190.17 and had previously closed at $187.88.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Barrington Research raised their price objective on shares of CRA International from $224.00 to $228.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 21st.

CRA International Stock Down 0.2%

The business's 50-day moving average is $176.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $183.14. The company has a market capitalization of $1.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.93.

CRA International (NASDAQ:CRAI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 1st. The business services provider reported $2.22 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.93 by $0.29. CRA International had a net margin of 6.79% and a return on equity of 25.95%. The company had revenue of $181.85 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $176.63 million. Analysts predict that CRA International, Inc. will post 7.52 EPS for the current year.

CRA International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 13th. Investors of record on Tuesday, May 27th will be given a dividend of $0.49 per share. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.04%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, May 27th. CRA International's payout ratio is currently 26.45%.

Insider Activity at CRA International

In other CRA International news, EVP Jonathan D. Yellin sold 1,750 shares of CRA International stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $188.46, for a total value of $329,805.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 19,073 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,594,497.58. The trade was a 8.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Paul A. Maleh sold 7,500 shares of CRA International stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $190.62, for a total transaction of $1,429,650.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 141,545 shares in the company, valued at approximately $26,981,307.90. This represents a 5.03% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 4.70% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CRA International

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of CRAI. United Capital Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of CRA International in the fourth quarter worth about $9,389,000. Foundry Partners LLC grew its stake in CRA International by 56.0% during the fourth quarter. Foundry Partners LLC now owns 29,115 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $5,450,000 after acquiring an additional 10,455 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in CRA International by 28,517.4% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 6,582 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $1,140,000 after acquiring an additional 6,559 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC purchased a new position in CRA International during the first quarter valued at approximately $628,000. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC grew its stake in CRA International by 599.7% during the first quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 4,121 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $714,000 after acquiring an additional 3,532 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.13% of the company's stock.

CRA International Company Profile

CRA International, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides economic, financial, and management consulting services worldwide. It advises clients on economic and financial matters pertaining to litigation and regulatory proceedings; and guides corporations through business strategy and performance-related issues.