643,011 Shares in Charles River Associates $CRAI Acquired by BlackRock Inc.

Key Points

• BlackRock acquired 643,011 CRAI shares worth approximately $91.5 million, giving it a 9.95% stake. Institutional investors collectively own 84.13% of Charles River Associates.
• CRAI exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $2.16 in EPS and $210.8 million in revenue versus estimates of $2.15 and $198.9 million, respectively. The company also declared a $0.57 quarterly dividend, yielding about 1.3%.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and a $245 average price target, although some near-term earnings estimates were reduced. An executive’s sale of 2,250 shares was conducted under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan.

BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 643,011 shares of the business services provider's stock, valued at approximately $91,500,000. BlackRock Inc. owned 9.95% of Charles River Associates as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Jones Financial Companies Lllp acquired a new stake in shares of Charles River Associates during the 1st quarter worth $27,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its holdings in shares of Charles River Associates by 243.8% in the 2nd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 11,511 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $2,157,000 after purchasing an additional 8,163 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Charles River Associates in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,424,000. Kennedy Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Charles River Associates by 63.9% in the 3rd quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC now owns 6,410 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $1,337,000 after purchasing an additional 2,500 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jump Financial LLC grew its holdings in shares of Charles River Associates by 72.3% during 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 during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.13% of the company's stock.

Charles River Associates Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ CRAI opened at $174.99 on Friday. Charles River Associates has a 1-year low of $132.17 and a 1-year high of $227.29. The company has a market capitalization of $1.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.30, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.66. The business has a 50-day moving average of $165.44 and a 200-day moving average of $159.39.

Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The business services provider reported $2.16 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.15 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $210.81 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $198.91 million. Charles River Associates had a return on equity of 27.31% and a net margin of 6.20%. Research analysts expect that Charles River Associates will post 8.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Charles River Associates Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 14th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 25th will be given a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 25th. Charles River Associates's payout ratio is presently 30.36%.

More Charles River Associates News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its FY2026 EPS estimate to $8.32 from $8.28 and its FY2027 forecast to $9.01 from $8.99. It also increased estimates for Q2 2027, Q3 2027 and Q2 2028, including a sizable increase for Q3 2027. These revisions point to improved longer-term earnings expectations for CRAI.
• Positive Sentiment: Charles River Associates recently reported quarterly EPS of $2.16, narrowly beating the $2.15 consensus, while revenue of approximately $210.8 million exceeded estimates of $198.9 million. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.57, or $2.28 annualized, representing a yield of about 1.3%.
• Neutral Sentiment: EVP Jonathan Yellin sold 2,250 shares for approximately $389,813, reducing his direct holdings by 16.79%. Because the transaction was conducted under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, it may be less concerning than an unscheduled insider sale. He still owns 11,153 shares. Jonathan Yellin Sells Shares of Charles River Associates
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains generally constructive: CRAI has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $245, although one analyst maintains a Hold rating. Institutional investors own roughly 84% of the shares, indicating strong professional ownership but potentially limited trading liquidity.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks lowered EPS estimates for Q3 and Q4 2026, Q1 and Q4 2027, and Q1 2028. The cuts include Q1 2027 EPS falling to $2.25 from $2.44 and Q4 2027 EPS declining to $2.16 from $2.24. These near-term reductions could weigh on CRAI if investors prioritize upcoming results over the higher long-term forecasts.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Charles River Associates in a research report on Friday, August 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Charles River Associates has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $245.00.

Insider Activity at Charles River Associates

In other news, EVP Jonathan D. Yellin sold 2,250 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $173.25, for a total value of $389,812.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 11,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,932,257.25. This represents a 16.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 4.50% of the company's stock.

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.

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