Wedbush Reiterates Outperform Rating for Huron Consulting Group (NASDAQ:HURN)

Key Points

• Wedbush reiterated an "Outperform" rating on Huron with a $160 price target (about a 24.7% upside) amid broader analyst support (four Buys, one Hold) and a higher average analyst target of $205.50.
• Huron's Q1 results topped expectations—adjusted EPS $1.73 vs. $1.58 consensus and revenue $451.8M vs. $437.1M—revenue rose ~12% year‑over‑year and the company affirmed FY2026 EPS guidance of $8.35–$9.15.
• Risks include weaker GAAP net income and a GAAP diluted EPS miss for some metrics, continued negative operating cash flow (though improved), recent insider selling and increased liabilities that could temper valuation upside.

Huron Consulting Group (NASDAQ:HURN - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "outperform" rating reaffirmed by investment analysts at Wedbush in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $160.00 target price on the business services provider's stock. Wedbush's price target suggests a potential upside of 24.68% from the stock's previous close.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Huron Consulting Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday. Weiss Ratings cut Huron Consulting Group from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Huron Consulting Group has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $205.50.

Huron Consulting Group Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:HURN opened at $128.33 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $2.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.92 and a beta of 0.15. Huron Consulting Group has a 1 year low of $116.12 and a 1 year high of $186.77. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $130.68 and a 200 day simple moving average of $153.47.

Huron Consulting Group (NASDAQ:HURN - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The business services provider reported $1.73 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.58 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $451.77 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $437.12 million. Huron Consulting Group had a return on equity of 28.20% and a net margin of 6.18%.The business's revenue was up 12.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.68 EPS. Huron Consulting Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.350-9.150 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Huron Consulting Group will post 8.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Huron Consulting Group news, Director John Mccartney sold 500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.68, for a total value of $63,840.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 40,817 shares in the company, valued at $5,211,514.56. This trade represents a 1.21% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 796 shares of company stock valued at $101,411. 2.07% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Huron Consulting Group

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HURN. Maseco LLP bought a new stake in shares of Huron Consulting Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Richardson Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in shares of Huron Consulting Group by 68.1% in the third quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 195 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. Strs Ohio acquired a new position in shares of Huron Consulting Group in the fourth quarter valued at $35,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC lifted its position in Huron Consulting Group by 86.2% in the third quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 203 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares during the period. Finally, Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in Huron Consulting Group in the fourth quarter worth $39,000. 93.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Huron Consulting Group News

Here are the key news stories impacting Huron Consulting Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Revenue and segment strength — Revenues (RBR) rose ~12% y/y with broad-based growth across Healthcare, Education and Commercial and record RBR in Healthcare; management highlighted margin expansion. Huron Announces First Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Affirms Full Year 2026 Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: EPS and revenue vs. street — Adjusted EPS of $1.73 beat consensus (~$1.58) and reported revenue ~$452M topped estimates, reinforcing the quarter’s top‑line momentum. Huron Consulting (HURN) Q1 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support and targets — Multiple recent buy ratings and a median analyst target well above the current price provide upside narrative for investors focused on multiple expansion. Huron Consulting Group Inc. (HURN) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings: Revenue Growth but EPS Miss
• Neutral Sentiment: FY2026 guidance affirmed — Huron reiterated FY26 EPS guidance of $8.35–$9.15 and revenue guidance roughly $1.8B–$1.9B; midpoint is roughly in line with consensus but slightly below some forecasts, so guidance is largely steady rather than materially bullish. Huron Announces First Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Affirms Full Year 2026 Guidance
• Neutral Sentiment: Call transcript available — Management commentary on bookings, margin drivers and segment outlook is in the earnings call/transcript for investors who want detail beyond headline numbers. Huron (HURN) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: GAAP/profitability and cash flow nuance — A third‑party summary flagged lower GAAP net income and a GAAP diluted EPS figure that missed one set of estimates, plus negative operating cash flow (improved y/y but still a cash outflow), which could temper multiples if sustained. Huron Consulting Group Inc. (HURN) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings: Revenue Growth but EPS Miss
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and balance sheet items — Recent insider sales and an increase in total liabilities were noted by data providers; that activity may concern some investors about near‑term share supply and leverage. Huron Consulting Group Inc. (HURN) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings: Revenue Growth but EPS Miss

Huron Consulting Group Company Profile

Huron Consulting Group NASDAQ: HURN is a global professional services firm that advises organizations across a range of industries on strategy, operations and technology. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Chicago, the company helps clients address complex business challenges such as performance improvement, digital transformation and organizational change. Huron's consultants work alongside executive leadership teams to develop and implement tailored solutions that drive growth, increase efficiency and manage risk.

Huron's service offerings encompass business and financial advisory, healthcare performance improvement, life sciences consulting, higher education and research lifecycle support, as well as legal and regulatory consulting.

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