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

Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI) issued its earnings results on Thursday. The business services provider reported $2.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.15 by $0.01, FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $210.81 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $198.91 million. Charles River Associates had a net margin of 6.22% and a return on equity of 26.02%.

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 Price Performance

NASDAQ:CRAI opened at $176.46 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $157.11 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $161.87. The company has a market cap of $1.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.51, a P/E/G ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.66. Charles River Associates has a 1 year low of $132.17 and a 1 year high of $227.29.

Charles River Associates Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 14th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 25th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, August 25th. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.3%. Charles River Associates’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.67%.

Key Charles River Associates News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations: CRAI reported earnings of $2.16 per share, above the $2.15 consensus estimate and up from $1.88 a year earlier. Revenue rose 12.8% year over year to a record $210.8 million, well ahead of the roughly $198.9 million analyst forecast. CRA International Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Guidance was raised: Management increased fiscal 2026 revenue guidance to $805 million-$820 million, above the approximately $801 million consensus estimate, while reaffirming its 12%-13% non-GAAP EBITDA margin outlook. Six practices, including Energy, Finance, Intellectual Property and Life Sciences, delivered double-digit revenue growth. CRA International Posts Record Q2 Results, Raises Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns continued: CRAI announced a quarterly dividend of $0.57 per share, payable September 14 to shareholders of record August 25, and returned $31.4 million through dividends and share repurchases during the quarter. CRA International 2026 Q2 Results Earnings Presentation
• Neutral Sentiment: CRA expanded and refinanced its credit facility to as much as $400 million, improving financial flexibility but also increasing available borrowing capacity.
• Negative Sentiment: Recent insider activity was heavily weighted toward selling: insiders reported 20 sales and no purchases over the past six months. This may raise caution about insider confidence despite the strong operating performance.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

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

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Jonathan D. Yellin sold 2,250 shares of the firm’s 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 directly owned 13,247 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,956,846.84. This trade represents a 14.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 4.50% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Charles River Associates

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Jones Financial Companies Lllp bought a new stake in shares of Charles River Associates during the 1st quarter valued at about $27,000. Entropy Technologies LP bought a new stake in Charles River Associates during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $401,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its stake in Charles River Associates by 8.2% in the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 4,180 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $839,000 after buying an additional 318 shares in the last quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors increased its holdings in shares of Charles River Associates by 3.1% in the 4th quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 4,388 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $881,000 after buying an additional 134 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kennedy Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Charles River Associates by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC now owns 6,489 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,302,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. 84.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Charles River Associates Company Profile

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.