CRA International (NASDAQ:CRAI) Hits New 12-Month High – Here’s Why

Shares of CRA International, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRAI) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $187.22 and last traded at $185.37, with a volume of 21312 shares. The stock had previously closed at $182.49.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on CRAI shares. StockNews.com downgraded CRA International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday. Barrington Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $186.00 price target on shares of CRA International in a report on Tuesday, June 11th.

CRA International Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of $1.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.14. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $163.99 and a 200-day moving average of $164.47.

CRA International (NASDAQ:CRAI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The business services provider reported $1.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.34. The company had revenue of $171.44 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $167.87 million. CRA International had a net margin of 6.17% and a return on equity of 22.37%. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.42 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that CRA International, Inc. will post 6.93 EPS for the current fiscal year.

CRA International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 13th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 27th were issued a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 27th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.91%. CRA International’s payout ratio is 27.45%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other CRA International news, CEO Paul A. Maleh sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $158.33, for a total transaction of $1,187,475.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 159,212 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $25,208,035.96. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other CRA International news, EVP Jonathan D. Yellin sold 1,250 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $158.26, for a total transaction of $197,825.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 20,361 shares in the company, valued at $3,222,331.86. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Paul A. Maleh sold 7,500 shares of CRA International stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $158.33, for a total value of $1,187,475.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 159,212 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $25,208,035.96. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 10,750 shares of company stock worth $1,695,720. Company insiders own 5.20% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CRA International

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. SG Americas Securities LLC bought a new position in shares of CRA International during the first quarter worth approximately $115,000. Marshall Wace LLP acquired a new position in CRA International in the second quarter valued at about $221,000. Kennedy Capital Management LLC lifted its position in CRA International by 3.6% during the first quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC now owns 3,324 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $497,000 after purchasing an additional 117 shares during the period. Arkadios Wealth Advisors lifted its position in CRA International by 2.5% during the second quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 3,000 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $517,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the period. Finally, Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in CRA International by 12.1% in the 2nd quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 3,009 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $518,000 after buying an additional 324 shares during the period. 84.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About CRA International

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.