Ieq Capital LLC Makes New Investment in Charles River Associates $CRAI

Ieq Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI) during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 3,730 shares of the business services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $531,000. Ieq Capital LLC owned 0.06% of Charles River Associates at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Jones Financial Companies Lllp acquired a new position in shares of Charles River Associates in the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. Allworth Financial LP acquired a new stake in Charles River Associates during the 2nd quarter worth $35,000. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd acquired a new stake in Charles River Associates during the 2nd quarter worth $55,000. State of Wyoming bought a new position in Charles River Associates during the second quarter worth about $74,000. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC bought a new position in Charles River Associates during the second quarter worth about $77,000. Institutional investors own 84.13% of the company’s stock.

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 dated Tuesday, August 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $173.25, for a total transaction of $389,812.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 11,153 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,932,257.25. This represents a 16.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 4.50% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Charles River Associates Stock Performance

Shares of CRAI opened at $174.99 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $1.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.30, a PEG ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 0.66. Charles River Associates has a twelve month low of $132.17 and a twelve month high of $227.29. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $165.44 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $159.39.

Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The business services provider reported $2.16 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.15 by $0.01. The business 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 6.20% and a return on equity of 27.31%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Charles River Associates will post 8.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Charles River Associates Announces Dividend

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

Key Headlines Impacting Charles River Associates

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.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Charles River Associates in a 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 MarketBeat, Charles River Associates currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $245.00.

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.