CRA International (NASDAQ:CRAI) Downgraded by StockNews.com to Hold

StockNews.com downgraded shares of CRA International (NASDAQ:CRAI) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Friday morning.

CRA International Price Performance

Shares of CRAI stock opened at $186.16 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $175.50 and a 200-day moving average of $169.88. CRA International has a one year low of $81.29 and a one year high of $198.02. The company has a market cap of $1.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.12, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 1.13.

CRA International (NASDAQ:CRAI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The business services provider reported $1.83 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.34. CRA International had a net margin of 6.41% and a return on equity of 24.44%. The firm had revenue of $171.44 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $167.87 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.42 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that CRA International will post 6.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

CRA International Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 13th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 26th will be given a $0.49 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 26th. This represents a $1.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.05%. This is a boost from CRA International’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. CRA International’s payout ratio is currently 27.18%.

Insider Transactions at CRA International

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On CRA International

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CRAI. Arkadios Wealth Advisors boosted 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. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in CRA International by 2.9% in the 3rd quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 3,095 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $543,000 after buying an additional 86 shares during the period. Kennedy Capital Management LLC grew its stake in CRA International by 3.6% in the 1st quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC now owns 3,324 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $497,000 after buying an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its holdings in CRA International by 13.6% during the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 3,280 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $549,000 after acquiring an additional 393 shares during the period. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC purchased a new stake in shares of CRA International during the first quarter worth $115,000. 84.13% of the stock is currently 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.