CRA International (NASDAQ:CRAI) Reaches New 12-Month High Following Strong Earnings

CRA International, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRAI)’s share price hit a new 52-week high on Thursday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The company traded as high as $213.29 and last traded at $203.50, with a volume of 7266 shares. The stock had previously closed at $189.43.

The business services provider reported $2.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.59 by $0.44. CRA International had a return on equity of 24.46% and a net margin of 6.41%.

CRA International Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 4th will be given a dividend of $0.49 per share. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.99%. CRA International’s dividend payout ratio is currently 31.72%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently issued reports on CRAI. Barrington Research boosted their target price on shares of CRA International from $194.00 to $212.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, November 8th. StockNews.com lowered CRA International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CRA International

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in CRAI. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new stake in CRA International during the third quarter worth $164,000. Ameriprise Financial Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of CRA International during the 4th quarter worth about $249,000. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS acquired a new stake in shares of CRA International during the 4th quarter valued at about $281,000. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of 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 valued at $543,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its holdings in CRA International by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 3,418 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $640,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. 84.13% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

CRA International Stock Up 4.3 %

The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $187.33 and a 200-day simple moving average of $181.21. The company has a market cap of $1.34 billion, a PE ratio of 31.98, a P/E/G ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 1.13.

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.