Freestone Grove Partners LP Makes New Investment in Charles River Associates $CRAI

Freestone Grove Partners LP acquired a new stake in Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm acquired 4,146 shares of the business services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $590,000.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of CRAI. Jones Financial Companies Lllp purchased a new position in shares of Charles River Associates in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Allworth Financial LP purchased a new stake in shares of Charles River Associates during the second quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new stake in shares of Charles River Associates during the second quarter valued at approximately $53,000. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd bought a new stake in Charles River Associates during the second quarter worth $55,000. Finally, State of Wyoming bought a new stake in Charles River Associates during the second quarter worth $74,000. Institutional investors own 84.13% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other Charles River Associates news, EVP Jonathan D. Yellin sold 2,250 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $173.25, for a total value of $389,812.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 11,153 shares in the company, valued at $1,932,257.25. The trade was a 16.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 4.50% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Charles River Associates News Summary

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.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Charles River Associates in a research report on Friday, August 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $245.00.

Charles River Associates Stock Performance

Shares of CRAI stock opened at $174.99 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $1.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.66. Charles River Associates has a 52 week low of $132.17 and a 52 week high of $227.29. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $165.44 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $159.26.

Charles River Associates (NASDAQ:CRAI) last posted its quarterly earnings results 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. Charles River Associates had a net margin of 6.20% and a return on equity of 27.31%. The company had revenue of $210.81 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $198.91 million. Analysts forecast that Charles River Associates will post 8.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Charles River Associates Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 14th. Shareholders 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 payout ratio is presently 30.36%.

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.