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Here's Why You Should Hold On to Charles River Stock Now
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A prudent investment decision involves buying stocks that have solid prospects and selling those that carry risks. At times, it is rational to hold certain stocks that have enough potential but are weighed down by turbulent market conditions.
We believe CRA International, Inc. that conducts business as Charles River Associates (CRAI - Free Report) , witha market cap of $300 million and expected three-five year long-term EPS growth rate of 13%, is a stock that investors should retain in their portfolio.
Factors That Bode Well
We believe Charles River’s international operations help expand its geographic footprint and contribute significantly to the top line. A global network of coordinated operation helps it enhance its knowledge base and areas of functional expertise. The majority of the company’s clients are multinational firms facing complicated issues. Notably, the company recorded the highest quarterly revenues in its history in the first quarter of 2020. Revenues of $126.2 million increased 19.2% year over year in the quarter.
Charles River's professional team has helped the company achieve and maintain a solid reputation of providing high-quality consulting services. Almost three fourths of the company’s senior consultants are highly educated, having doctorate or other advanced degrees, and are recognized experts in their respective fields. The company also works with a select group of non-employee experts belonging to top educational institutes to better serve clients.
Charles River has a consistent record of boosting shareholders’ value in the form of dividend and share repurchases. In 2019, 2018 and 2017, the company paid out dividends worth $6.54 million, $5.78 million and $4.94 million, respectively. It repurchased shares worth $18.1 million, $27.9 million and $19.5 million, during 2019, 2018 and 2017 respectively.
Risks
Charles River’s debt level has increased significantly quarter over quarter. Total debt at the end of first-quarter 2020 was $226 million, up from the $160 million recorded at the end of the prior quarter. The debt-to-capital ratio of 0.54 was higher than the industry's 0.21 and the previous quarter’s 0.45. An increasing debt to capitalization ratio indicates that the proportion of debt to finance the company’s assets is on the rise and so is the risk of insolvency.
Further, cash and cash equivalent balance of $16 million at the end of the March-end quarter was well below the short-term debt level of $82 million, underscoring that the company doesn’t have enough cash to meet even its short-term debt burden.
The company’s top and bottom lines are expected to be under pressure in the upcoming quarters due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider
Charles River currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
The long-term expected earnings per share (three to five years) growth rate for CoreLogic, SPS Commerce and SailPoint is 12%, 15% and 15%, respectively.
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Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, it’s expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.
A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks’ just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.
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Here's Why You Should Hold On to Charles River Stock Now
A prudent investment decision involves buying stocks that have solid prospects and selling those that carry risks. At times, it is rational to hold certain stocks that have enough potential but are weighed down by turbulent market conditions.
We believe CRA International, Inc. that conducts business as Charles River Associates (CRAI - Free Report) , witha market cap of $300 million and expected three-five year long-term EPS growth rate of 13%, is a stock that investors should retain in their portfolio.
Factors That Bode Well
We believe Charles River’s international operations help expand its geographic footprint and contribute significantly to the top line. A global network of coordinated operation helps it enhance its knowledge base and areas of functional expertise. The majority of the company’s clients are multinational firms facing complicated issues. Notably, the company recorded the highest quarterly revenues in its history in the first quarter of 2020. Revenues of $126.2 million increased 19.2% year over year in the quarter.
Charles River Associates Revenue (TTM)
Charles River Associates revenue-ttm | Charles River Associates Quote
Charles River's professional team has helped the company achieve and maintain a solid reputation of providing high-quality consulting services. Almost three fourths of the company’s senior consultants are highly educated, having doctorate or other advanced degrees, and are recognized experts in their respective fields. The company also works with a select group of non-employee experts belonging to top educational institutes to better serve clients.
Charles River has a consistent record of boosting shareholders’ value in the form of dividend and share repurchases. In 2019, 2018 and 2017, the company paid out dividends worth $6.54 million, $5.78 million and $4.94 million, respectively. It repurchased shares worth $18.1 million, $27.9 million and $19.5 million, during 2019, 2018 and 2017 respectively.
Risks
Charles River’s debt level has increased significantly quarter over quarter. Total debt at the end of first-quarter 2020 was $226 million, up from the $160 million recorded at the end of the prior quarter. The debt-to-capital ratio of 0.54 was higher than the industry's 0.21 and the previous quarter’s 0.45. An increasing debt to capitalization ratio indicates that the proportion of debt to finance the company’s assets is on the rise and so is the risk of insolvency.
Further, cash and cash equivalent balance of $16 million at the end of the March-end quarter was well below the short-term debt level of $82 million, underscoring that the company doesn’t have enough cash to meet even its short-term debt burden.
The company’s top and bottom lines are expected to be under pressure in the upcoming quarters due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider
Charles River currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Zacks Business Services sector are CoreLogic , SPS Commerce (SPSC - Free Report) and SailPoint Technologies . All three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) currently. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The long-term expected earnings per share (three to five years) growth rate for CoreLogic, SPS Commerce and SailPoint is 12%, 15% and 15%, respectively.
Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation
Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, it’s expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.
A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks’ just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.
See 8 breakthrough stocks now>>