Evercore ISI raised its price target on C.H. Robinson Worldwide (NASDAQ:CHRW) to $219.00 from $196.00 and kept an Outperform rating on the logistics company. The firm pointed to continued market-share gains and productivity improvements in C.H. Robinson’s North American Surface Transportation (NAST) business as drivers behind recent margin expansion, despite freight market headwinds.
Shares of C.H. Robinson have traded near their 52-week high of $184.87 and, according to InvestingPro data cited by analysts, are up 74.5% over the last 12 months. The company reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share of $1.23, surpassing Evercore’s $1.06 estimate and the average Street forecast of $1.12.
Evercore highlighted that the company’s implementation of Lean AI has coincided with a pattern of better-than-expected results: eight consecutive quarters of meaningful earnings beats, sustained NAST gross margin increases over the same period, and seven straight quarters of operating margin expansion. On a trailing-twelve-month basis, the firm reported diluted EPS of $4.94.
The research firm said management’s full-year 2026 EBIT guidance range remains intact at $964 million to $1.04 billion. In its modeling update, Evercore trimmed its 2026 EPS estimate slightly to $6.05 from $6.12 while nudging its 2027 estimate up to $7.30 from $7.27.
Evercore also noted that early January activity showed a carryover of trucking-market strength from December, a point the analyst team said supports the view that the company’s differentiated operating model can continue to unlock productivity gains through varying market cycles. The firm suggested that this potential is increasingly reflected in C.H. Robinson’s valuation multiple.
InvestingPro metrics cited in the discussion show that CHRW is trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.4 and an EBITDA multiple of 26.4. Those high multiples lead InvestingPro to indicate the stock is trading above its Fair Value.
Additional broker commentary following C.H. Robinson’s fourth-quarter announcement underscored the mixed nature of the results. The company’s adjusted EPS of $1.23 also exceeded an alternate analysts’ expectation of $1.13, but revenue came in at $3.9 billion versus a consensus estimate of $3.98 billion.
Following the earnings release, BofA Securities raised its price target to $225 from $188 and maintained a Buy rating on the shares. BMO Capital raised its target to $180 from $160 and kept a Market Perform rating, pointing to productivity gains stemming from C.H. Robinson’s lean, technology-enabled operating model.
While the string of earnings beats and margin gains point to operational efficiency, the revenue shortfall in the quarter adds a contrasting element to the firm’s financial picture. Evercore’s modest adjustment to near-term EPS assumptions, coupled with its reaffirmed EBIT guidance range, reflects that balance between improved margins and mixed top-line momentum.
Context for investors
- Evercore’s revised price target and maintained Outperform rating emphasize expectations for continued margin gains from productivity initiatives.
- Analyst model changes are modest: 2026 EPS lowered to $6.05 from $6.12; 2027 EPS raised to $7.30 from $7.27.
- Other broker moves include BofA’s raise to $225 (Buy) and BMO’s raise to $180 (Market Perform), reflecting differing views on valuation and growth sustainability.
Bottom line
Evercore’s action highlights a company that is delivering consistent margin improvements and earnings outperformance, in part attributed to its Lean AI and productivity programs, while contending with a recent revenue miss. Elevated valuation multiples suggest the market is pricing future productivity gains into the stock, a dynamic that investors and analysts are weighing against near-term top-line variability.