Cross Country Healthcare (NASDAQ:CCRN) Raised to Buy at Benchmark

Cross Country Healthcare (NASDAQ:CCRN) was upgraded by research analysts at Benchmark from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, MarketBeat reports. The firm currently has a $14.00 price objective on the business services provider’s stock. Benchmark’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 53.34% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts also recently commented on CCRN. Jefferies Financial Group set a $8.65 target price on shares of Cross Country Healthcare and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating on shares of Cross Country Healthcare in a report on Friday, December 19th. Citizens Jmp set a $11.00 target price on Cross Country Healthcare in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Wedbush initiated coverage on Cross Country Healthcare in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $11.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Truist Financial set a $10.00 price target on Cross Country Healthcare in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $11.75.

Cross Country Healthcare Stock Up 1.7%

Shares of CCRN opened at $9.13 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $299.10 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -18.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.60 and a beta of 0.42. Cross Country Healthcare has a 52-week low of $7.43 and a 52-week high of $17.02. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $8.62 and a 200 day moving average price of $10.77.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Cross Country Healthcare by 56.9% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,095,178 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $16,307,000 after acquiring an additional 397,216 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its stake in Cross Country Healthcare by 7.9% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 115,823 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,725,000 after purchasing an additional 8,490 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in Cross Country Healthcare during the second quarter worth $201,000. Credit Industriel ET Commercial boosted its position in Cross Country Healthcare by 89.9% during the second quarter. Credit Industriel ET Commercial now owns 133,106 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,737,000 after purchasing an additional 63,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Cross Country Healthcare by 1.3% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 828,743 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $10,817,000 after purchasing an additional 10,332 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.03% of the company’s stock.

Cross Country Healthcare News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Cross Country Healthcare this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Balance sheet cushion and insider buying — the company reported a higher cash balance (about $108.7M) and lower total liabilities year‑over‑year, and insiders have recently made purchases, which provide some downside support. QuiverQuant: Stock Falls on Q4 2025 Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Broker attention — at least one roundup piece flagged CCRN among broker‑liked names to watch, which can attract short‑term buyers and liquidity. Zacks: 5 Broker-Liked Stocks to Monitor
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call transcripts available — full Q4 and conference call transcripts are posted (useful for management commentary and color on demand trends and cost actions). Yahoo: CCRN Earnings Call Transcript Seeking Alpha: Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest data appears inconsistent in reports (values showing 0 shares and NaN changes); treat those figures with caution—no clear short squeeze signal evident from the published data.
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 results missed expectations — revenue declined ~23–24% YoY (~$236.8M) and EPS missed/turned to a loss (reported EPS negative vs. small positive consensus). That shortfall is the primary driver of the selloff. Zacks: Q4 Loss, Lags Revenue Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Large operating and net loss magnified the reaction — operating loss and a materially wider net loss pushed EPS well below models, increasing near‑term earnings uncertainty. QuiverQuant: Stock Falls on Q4 2025 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Weak Q1 2026 guidance — management issued an EPS and revenue outlook below Street consensus (EPS guidance negative vs. consensus positive; revenue guidance below estimates), which likely triggered additional selling and increased uncertainty for the next quarter.
• Negative Sentiment: Immediate market impact — several outlets reported a double‑digit drop intraday (headline: stock slid ~14% on the unexpected loss and weak guidance), reflecting active deleveraging by some funds and analyst downgrades/target adjustments. Investing.com: Stock Slides 14% on Unexpected Q4 Loss

About Cross Country Healthcare

Cross Country Healthcare, Inc, headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, is a leading provider of healthcare workforce solutions in the United States. The company specializes in the recruitment, placement and management of nursing and allied health professionals on both a travel and permanent basis. Through its integrated platform, Cross Country Healthcare serves hospitals, health systems, and long-term care facilities by matching qualified clinical talent with patient care needs across diverse care settings.

The company’s core service offerings include travel nurse and allied health staffing, per diem staffing, permanent placement services, and managed services programs.