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CHRWC.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.Hold5.1·$189.85-0.74%
CHRW · Why this verdict

Why C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW) is rated HOLD

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictHOLD
Overall score5.1/10
ConfidenceMEDIUM
MacroNEUTRAL

Thesis pillars

The company has beaten analyst estimates in each of the last four consecutive quarters with an average positive surprise near 9.5%, and earnings estimates have been trending upward — a combination that typically signals continued upward revisions.

Stable
Bull case
Expectation
EPS surprise remains positive for the next 2 quarters and analyst earnings estimates for the next fiscal year continue to rise.

CounterFour consecutive beats in a freight-brokerage recovery cycle may reflect a temporarily favorable rate environment rather than durable structural outperformance; estimates rising into a cycle peak can reverse sharply if freight volumes soften.

With the stock trading just 0.4% below its near-term price target, available upside is negligible while downside to the nearest support level is materially larger — the risk/reward ratio is unfavorable and the setup does not meet the asymmetry threshold required for a new position.

Stable
Price targets
Expectation
This pillar is falsified if analyst consensus price targets rise above $210, creating more than 10% upside from the current price of $190.25.

CounterIf the earnings beat streak continues and analysts raise their targets — a pattern seen over the last four quarters — the price ceiling could lift, restoring a more favorable setup.

Revenue has declined approximately 1% year-over-year, and with no discernible competitive moat noted in the quality assessment, the business struggles to expand market share or sustain pricing power in a commoditized logistics market.

Stable
Growth breakdown
Expectation
This pillar is falsified if revenue growth turns positive and exceeds 5% year-over-year for 2 consecutive quarters.

CounterFreight brokerage is inherently cyclical; revenue contraction during a downturn is expected, and a cycle upturn could drive rapid top-line recovery without requiring any structural improvement.

A put-to-call ratio of 2.00 — well above neutral — signals that options market participants have accumulated meaningfully more bearish exposure than bullish, suggesting either institutional hedging or directional conviction on the downside.

Stable
Risk breakdown
Expectation
This pillar is falsified if the put-to-call ratio falls below 1.0 for 2 consecutive weeks, indicating a structural shift in market positioning.

CounterElevated put buying can reflect portfolio hedging by existing long holders rather than directional pessimism; the bearish positioning may represent protection rather than conviction on the downside.

TrendMatrix Research · core thesis

Engine thesis — one sentence

C.H. Robinson brings four straight earnings beats with rising analyst estimates, but the stock trades just 0.4% below its near-term price target, producing an unfavorable risk/reward, while declining revenues and an elevated put-to-call ratio of 2.0 suggest the setup favors patience rather than new exposure at current prices.

Falsifiable statement — pillar-level invalidators below. Engine-derived; not personalized advice.

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

4.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
P/E3.2
P/S9.4
EV/EBITDA0.0
Fwd P/E4.8
PEG3.9
Analyst target4.0
  • Forward P/E: 25.9x
  • PEG: 2.68

Quality

5.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROE10.0
ROA6.7
Gross margin0.0
Op margin2.0
Net margin1.8
Current ratio5.8
FCF quality7.4
Moat4.2
Piotroski F6.7
  • Excellent ROE: 35%
  • No competitive moat

Growth

3.1/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth2.3
EPS growth4.0
  • Declining revenue: -1%

Momentum

7.1/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI5.5
MACD8.7
OBV10.0
MA position9.0
Volume2.3
  • Volume accumulation (rising OBV)
  • Above 200-day MA

Sentiment

7.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
LLM sentiment7.8
Analyst rating7.5
Price target5.5
  • LLM news sentiment: +0.55 (n=2)

Insider

5.0/10data confidence 50%
ComponentSub-score
materiality5.0
holder change5.1
  • No net insider activity — $0 (0.000% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

4.3/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank2.9
quality rank6.1
growth rank3.1
  • Superior ROE vs peers

Technical

4.9/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger3.1
support resistance2.7
52w position8.8
gap5.0

Risk (lower is worse)

6.5/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest6.5
days to cover5.9
volatility4.8
put call10.0
implied vol5.9
beta7.5
debt equity5.2

Catalyst

6.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm6.5
earnings history10.0
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg7.2
dividend safety4.8
news activity6.0
  • Perfect beat streak: 4Q
  • Yield trap warning: high yield but unsafe

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position. | News modifier +2 (SELL_IF_HOLDING → HOLD_IF_HOLDING).

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_SELL|L3:NEWS_MOD=+2
Passed (6)
  • MOMENTUM:7.1>=5.5
  • INSIDER:OK
  • NEWS_EVENTS:NONE_RECENT
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:25d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (1)
  • ASYMMETRY:-0.9=NEGATIVE
Warning (1)
  • 8K_CSUITE_CHANGE:5.02 (officer departure/appointment)
Reward-to-Risk
-0.91
Upside
-6.7%
Downside
7.4%
Sizing output
AVOID

SetupBreakout Golden cross, above all MAs, RSI 48, MACD bullish

EdgeCatalyst-Driven Earnings in 25d with 4/4 beat streak

SuitabilityModerate Balanced profile

Investment implication

The F-path SELL output reflects an overall score of 5.1 below the 5.4 soft trigger — multiple weakening dimensions accumulated rather than a single hard-floor breach. The strongest dimension ( Momentum at 7.1) was not enough to lift the adjusted overall above the threshold. Co-occurring failed gates ( ASYMMETRY:-0.9=NEGATIVE) reinforce the read. Current asymmetry R:R is -0.91 — supplementary context, not the trigger for this path.

The strongest dimensions are Momentum at 7.1, Sentiment at 7.0, and Catalyst at 6.6; the weakest are Growth at 3.1, Value at 4.2, and Peer rank at 4.3. The V9 engine flagged 1 failed gate with 1 warning, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of -0.91 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

What would invalidate the thesis

Falsifying conditions — when triggered, the corresponding pillar's thesis is invalidated.

  • P1Earnings Beat With Rising Estimates

    Trip ifEPS surprise falls below 0% for 2 consecutive quarters.

  • P2Target Reached Unfavorable Asymmetry

    Trip ifAnalyst consensus price target rises above $210, creating more than 10% upside from the current price of $190.25.

  • P3Declining Revenue No Moat

    Trip ifRevenue growth turns positive and exceeds 5% year-over-year for 2 consecutive quarters.

  • P4Elevated Put Call Options Skew

    Trip ifPut-to-call ratio falls below 1.0 for 2 consecutive weeks.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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