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Is CRL a good stock to buy?

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. · end-of-day data as of Nov 13, 2026

Charles River Laboratories
CRL · $16.19B
$337.97-0.8%
Nov 13, 2026 · close
$300$350SepOctNov9:3016:003 months +21.1%Nov 13 · close
▲ 3
  • ConsensusBuy · 17
  • MAs3 of 4
  • Sector▲ +15.9%
Neutral
  • Earnings in96d
  • P/E371.4x
  • RSI52
  • Support-7.7%
  • Off 52w high-11.0%
  • Volume0.6x
  • Bollingerlower half
  • News0.00
  • FCF yield+2.5%
  • Trendsideways
  • 52w range$146–$380
  • ATR+4.9%
  • Off ATH-26.6%
▼ 5
  • PT$325.42 -3.7%
  • P/E vs own+15.4%
  • P/E vs sector+1,052.9%
  • Insiders-$20.29M
  • MACD-2.80

Updates with the 15-min delayed price. Not a forecast or investment advice.

Is Charles River Laboratories a good stock to buy?

Charles River Laboratories is strong on 3 of the 5 questions about the business; weak on demand and advantage. The price is high: 371.4 times its earnings, above its 3-year median of 24.8 (Nov 13, 2026). pretickt does not say whether to buy or sell.

  1. Demand shrinking
  2. Advantage easy to copy
  3. Economics profits growing
  4. Execution delivers
  5. Fragility sturdy
  6. Price expensive
DemandDo people want more of what it sells?shrinking

CRL analysts' forecast revenue estimates

-2%the sales they expect next fiscal year, on the last

Analysts expect Charles River Laboratories' sales to fall 2% to $3.94B in fiscal 2026 (9 analysts).

CRL competitors

pretickt analysis-1%its sales in 12 months, on a year before

Charles River Laboratories' sales fell 1% in the 12 months to Sep 26, 2026; Quest Diagnostics' grew 9%, Labcorp's grew 6%, Illumina's grew 6% and Revvity's grew 5%.

CRL sales by business revenue by segment

60%of its sales from Discovery and Safety Assessment

Discovery and Safety Assessment brought Charles River Laboratories 60% of its sales in fiscal 2025; Research Models and Services 21%.

Advantage moatIs it hard to copy?easy to copy

CRL margin on each sale gross margin

33%left after making the product

Charles River Laboratories kept 33% of each sale after making the product in the 12 months to Sep 26, 2026; its competitors' median is 43%.

EconomicsDoes it make good money?profits growing

CRL cash generated free cash flow

$400Mcash left after investing, last 12 months

Charles River Laboratories generated $400M of free cash flow in the 12 months to Sep 26, 2026, more than its reported profit.

ExecutionDoes it deliver what it promises?delivers

CRL earnings vs estimates

8 of 8quarters above the analysts' estimate

Charles River Laboratories beat the analysts' profit estimate in each of its last 8 quarters, the latest on Nov 4, 2026.

CRL insider selling

-$52.06Msold, net, by its executives in 12 months

Charles River Laboratories' executives and directors sold a net $52.06M of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026 ($52.07M sold, $7.34K bought).

CRL number of employees

-2%fewer people in a year

Charles River Laboratories had 19,700 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, 2% fewer than a year before.

CRL CEO pay

$14.1Mfor fiscal 2023, 81% of it in stock and options

Charles River Laboratories paid its CEO $14.1M for fiscal 2023, 81% of it in stock and options.

Fragility risksCould something break it?sturdy

CRL financial health Altman Z-score

3.2Altman Z-score, safe above 3

Charles River Laboratories' Altman Z-score is 3.2 (Nov 13, 2026), above 3, where the safe zone starts.

CRL quality checks Piotroski score

7 of 9checks passed

Charles River Laboratories passes 7 of the 9 Piotroski checks in the 12 months to Sep 26, 2026; it misses on long-term debt and sales for its assets.

CRL biggest customers

under 10%of sales from any one customer

No customer made 10% of Charles River Laboratories' sales in fiscal 2025.

CRL in past recessions

pretickt analysis-10%its sales in the worst one

Charles River Laboratories' sales fell in 1 of the last 2 US recessions, by as much as 10% in fiscal 2009.

Price valuationIs the price reasonable?expensive

CRL price vs profit P/E ratio

371.4×a year's earnings

Charles River Laboratories' P/E ratio is 371.4 (Nov 13, 2026), above its 3-year median of 24.8.

CRL price vs competitors

pretickt analysis371.4×a year's earnings, against its competitors

Investors pay 371.4 times Charles River Laboratories' earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for Revvity (68.3), Illumina (35.6), Labcorp (30.4) or Quest Diagnostics (25.9).

CRL analysts' target price target

-4%to their average target

Analysts' average price target for Charles River Laboratories is $325, 4% below the Nov 13, 2026 close of $337.97.

CRL growth priced in fair value

pretickt analysis+16%a year, for ten years, to be worth the price

At $337.97 a share, Charles River Laboratories' free cash flow must grow about 16% a year for ten years to be worth the price (Nov 13, 2026).

What is Charles River Laboratories' P/E ratio?

Charles River Laboratories' P/E ratio is 371.4 (Nov 13, 2026), above its 3-year median of 24.8. Investors pay 371.4 times Charles River Laboratories' earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for Revvity (68.3), Illumina (35.6), Labcorp (30.4) or Quest Diagnostics (25.9).

Who are Charles River Laboratories' biggest competitors?

pretickt compares Charles River Laboratories with Revvity, Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp and Illumina. Charles River Laboratories' sales fell 1% in the 12 months to Sep 26, 2026; Quest Diagnostics' grew 9%, Labcorp's grew 6%, Illumina's grew 6% and Revvity's grew 5%.

Are insiders selling Charles River Laboratories stock?

Charles River Laboratories' executives and directors sold a net $52.06M of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026 ($52.07M sold, $7.34K bought).

How does Charles River Laboratories make money?

Discovery and Safety Assessment brought Charles River Laboratories 60% of its sales in fiscal 2025; Research Models and Services 21%.

How many employees does Charles River Laboratories have?

Charles River Laboratories had 19,700 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, 2% fewer than a year before.

Who are Charles River Laboratories' biggest customers?

No customer made 10% of Charles River Laboratories' sales in fiscal 2025.

From the companies' statements (FMP), their filings read by pretickt, the analysts and the insiders, as of Nov 13, 2026. Each card says what a fact means for its question, never what to do with the stock: for information only, not investment advice.