Wilmington, Massachusetts-based Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (CRL) provides drug discovery, non-clinical development, and safety testing services. Valued at $8.1 billion by market cap, the company offers animal research models in research and development for new drugs, devices, and therapies, serving pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, hospitals, and academic institutions worldwide.
Shares of this pharmaceutical company have underperformed the broader market over the past year. CRL has declined marginally over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied nearly 11.7%. In 2026, CRL’s stock fell 17.7%, compared to the SPX’s marginal rise on a YTD basis.
Narrowing the focus, CRL’s underperformance is also apparent compared to the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV). The exchange-traded fund has gained about 7.4% over the past year. Moreover, the ETF’s 1.6% returns on a YTD basis outshines the stock’s double-digit losses over the same time frame.
On Feb. 18, CRL shares closed down marginally after reporting its Q4 results. Its adjusted EPS of $2.39 beat Wall Street expectations of $2.33. The company’s revenue was $994.2 million, beating Wall Street forecasts of $985.9 million. CRL expects full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $10.70 to $11.20.
For fiscal 2026, ending in December, analysts expect CRL’s EPS to grow 5.4% to $10.83 on a diluted basis. The company’s earnings surprise history is impressive. It beat the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters.
Among the 16 analysts covering CRL stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on 11 “Strong Buy” ratings, and five “Holds.”
This configuration is more bullish than three months ago, with 10 analysts recommending a “Strong Buy.”
On Jan. 22, TD Cowen analyst Charles Rhyee kept a “Buy” rating on CRL and raised the price target to $251, implying a potential upside of 52.8% from current levels.
The mean price target of $221.64 represents a 34.9% premium to CRL’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $265 suggests a notable upside potential of 61.3%.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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