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CRL

Charles River Laboratories

NYSEHealth CareDiagnostics & ResearchSnapshot 2026-05-08

$177.62-2.23%
Close 2026-05-08 · 1-day change
The bottom line

As of May 8, 2026, CRL has a mixed analyst scoring with a composite score of -0.3 and a medium confidence level of 72.8. The score is influenced by various factors, including an unfavorable outlook from potential guidance cuts and labor state reversals, as well as favorable scenarios if the healthcare sector trend improves or guidance is raised. The overall risk is labeled as elevated, with notable strengths in valuation (64.4) and quality (55.0), but weaknesses in momentum (-59.5) and sector performance (7.6). This scoring is provisional.

Composite -0.3as of 2026-05-08

Price

Daily closes from AlphaVantage. Earnings/event dots are placed inline.

Close 2026-05-08
Daily closes. Scroll over the chart to zoom; click a range to reset.
EarningsMaterial event

Factor signals

Read top-to-bottom: thesis (is this a strong company over a 1–3 year hold), watch flags (has something changed worth re-reading), and position context (how violent might the path be). Each pill is a parallel diagnostic — never aggregated into a single score.

L1

Thesis

is this a strong company over a 1–3 year hold?
F1 · Recent financial performance
weak
Bottom 10% of health care cohort
Why this rank
  • Direction share
    0.04
  • Slope (norm)
    -0.70
  • Bonus
    0.00
Operating income, last 4 quarters ($M)
75100134-283
F2 · Value
expensive
Most expensive 20% of health care cohort
Why this rank
Price
$177.62
TTM EPS
$3.99
Earnings yield
2.2%
P/E (TTM)
44.5

Trailing four: 2024-Q3, 2025-Q1, 2025-Q2, 2025-Q3

F3 · Earnings quality
Loss-making
Cash conversion undefined
Why this rank
TTM NI ($M)
-144
TTM CFO ($M)
738
CFO/NI
Undefined / loss-making
L2

Watch

has something changed worth re-reading?
F4 · Management stability
volatile
Bottom 20% activity in health care cohort· see deep-dive ↓
capital unfriendlyBottom 20% — net capital-unfriendly direction
Earnings setup · pre-print positioning
forward-looking
bearishEPS revised -7.1% / 30d, n=9for period ending 2026-06-30
Why this setup
Consensus revisions

EPS estimate $2.90 → $2.70 (-7.1% / 30d). 0 raised, 3 cut, 9 covering analysts.

Rating actions

0 upgrades, 0 downgrades / 30d, 4 maintained. 71% of analysts rate Buy.

Price target activity

6 PT revisions / 30d. Avg target 18.5% above current price.

Material events

0 positive, 0 negative / 30d.

F4 · Management deep-dive — recent events, stated priorities, guidance track record
2

Stated priorities

3 priorityies extracted from earnings transcripts (as of 2026-05-08).

  1. 1.Drive efficiency and process improvementscostbehind14% progress
    2/18: CEO: 'Taking decisive actions to drive efficiency and process improvements that will deliver continued benefits.'
    Why this status

    Newly stated in 2025-Q4. The financials show a decrease in operating income from $133.8M in 2025-Q3 to -$283.4M in 2025-Q4, indicating limited progress on efficiency improvements. The trajectory shows a need for substantial improvement to meet stated goals.

  2. 2.Selective and strategic acquisitionsgrowthmixed46% progress
    2/18: CEO: 'Committed to driving our strategy forward, including through selective and strategic acquisitions.'
    Why this status

    Newly stated in 2025-Q4. The financials do not show immediate impact from acquisitions, with revenue decreasing from $1.00B in 2025-Q3 to $994.2M in 2025-Q4. The trajectory for acquisitions is not yet clear, requiring further monitoring.

  3. 3.Strengthen and refine organizationtalentmixed65% progress
    2/18: CEO: 'Strengthening and refining our organization to enhance our speed and responsiveness.'
    Why this status

    Newly stated in 2025-Q4. The financials indicate a net loss of $276.6M in 2025-Q4, suggesting that organizational enhancements have not yet translated into financial improvements. The trajectory remains uncertain, with further efforts needed to achieve stated goals.

3

Guidance track record

Insufficient guidance history for this ticker.

L3

Position context

how violent might the path be while I hold it?
Risk profile · realized
backward-looking
elevatedworst 12m loss −33%, typical day ±1.7%
Why this risk level

Recent vol — 30d annualized 51%; 252d 43%.

Drawdown — Max 1y −33%. Bad day move −4%.

Beta to sector ETF (XLV) 1.42 over 1y.

Liquidity — score 100/100.

Sub-scores — vol 28/100, drawdown 34/100, beta 58/100, earnings vol .

Sector regime
headwind-15.1%sector vs S&P 500, 60d

via XLV

Tailwind = sector leading the S&P 500; headwind = trailing. Both can be constructive — historically, headwind regimes have averaged stronger forward returns than tailwind.

AI cycle regime · market-wide
2-axis classifier
HeatingManiaSquallCrisisEarnings →Mood ↑
HeatingE +0.13 · M +0.71
Single-axisCHASEz +2.97+1.285d

Context label only — describes the market state (e.g. real bear vs narrative panic, healthy uptrend vs late-stage froth). It is not a per-ticker buy/sell signal and does not predict factor performance.

Not investment advice. As of 2026-05-08.

3

What changed

The most important moves since the prior daily snapshot.

  1. No material changes since the prior snapshot.

No material changes since the prior snapshot.

as of 2026-05-08

4

Management scorecard

How management runs the business — capital, margins, balance sheet, and how reliably they guide and deliver.

Composite40.2 / 100
Capital allocation27
Earnings discipline49
Margin discipline38
Balance sheet56
Guidance credibility
Post-call reaction53
as of 2026-05-08
4

What management is focused on

Priorities management has stated in recent disclosures, with status and evidence drawn from earnings calls, filings, and press releases.

  • #1

    Drive efficiency and process improvements

    Cost

    Focus on efficiency and process improvements to deliver continued benefits.

    Behind

    Newly stated in 2025-Q4. The financials show a decrease in operating income from $133.8M in 2025-Q3 to -$283.4M in 2025-Q4, indicating limited progress on efficiency improvements. The trajectory shows a need for substantial improvement to meet stated goals.

    14%
    CEO/CFO:CEO: 'Taking decisive actions to drive efficiency and process improvements that will deliver continued benefits.'
    Press releaseSource dated 2026-02-18Stated 1 of last 8 quartersFirst seen 2026-02-18
    Show history (1)
    • 2025-Q4Press release

      CEO: 'Taking decisive actions to drive efficiency and process improvements...'

  • #2

    Selective and strategic acquisitions

    Growth

    Pursue selective and strategic acquisitions that align with core competencies.

    Mixed

    Newly stated in 2025-Q4. The financials do not show immediate impact from acquisitions, with revenue decreasing from $1.00B in 2025-Q3 to $994.2M in 2025-Q4. The trajectory for acquisitions is not yet clear, requiring further monitoring.

    46%
    CEO/CFO:CEO: 'Committed to driving our strategy forward, including through selective and strategic acquisitions.'
    Press releaseSource dated 2026-02-18Stated 1 of last 8 quartersFirst seen 2026-02-18
    Show history (1)
    • 2025-Q4Press release

      CEO: '...through selective and strategic acquisitions that align with our core competencies.'

  • #3

    Strengthen and refine organization

    Talent

    Enhance speed and responsiveness by strengthening and refining the organization.

    Mixed

    Newly stated in 2025-Q4. The financials indicate a net loss of $276.6M in 2025-Q4, suggesting that organizational enhancements have not yet translated into financial improvements. The trajectory remains uncertain, with further efforts needed to achieve stated goals.

    65%
    CEO/CFO:CEO: 'Strengthening and refining our organization to enhance our speed and responsiveness.'
    Press releaseSource dated 2026-02-18Stated 1 of last 8 quartersFirst seen 2026-02-18
    Show history (1)
    • 2025-Q4Press release

      CEO: '...strengthening and refining our organization to enhance our speed and responsiveness.'

as of 2026-05-08
5

How this stock is priced

Two ways to read price: against peers in the same business, and against the company's own history.

Compared to peers
22higher = cheaper

Looks more expensive than peers.

Compared to its own history
90higher = cheaper

Cheaper than its own typical valuation.

P/E
22.9x
EV/EBITDA
13.0x
FCF yield
5.8%

P/E over the last 5 years

48 monthly points
fairas of 2026-05-08
7

How this compares

A side-by-side read on composite, valuation, and risk versus peers.

StockCompositeValuationRisk
CRL
Charles River Laboratories
-0.3fairelevated
LLY
Lilly (Eli)
+21fullmoderate
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
+18fulllow
ABBV
AbbVie
+12fairlow
UNH
UnitedHealth Group
+24fairelevated
8

Risk — how this stock moves

What a normal day looks like, what a bad day looks like, and the worst the last year has thrown at it.

A typical day
How much price usually moves either way.
1.7%
A bad day (95th %ile)
A rough but not unusual down day.
-3.9%
Worst 12-month loss
Deepest peak-to-trough drop in the last year.
-33.0%
Earnings-day move
How much price usually moves on earnings day.
elevatedas of 2026-05-08
9

What could change this view

Conditional scenarios — if X happens, the score would shift by about Y points. These are not predictions.

Upside triggers
  • If health_care sector trend rises from +0.06 into 'improving' (>= +0.20)+5.0 pts
  • If next-quarter guidance is raised (currently REAFFIRMED as of 2026-05-07)+4.0 pts
Downside triggers
  • If next-quarter guidance is cut (currently REAFFIRMED as of 2026-05-07)-8.0 pts
  • If labor state reverses from -0.31 (negative) to +0.31 (positive)-6.8 pts
  • If health_care sector trend falls from +0.06 into 'weakening' (<= -0.20)-5.0 pts
10

Material updates

Recent SEC 8-K filings ranked by likely impact, confidence, and recency.

  1. 2026-05-071d agoItem 2.02

    Results of Operations and Financial Condition The following information shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing. On May 7, 2026, Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. issued a press release providing financial re…

    earnings preannouncementscore 64
  2. 2026-02-182mo agoItem 5.02

    Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. On February 18, 2026, the Company announced the appointment of Glenn Coleman as its Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Coleman will join the company with a tentative start date of April 6, 2026. Mr. Coleman, 58, will join Charles River with over 30 years of strong financial and operational management experience, inc…

    executive changeneutralscore 13
  3. 2026-02-182mo agoItem 2.02

    Results of Operations and Financial Condition The following information shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing. On February 18, 2026, Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. issued a press release providing financ…

    earnings preannouncementneutralscore 11
  4. 2026-02-252mo agoItem 7.01

    Regulation FD Disclosure The following information shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing. Planned Divestiture of CDMO and Cell Solutions Businesses On February 25, 2026, Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (t…

    mna activityneutralscore 10
  5. 2026-01-093mo agoItem 5.02

    Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers Chief Executive Officer Transition On January 8, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (the “Company”) announced a leadership transition plan. Mr. James C. Foster, our current Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, intends to step down as Chief Executive Officer and Chairm…

    executive changeneutralscore 5
11

Score history

The composite score, snapshot by snapshot. The dotted line at zero separates leaning-positive from leaning-negative.

60 snapshots
Data freshness · As of 2026-05-08 · Macro 2026-05-08 · Sector 2026-05-07 · Fundamentals 2026-02-18 · Price 2026-05-07 · Generated 2026-05-08 · Spec 2.3

Not investment advice. Scores describe historical and current data; they are not forecasts of future returns. Consult a licensed advisor before making investment decisions.