Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (CRL) - Company Profile - 2026-04-17

Company Overview

• Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. is a United States-based healthcare company operating in the diagnostics and research services space. The business employs about 18,300 people and is headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts.
• The company provides comprehensive drug discovery, non-clinical development, and safety testing services across the United States, Europe, Canada, the Asia Pacific region, and other international markets.
• Its three reportable segments are Research Models and Services, Discovery and Safety Assessment, and Manufacturing Solutions. The Research Models and Services segment focuses on producing and selling rodents and purpose-bred rats and mice, along with related services such as genetically engineered models, insourcing solutions, and research animal diagnostics; it also engages in development and production of cell therapies.
• The Discovery and Safety Assessment segment offers in vitro and in vivo discovery services for preclinical drug candidates, safety testing, and related pharmacokinetic, bioanalysis, and vivarium services.
• The Manufacturing Solutions segment provides in vitro quality control testing for sterile and non-sterile products, specialized testing of biologics for external clients, and contract development and manufacturing services.
• The company maintains strategic collaborations with Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and a strategic alliance with the Francis Crick Institute for Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) discovery and development. Founded in 1947, Charles River is a long-standing participant in the life sciences research ecosystem.

Business and Operations

• Segments and core activities:

- Research Models and Services: production and sale of rodents and purpose-bred animals; provision of engineered models, insourcing solutions, diagnostic services, and development/production of cell therapies.

- Discovery and Safety Assessment: in vitro and in vivo discovery services, preclinical candidate readiness, safety pharmacology and toxicology services, pathology, bioanalysis, drug metabolism, and pharmacokinetics; vivarium space services.

- Manufacturing Solutions: in vitro QC methods for sterile and non-sterile products, specialized testing of biologics, and contract development/manufacturing services for pharmaceuticals and consumer products.

• Global footprint and collaborations:

- Operations span the United States, Europe, Canada, the Asia Pacific region, and other international markets.

- Strategic collaborations include Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and an alliance with Francis Crick Institute (Crick) for ADC discovery and development.

• Business mix considerations:

- The company operates across discovery, non-clinical development, safety testing, and manufacturing support, with an emphasis on enabling pharmaceutical and biotech clients to advance drug candidates through preclinical stages toward safety assessment.

- Portfolio breadth includes animal model production, engineering of research models, in vitro/in vivo discovery services, and QC-focused manufacturing services, which together support multiple phases of the drug development continuum.

• Corporate history and status:

- Established in 1947 and headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, the company has evolved into a diversified contract research and contract development organization with multiple collaboration partnerships to advance therapeutic modalities.

Fundamental Metrics

• Market capitalization: $8.73 billion
• Enterprise value: $11.17 billion
• Price-to-earnings (trailing): not available (n/a)
• Price-to-earnings (forward): 14.41
• Price-to-book: 2.75
• Price-to-sales: 2.17
• PEG ratio: 0.13
• Profit margin: -3.60%
• Operating margin: 4.51%
• Return on equity (ROE): -4.23%
• Return on assets (ROA): 4.24%
• Debt-to-equity: 81.95
• Current ratio: 1.29
• Revenue (TTM): $4.02 billion
• Revenue growth (YoY): -0.80%
• Earnings growth (YoY): not applicable/n/a
• Free cash flow: $572.38 million
• Dividend yield: not available
• Payout ratio: 0.00%
• Beta: 1.62

Share Structure and Ownership

• Shares outstanding: 49,341,960
• Float: 48,662,173
• Insider held: 0.85%
• Institutional held: 110.22%
• Short ratio (days to cover): 5.18
• Short % of float: 10.71%
• Top institutional holders:

- Vanguard Group Inc: 11.93%

- BlackRock Inc.: 7.61%

- Invesco Ltd.: 5.46%

- Allspring Global Investments Holdings, LLC: 4.04%

- State Street Corporation: 3.79%

Trading Activity

• Last close: $176.94 on 2026-04-16
• 1-month change: +15.11%
• 3-month change: -19.14%
• Year-to-date (YTD) change: -12.59%
• 1-year change: +66.85%
• 52-week high: $228.88
• 52-week low: $99.80
• [Drawdown](https://aksoycapital.com/glossary/drawdown.html) from 52-week high: -22.69%
• Average daily trading volume (30 days): 896,400
• Average daily trading volume (90 days): 901,242

Recent Price Action

• Over the most recent 1-month period, the stock advanced by 15.11%, reflecting a rebound from prior levels.
• In the 3-month window, the stock experienced a decline of 19.14%, indicating a corrective phase in that interval.
• Year-to-date performance stands at a negative 12.59%, while the trailing 12 months show a positive 66.85% return, underscoring a volatile price trajectory across periods.
• The security traded within a 52-week range of $99.80 to $228.88, with the latest close near mid-range; the distance to the 52-week high corresponds to a [drawdown](https://aksoycapital.com/glossary/drawdown.html) of about 22.69% from the high.
• Average volume figures indicate a steady trading pace, with 30-day and 90-day averages near 900 thousand shares daily, suggesting moderate liquidity for a mid-cap healthcare name.

Strengths

• Diversified service offerings across the drug development continuum (from model production and genetic engineering to in vitro/in vivo discovery and manufacturing QC), supporting multiple client needs.
• Global presence with exposure to major markets in the United States, Europe, Canada, and the Asia Pacific region.
• Strategic collaborations and alliance activity, including partnerships with oncology and research institutions (Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Francis Crick Institute), potentially enhancing early-stage development capabilities.
• Free cash flow generation, with reported free cash flow of approximately $572 million, providing liquidity and flexibility for strategic initiatives or capital allocation.
• Forward-looking valuation multiple (P/E forward) of 14.41 and PEG of 0.13, suggesting a potential alignment with growth expectations relative to earnings growth, subject to corporate performance and market conditions.

Considerations

• Profitability metrics show a negative net profit margin (-3.60%) and negative ROE (-4.23%), indicating net losses on a reported basis and reduced equity-based profitability at present.
• Revenue growth (YoY) is modest at -0.80%, reflecting a flat-to-slightly-declining top line in the latest period.
• Elevated debt load (Debt/Equity around 82%) may imply higher leverage and financial risk relative to peers with lower gearing.
• Insider ownership is relatively modest (0.85%), with substantial institutional participation (over 110% of float, reflecting share counting and potentially cross-share ownership or share classes in some datasets); this can influence corporate governance dynamics and trading activity.
• The stock exhibits notable volatility (Beta 1.62) and a wide 52-week price range, which may reflect sensitivity to sector cycles, regulatory developments, or macro conditions affecting contract research organizations.
• Dividend information is not available (dividend yield not reported; payout ratio at 0%), indicating no current or explicit dividend income for investors seeking yield.
• The forward-looking multiple and growth expectations depend on the pipeline, collaboration outcomes, and regulatory timelines in a field characterized by high R&D intensity and competitive dynamics.

Summary

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. operates a diversified contract research and development platform with three segments covering research models, discovery/safety assessment, and manufacturing solutions. The company reported revenue of about $4.02 billion (TTM) with positive operating margin but negative net profitability, and free cash flow around $572 million. Its enterprise value sits above $11 billion, supported by a forward P/E around 14.4 and a PEG near 0.13, while debt levels remain elevated and profitability metrics show near-term headwinds. The stock trades with substantial institutional ownership, a broad global footprint, and a history of notable price movements within a wide 52-week range.