Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE:CRL) Reaches New 52-Week High - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• Charles River Laboratories shares hit a new 52-week high, trading as high as $242.73 and gaining 7.3%. The stock’s $220.75 consensus price target is below its latest trading level.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive, with 11 Buy ratings, four Holds and one Sell, resulting in a “Moderate Buy” consensus. Recent targets range from $213 to $250.
• The company beat quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, reporting $2.06 in EPS versus $1.96 expected and $995.83 million in revenue versus $977.46 million expected. However, director James C. Foster sold 75,000 shares worth $16.9 million under a pre-arranged trading plan.

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL - Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $242.73 and last traded at $240.7830, with a volume of 1257880 shares. The stock had previously closed at $224.30.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have issued reports on CRL. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $250.00 target price on shares of Charles River Laboratories International in a report on Wednesday, July 1st. CLSA lowered Charles River Laboratories International from an "outperform" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $219.00 price target for the company. in a report on Monday, July 20th. Robert W. Baird set a $213.00 price target on Charles River Laboratories International in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Barclays boosted their price objective on Charles River Laboratories International from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane set a $250.00 target price on Charles River Laboratories International in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $220.75.

Charles River Laboratories International Stock Up 7.3%

The company has a current ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90. The firm has a market cap of $11.60 billion, a P/E ratio of -64.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 1.40. The stock's fifty day moving average is $202.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $187.59.

Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE:CRL - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The medical research company reported $2.06 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.96 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $995.83 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $977.46 million. Charles River Laboratories International had a negative net margin of 4.59% and a positive return on equity of 15.36%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.34 EPS. Charles River Laboratories International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.800-11.300 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. will post 11.05 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Charles River Laboratories International news, Director James C. Foster sold 75,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $225.00, for a total value of $16,875,000.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 31,596 shares in the company, valued at $7,109,100. This represents a 70.36% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of CRL. Tema Etfs LLC bought a new stake in Charles River Laboratories International during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Charles River Laboratories International in the 4th quarter worth $42,000. Sfam LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Charles River Laboratories International during the 4th quarter valued at $43,000. Activest Wealth Management raised its position in shares of Charles River Laboratories International by 10,900.0% during the 4th quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 220 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 218 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Elyxium Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Charles River Laboratories International during the 4th quarter worth $46,000. 98.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Charles River Laboratories International

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc is a leading provider of research models and preclinical and clinical support services for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. The company's core offerings include discovery, safety assessment, toxicology, and pathology services, as well as supply of laboratory animals and related diagnostics. Services extend across in vivo and in vitro testing, biologics testing, and support for advanced therapies, helping clients accelerate drug development from early discovery through regulatory submission.

Founded in 1947 in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Charles River has grown through strategic investments and acquisitions to establish a broad portfolio of capabilities.

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