Zacks Research Issues Negative Outlook for CRL Earnings

Key Points

• Zacks Research cut its Q1 2026 EPS estimate for Charles River to $2.05 from $2.39, signaling near‑term weakness that could pressure the stock in the next quarter.
• Despite the Q1 downgrade, Zacks raised multi‑year guidance for FY2026–FY2028, creating a mixed outlook versus the street consensus of $9.36 full‑year EPS and a MarketBeat consensus target near $203.57, which has contributed to recent stock volatility (CRL was down ~9.9%).

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL - Free Report) - Research analysts at Zacks Research lowered their Q1 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Charles River Laboratories International in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, March 11th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the medical research company will earn $2.05 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $2.39. The consensus estimate for Charles River Laboratories International's current full-year earnings is $9.36 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Charles River Laboratories International's Q4 2026 earnings at $3.02 EPS and Q4 2027 earnings at $3.32 EPS.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Charles River Laboratories International from $165.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Charles River Laboratories International from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, February 21st. Bank of America upgraded shares of Charles River Laboratories International from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $225.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Mizuho cut their price objective on shares of Charles River Laboratories International from $215.00 to $175.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Argus set a $200.00 target price on shares of Charles River Laboratories International in a research note on Monday, November 17th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $203.57.

Charles River Laboratories International Stock Down 9.9%

NYSE CRL opened at $152.22 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $192.53 and a 200 day moving average price of $180.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.29. The company has a market cap of $7.49 billion, a P/E ratio of -51.43, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 1.64. Charles River Laboratories International has a one year low of $91.86 and a one year high of $228.88.

Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE:CRL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The medical research company reported $2.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.33 by $0.06. Charles River Laboratories International had a positive return on equity of 15.60% and a negative net margin of 3.59%.The firm had revenue of $994.23 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $986.98 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.66 earnings per share. The business's revenue was down .8% on a year-over-year basis. Charles River Laboratories International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.700-11.200 EPS.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Charles River Laboratories International

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Charles River Laboratories International by 84.5% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 104,719 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $16,384,000 after buying an additional 47,954 shares during the last quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Charles River Laboratories International in the third quarter valued at approximately $533,000. Madison Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Charles River Laboratories International in the third quarter worth approximately $1,935,000. Cooke & Bieler LP increased its stake in Charles River Laboratories International by 0.9% during the third quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP now owns 603,877 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $94,483,000 after acquiring an additional 5,100 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. raised its position in Charles River Laboratories International by 11.6% in the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,237,143 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $187,712,000 after purchasing an additional 128,785 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.91% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Charles River Laboratories International

Here are the key news stories impacting Charles River Laboratories International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised multi‑year guidance — FY2026 raised to $10.78 (from $10.68), FY2027 to $11.62 (from $11.30) and FY2028 pegged at $12.12 — signaling stronger medium‑term earnings growth potential that can justify higher valuation expectations. Zacks multi-year upgrades
• Positive Sentiment: Several quarterly boosts: Q2 2026 to $2.85 (from $2.74), Q3 2026 to $2.86 (from $2.62), Q3 2027 to $3.02 (from $2.95), and Q1 2027 to $2.62 (from $2.43). These upward revisions to recurring quarters point to improving operational momentum across periods. Zacks quarterly upgrades
• Neutral Sentiment: The consensus full‑year estimate cited in the notes remains at $9.36 EPS, creating a disconnect between Zacks’ higher multi‑year forecasts and the street consensus; investors may watch for other analysts to follow suit before fully repricing the stock. Consensus context
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks cut Q1 2026 EPS sharply to $2.05 from $2.39 and trimmed Q2 2027 slightly to $2.65 (from $2.67) — the Q1 downgrade indicates near‑term weakness that could pressure next quarter’s stock performance and investor sentiment. Zacks near-term cuts

Charles River Laboratories International Company Profile

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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