Charles River Laboratories hits 52-week high amid market strength
Charles River Laboratories International Inc (CRL) experienced a price increase of 3.73%, reaching a 52-week high. This upward movement aligns with the broader market context, as the Nasdaq-100 rose by 0.89% and the S&P 500 gained 0.65%.
The stock's performance is attributed to sector rotation, as investors are increasingly focusing on companies within the life sciences sector, reflecting a shift in market sentiment towards healthcare and biotech firms. This trend is further supported by the overall positive market conditions.
The implications of this price movement suggest that CRL is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing interest in life sciences, potentially leading to further gains as investor confidence in the sector strengthens.
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- Strong Financial Performance: Charles River Laboratories reported Q4 2025 revenue of $994.2 million, reflecting a 2.6% organic decline year-over-year, yet full-year revenue reached $4.02 billion, demonstrating the company's robust market position amid stabilized biopharma demand.
- Strategic Acquisition Progress: The company announced the acquisitions of K.F. (Cambodia) and PathoQuest, which are expected to enhance supply chain and testing capabilities, further solidifying its leadership in preclinical drug development and supporting future growth.
- Optimistic Outlook: For 2026, organic revenue is projected to range from down 1% to flat, with non-GAAP EPS expected between $10.70 and $11.20, reflecting cautious optimism about market demand, particularly with K.F. expected to contribute approximately $0.25 to EPS.
- Management Transition: James Foster announced his retirement effective May, with Birgit Girshick taking over to lead 2026 strategic planning, expected to drive higher operational efficiency and profit growth under new leadership.

Future Evaluations: Charles River Laboratories will continue to assess additional mergers and acquisitions, focusing on bioanalysis and geographic expansion.
Strategic Growth: The company emphasizes its commitment to expanding its capabilities and services through strategic acquisitions.
- Strong Economic Data: US December capital goods new orders rose 0.6% month-over-month, surpassing expectations of 0.3%, indicating a rebound in capital spending and boosting market confidence in economic recovery.
- Housing Market Recovery: December housing starts increased by 6.2% month-over-month to 1.404 million, significantly exceeding expectations of 1.304 million, suggesting a revival in the real estate market that could drive growth in related sectors.
- Manufacturing Production Growth: January manufacturing production rose 0.6% month-over-month, beating expectations of 0.4%, marking the largest increase in 11 months, which indicates a recovery momentum in manufacturing that may further propel economic growth.
- Optimistic Corporate Earnings: Over 75% of S&P 500 companies reported earnings that exceeded expectations, with Q4 earnings growth projected at 8.4%, which will further boost market sentiment and attract investor interest.
- Wingstop Stock Surge: Shares of Wingstop jumped approximately 13% due to an upbeat outlook, projecting flat to low-single digit same-store sales growth for fiscal 2026, despite a 5.8% year-over-year decline in same-store sales in Q4, which was better than the expected 6.7% drop by analysts.
- Moody's Earnings Beat: Moody's shares rose 6% after reporting adjusted Q4 earnings of $3.64 per share, exceeding the $3.43 expected by analysts, with revenue of $1.89 billion also surpassing the $1.86 billion consensus, and the company guiding for full-year adjusted earnings between $16.40 and $17 per share.
- Madison Square Garden Spin-off Plans: Madison Square Garden Sports saw a 13% increase in shares after announcing plans to consider spinning off its New York Knicks franchise from its New York Rangers business, potentially enhancing the market value and operational efficiency of both entities.
- Global Payments Optimistic Guidance: Global Payments shares surged 15% as the company projected earnings of $13.80 to $14 per share by the end of 2026, exceeding the $13.58 consensus, while also expecting adjusted net revenue growth of around 5%, higher than the 4.7% forecast by analysts.
- Strong Economic Data: US December capital goods new orders rose 0.6% month-over-month, exceeding expectations of 0.3%, indicating a rebound in capital spending that could further boost stock markets.
- Housing Market Recovery: December housing starts increased by 6.2% month-over-month to 1.404 million, significantly surpassing the expected 1.304 million, suggesting a recovery in the real estate market that may enhance investment confidence in related sectors.
- Manufacturing Production Growth: January manufacturing production rose 0.6% month-over-month, beating expectations of 0.4%, marking the largest increase in 11 months, which could strengthen market confidence in economic recovery.
- Optimistic Corporate Earnings: Over 75% of S&P 500 companies reported earnings that exceeded expectations, with Q4 earnings growth projected at 8.4%, reflecting ongoing improvements in corporate profitability that may further drive stock market gains.

- Decline in High-Teens: Charles River executives report an expected decline in high-teens for Q1 compared to the previous year.
- Comparison to Last Year: The anticipated decline is being measured against performance metrics from the same quarter last year.







