Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE:CRL) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results

18 Feb 2026, 16:00 by Danessa Lincoln · The Markets Daily

Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE:CRL – Get Free Report) released its earnings results on Wednesday. The medical research company reported $2.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.33 by $0.06, Zacks reports. The company had revenue of $994.23 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $986.98 million. Charles River Laboratories International had a negative net margin of 2.07% and a positive return on equity of 15.78%. The company’s revenue was down .8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.66 EPS. Charles River Laboratories International updated its FY 2026 guidance to 10.700-11.200 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Charles River Laboratories International’s conference call:

DSA demand strengthened in Q4 with a 1.12x net book-to-bill and backlog rising to $1.86B, and management is “cautiously optimistic” this momentum will drive a return to organic revenue growth for DSA and the company in the second half of 2026.
Higher-than-expected NHP study starts increased open-market NHP sourcing and staffing costs, which materially pressured DSA operating margin in Q4 and are expected to depress Q1 2026 margins; RMS also faces a near-term headwind from the timing of NHP shipments.
Company is executing strategic portfolio moves—the K.F. Cambodia asset purchase closed and PathoQuest is expected to close soon—aiming to secure NHP supply, improve margins (KF ~+$0.25 EPS in 2026; larger benefit in 2027), complete ~7% revenue divestitures by mid‑2026, and realize cumulative cost savings (>$300M) to boost profitability.
2026 guidance is mixed: organic revenue of down 1% to flat (reported flat to +1.5% with FX), operating margin +20–50 bps, and non‑GAAP EPS of $10.70–$11.20 (+4–9%), but with a Q1 outlook showing mid‑teens operating margin and high‑teens EPS decline due to discrete timing items.

Charles River Laboratories International Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:CRL traded down $6.66 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $151.87. The stock had a trading volume of 428,595 shares, compared to its average volume of 883,585. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $202.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $179.58. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. Charles River Laboratories International has a 52 week low of $91.86 and a 52 week high of $228.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -97.91, a P/E/G ratio of 4.88 and a beta of 1.63.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CRL. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Charles River Laboratories International during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Sfam LLC acquired a new stake in Charles River Laboratories International during the fourth quarter worth $43,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its holdings in Charles River Laboratories International by 98.0% in the 2nd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 293 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 145 shares during the period. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its holdings in Charles River Laboratories International by 62.8% in the 3rd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 482 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $75,000 after buying an additional 186 shares during the period. Finally, Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in shares of Charles River Laboratories International in the 4th quarter valued at $109,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.91% of the company’s stock.

Key Charles River Laboratories International News

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

Positive Sentiment: Q4 results topped estimates: EPS $2.39 vs. $2.33 expected and revenue $994.2M vs. $987.0M expected; management said margins improved. Charles River Laboratories (CRL) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
Positive Sentiment: Company forecast FY2026 profit above Wall Street estimates and cited improving demand from biotech clients, supporting the thesis of recovery in drug‑development services. Charles River forecasts upbeat 2026 profit on improved demand for drug development services
Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage is constructive on balance — the firm carries an average recommendation around “Moderate Buy,” which provides some support for medium‑term expectations. Charles River Laboratories Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy”
Neutral Sentiment: FY2026 EPS guidance set at $10.70–$11.20, essentially in line with the consensus (~$10.77), leaving limited immediate upside from guidance alone but reducing forecast uncertainty range. Press Release / Slide Deck
Negative Sentiment: Organic growth declined across all segments despite the beats, signaling demand weakness beneath the headline numbers — a key reason the shares sold off after the report. CRL Stock Down Despite Q4 Earnings & Revenue Beat, Margins Rise
Negative Sentiment: Reports of a legal probe and commentary about weak momentum raise execution and reputational risk that could temper investor enthusiasm until clarity is provided. Legal Probe And Weak Momentum Contrast With Charles River Valuation Upside

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages recently issued reports on CRL. Argus set a $200.00 price objective on Charles River Laboratories International in a report on Monday, November 17th. Bank of America raised Charles River Laboratories International from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $225.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Citigroup lifted their price target on Charles River Laboratories International from $200.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 16th. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Charles River Laboratories International in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Evercore raised their price objective on shares of Charles River Laboratories International from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $209.46.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Charles River Laboratories International

Charles River Laboratories International Company Profile

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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.