Atmos Energy Corporation vs Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc — how do they compare? Atmos Energy Corporation trades at $169.34 (market cap $28.59B), while Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $286.25 (market cap $13.46B). The key difference: Atmos Energy Corporation is far larger — about 2.1× Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc's market cap, and Atmos Energy Corporation pays a 2.36% dividend while Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ATO | CRL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $28.59B | $13.46B |
Sector | Utilities | Health |
52-Week High | $192.25 | $282.00 |
52-Week Low | $162.44 | $145.57 |
Enterprise Value | $38.40B | $16.30B |
Dividend Yield | 2.36% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Atmos Energy (ATO) trades at $167.92, down 1.33% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The company reported Q3 2026 EPS of $1.43, beating estimates of $1.35, with revenue growth of 4.8% year-over-year. Strong profitability metrics include a 28.5% net income margin and 62.2% gross margin, while valuation ratios show a P/E of 20.2 and P/S of 5.7. Recent corporate developments include board appointments and dividend declarations of $1.00 per share.
ATO presents a mixed outlook with solid fundamentals and analyst support but faces technical headwinds. The consensus price target of $190.57 suggests 13.5% upside potential, supported by 45% buy ratings. Risks include high capital expenditures impacting cash flow and debt levels near $7.9 billion. Earnings growth and rate approvals provide catalysts, though the stock's bearish technical trend warrants caution near-term.
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $277.00, up 3.56% on the day and near its 52-week high of $277.07, reflecting strong bullish momentum. The stock exhibits positive technical signals with moving averages indicating an uptrend, though oscillators suggest overbought conditions. Fundamentally, the company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $3.02, beating estimates, and raised full-year guidance, yet faces profitability challenges with a negative net income margin of -5.96% and elevated valuation ratios like a P/E of 684.85. Recent news highlights improved biotech demand and institutional buying interest.
The outlook for CRL is cautiously optimistic, driven by earnings beats and raised guidance, but high valuation and weak profitability pose risks. Investment opportunity lies in sustained demand for drug development services, while risks include margin pressure, debt levels, and sensitivity to biotech funding cycles. The stock's proximity to all-time highs warrants monitoring for pullbacks.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Atmos Energy is the largest publicly traded, fully regulated, pure-play natural gas utility in the United States, serving more than 3 million customers in Texas, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia. About two thirds of its earnings come from Texas, where it distributes natural gas in northern Texas and owns an intrastate gas pipeline spanning several key shale gas formations and interconnected with five storage facilities.
Read more on ATO →Charles River Laboratories was founded in 1947 and is a leading provider of drug discovery and development services. The company's research model & services segment is the leading provider of animal models for laboratory testing, which breeds and delivers animal research models with specific genetic characteristics for preclinical studies around the world. The discovery & safety assessment segment includes services required to take a drug through the early development process, including discovery services. The manufacturing support segment includes microbial solutions, which provides in vitro (non-animal) testing products, biologics testing services, and avian vaccine services.
Read more on CRL →