Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs Dollar Tree, Inc. — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $286.42 (market cap $13.46B), while Dollar Tree, Inc. trades at $128.71 (market cap $24.61B). The key difference: Dollar Tree, Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Dollar Tree, Inc. nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | DLTR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.46B | $24.61B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $282.00 | $141.21 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $85.04 |
Enterprise Value | $16.30B | $31.20B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $286.36, up 3.38% today and near its 52-week high of $277.07. The stock shows strong technical momentum with bullish moving averages and has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters. Recent Q2 2026 results exceeded expectations with EPS of $3.02 versus $2.77 estimate, driving positive sentiment. However, valuation metrics remain elevated with P/E at 684.85 and negative profitability margins.
While technical indicators and analyst consensus (72% buy ratings) support near-term upside, fundamental concerns persist with negative net income margin (-5.96%) and ROE (-7.7%). The stock faces execution risks in maintaining earnings momentum amid competitive pressures. Current price exceeds consensus target of $277.29, suggesting limited near-term upside potential despite positive business inflection.
Dollar Tree (DLTR) trades at $128.76, down 0.47% on the day. The stock exhibits a bullish technical trend, trading near its pivot point of $128 with support at $127. Fundamentally, the company reported a net loss of -$3.03B for 2025 despite strong operating cash flow of $2.86B. Recent news highlights a $2.5 billion share repurchase authorization announced on July 2, 2026 (Business Wire).
The outlook is mixed. Analyst consensus is a 'Buy' with a $126.69 price target, but significant risks exist from recent profitability challenges and competitive pressures. The share repurchase program may support EPS, but investors should weigh the negative net income against improving operational cash flow trends.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Dollar Tree operates discount stores in the U.S. and Canada, including 8,647 shops under its namesake banner and 8,016 Family Dollar units (as of the end of fiscal 2021). The eponymous chain features branded and private-label goods, generally at a $1.25 price. Around 45% of Dollar Tree stores' fiscal 2021 sales came from consumables (including food, health and beauty, and household paper and cleaning products), nearly 50% from variety items (including toys and housewares), and just over 5% from seasonal goods. Family Dollar features branded and private-label goods at prices generally ranging from $1 to $10, with over 76% of fiscal 2021 sales from consumables, 9% from seasonal/electronic items (including prepaid phones and toys), 8% from home products, and 6% from apparel and accessories.
Read more on DLTR →