Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs F5 Inc — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $302.17 (market cap $14.23B), while F5 Inc trades at $480.03 (market cap $26.14B). The key difference: F5 Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and F5 Inc is more actively traded (503,146 versus 1,176,885). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc for 33 Days and F5 Inc for 38 Days on average.
| CRL | FFIV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.23B | $26.14B |
Volume | 1,176,885 | 503,146 |
Sector | Health | Technology |
52-Week High | $310.77 | $469.79 |
52-Week Low | $149.93 | $223.99 |
Typical Hold Time | 33 Days | 38 Days |
Enterprise Value | $17.06B | $24.78B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CRL trades at $304.01, up 1.24% on the day, near the consensus price target of $305.50. The stock shows a bullish technical trend with strong analyst support (73% buy ratings) and has beaten EPS estimates for three consecutive quarters. However, fundamentals reveal challenges with negative net income margins and a high P/E ratio of 684.85, while recent news highlights a strategic growth plan targeting 5-7% revenue growth and $300 million in savings by 2030.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic given strong analyst sentiment and recent earnings beats, but high valuation and profitability concerns pose risks. Investment opportunity hinges on successful execution of the new growth strategy to improve margins, while key risks include persistent negative earnings, competitive pressures, and execution missteps in achieving long-term targets.
F5 (FFIV) trades at $479.27, up 2.7% on the day and near its 52-week high, with a bullish technical trend and strong support at $457. The company reported robust earnings, beating estimates for three consecutive quarters, with Q3 2026 EPS expected at $4.26. Revenue growth accelerated to $3.09B in 2025, and net income margin improved to 22.42%. Recent news highlights F5's leadership in WAAP platforms and AI security innovations, reinforcing its competitive edge.
The outlook for FFIV is positive, driven by earnings momentum and strategic positioning in AI security. However, the stock's elevated valuation multiples (P/E of 36.78) pose a risk if growth slows. Analyst consensus is mixed with a $416.60 price target below the current price, suggesting caution despite bullish technicals. Key risks include competitive pressures and execution challenges in integrating new technologies.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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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 →F5 is a market leader in the application delivery controller market. The company sells products for networking traffic, security, and policy management. Its products ensure applications are safely routed in efficient manners within on-premises data centers and across cloud environments. More than half of its revenue is based on providing services, and its three customer verticals are enterprises, service providers, and government entities. The Seattle-based firm was incorporated in 1996 and generates sales globally.
Read more on FFIV →