Compare Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc (CRL) vs Hormel Foods Corp (HRL) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs Hormel Foods Corp — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $288.87 (market cap $13.46B), while Hormel Foods Corp trades at $24.3 (market cap $13.37B). The key difference: Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc and Hormel Foods Corp are close in size by market cap, and Hormel Foods Corp pays a 4.81% dividend while Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | HRL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.46B | $13.37B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $282.00 | $29.25 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $19.74 |
Enterprise Value | $16.30B | $15.37B |
Dividend Yield | — | 4.81% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $284.37, up 2.66% today and near its 52-week high, reflecting strong bullish momentum. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, including a Q2 2026 EPS of $3.02 versus $2.77 expected, and the company raised its full-year guidance. Despite negative net income margins, operating cash flow remains robust at $738 million in 2025. Analyst sentiment is overwhelmingly positive with 26 buy ratings and a consensus price target of $277.29.
The outlook is supported by improving biotech demand and cost controls, but high valuation multiples and recent insider selling pose risks. Earnings growth and margin expansion are key catalysts, though profitability challenges and macroeconomic sensitivity could pressure the stock. Investors should weigh strong technicals and analyst support against fundamental weaknesses and execution risks.
Hormel Foods (HRL) trades at $24.41, down 1.21% on the day, with a bearish technical outlook despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows mixed fundamentals with a P/E of 28.6x and modest 3.8% net margin, while revenue has been stable around $12B annually. Recent corporate developments include the appointment of John Ghingo as CEO and the sale of its Brazilian CERATTI business, signaling strategic refocusing.
HRL offers defensive appeal with consistent dividends and a 4.6% yield, but faces margin pressure and modest growth prospects. Analyst consensus is Hold with a $26.33 price target, suggesting limited upside. Key risks include consumer spending sensitivity and execution challenges under new leadership.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc
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 →About Hormel Foods Corp
Hormel Foods is a protein-focused branded food company. Its brands include its namesake Hormel, Spam, Jennie-O, Dinty Moore, Applegate, Wholly Guacamole, and Skippy. The vast majority of the company's revenue is U.S.-based: 64% U.S. retail, 28% U.S. food service, and 8% international. By product type, in fiscal 2021, 23% of revenue was shelf-stable foods, 18% was poultry (branded and commodity), 55% was other perishable food, and 3% was other, primarily nutritional products. The company holds the number-one market position in shelf-stable meat, shelf-stable ready meals, pepperoni, natural/organic deli meat, and guacamole and the number-two position in turkey, bacon, chilled ready meals, and peanut butter.
Read more on HRL →
