Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs Heron Therapeutics Inc — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $231 (market cap $11.14B), while Heron Therapeutics Inc trades at $0.43 (market cap $82.52M). The key difference: Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is far larger — about 135× Heron Therapeutics Inc's market cap, and Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Heron Therapeutics Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | HRTX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $11.14B | $82.52M |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $233.60 | $2.04 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $0.39 |
Enterprise Value | $14.00B | $180.42M |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $229.75, down 1.57% on the day, near its consensus price target of $229.80. The stock shows a bullish technical trend with strong moving average signals and support at $225. Fundamentally, CRL has beaten EPS estimates for three consecutive quarters but reported a net loss of $144.34 million in 2025, with negative profit margins. Recent news highlights collaborations in AI and NGS services, supporting growth prospects.
Outlook remains mixed: analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 72% buy ratings and a high target of $260, but profitability challenges and high P/E of 684.85 pose risks. Cash flow stability and strategic partnerships offer upside, while margin pressures and debt levels require monitoring for sustained recovery.
HRTX trades at $0.42 with a slight 0.6% daily gain, but technical indicators show a bearish trend with moving averages signaling sell pressure. The company reported Q1 2026 revenue of $151M with a net loss of $31M, continuing negative profitability trends. Recent news highlights patent litigation developments and management reaffirming full-year guidance despite quarterly misses.
While analyst consensus remains overwhelmingly bullish (95% buy ratings), fundamental challenges persist with negative earnings and cash flow. Investment opportunity exists if the company can achieve profitability turnaround, but risks include ongoing operational losses, competitive pressures in biotechnology, and patent litigation uncertainties.
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 →Heron Therapeutics is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving patient care. It develops best-in-class medicines for pain management and cancer care to address unmet medical needs.
Read more on HRTX →