Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs Hershey Co — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $301.4 (market cap $14.23B), while Hershey Co trades at $162.36 (market cap $32.66B). The key difference: Hershey Co is far larger — about 2.3× Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc's market cap, and Hershey Co pays a 3.57% dividend while Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc for 33 Days and Hershey Co for 135 Days on average.
| CRL | HSY | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.23B | $32.66B |
Volume | 1,176,885 | 1,578,237 |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $310.77 | $236.28 |
52-Week Low | $149.93 | $157.61 |
Typical Hold Time | 33 Days | 135 Days |
Enterprise Value | $17.06B | $37.79B |
Dividend Yield | — | 3.57% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $301.79, up 0.5% with strong analyst support (73% buy ratings) and a $305.50 consensus target. The stock shows bullish technical momentum above key support levels, though fundamentals reveal challenges with negative net income margins (-5.96%) and elevated P/E ratio (684.85). Recent quarterly earnings beats and a new 2030 growth strategy provide optimism, but profitability concerns persist amid flat revenue trends.
The outlook balances near-term technical strength against fundamental headwinds. Investment opportunity lies in execution of the 5-7% growth target and $300M savings plan, while risks include sustained negative profitability, high debt levels ($2.24B), and margin pressure. Current price near resistance at $304 suggests limited upside without fundamental improvement.
Hershey (HSY) trades at $162.74, up 1.5% with bearish technical signals but strong fundamentals. The stock shows consistent earnings beats (3 of last 4 quarters) with Q3 2026 results pending. Revenue grew to $11.69B in 2025, though net margin compressed to 7.55% from 19.82% in 2024. Analyst consensus targets $204.62 (25.7% upside) with 65.7% hold ratings. Recent news highlights dividend resumption and international leadership changes.
HSY presents a mixed outlook: valuation appears reasonable (P/E 22.2) with strong brand positioning, but faces margin pressure from commodity costs. The technical bearish trend near key support at $161 suggests near-term caution. Long-term investors may find value given dividend growth resumption and consistent market share, though cocoa price volatility remains a key risk.
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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 →Hershey is a leading confectionery manufacturer in the U.S. (around a $25 billion market), controlling around 46% of the domestic chocolate space (per IRI). Beyond its namesake label, the firm's mix has expanded over the last 85 years and now consists of 100 brands, including Reese's, Kit Kat, Kisses, and Ice Breakers. Hershey's products are sold in about 80 countries, albeit with just a high-single-digit percentage of sales coming from markets outside the U.S., including Brazil, India, and Mexico. The firm has sought inorganic opportunities to extend its reach beyond its core confection business, adding Amplify Snack Brands and its Skinny Pop ready-to-eat popcorn to its mix and Pirate Brands (including the Pirate's Booty, Smart Puffs, and Original Tings brands) over the past few years.
Read more on HSY →