Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs iShares Russell 2000 ETF — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $301.79 (market cap $14.23B), while iShares Russell 2000 ETF trades at $278.93 (market cap $77.70B). The key difference: iShares Russell 2000 ETF is far larger — about 5.5× Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc's market cap, and Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, iShares Russell 2000 ETF nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc for 33 Days and iShares Russell 2000 ETF for 83 Days on average.
| CRL | IWM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.23B | $77.70B |
Volume | 1,176,885 | 35,598,983 |
Sector | Health | — |
52-Week High | $310.77 | $305.06 |
52-Week Low | $149.93 | $229.13 |
Typical Hold Time | 33 Days | 83 Days |
Enterprise Value | $17.06B | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $298.00, down 0.77% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters, though it reported a net loss of -$144.34M for 2025. Analyst consensus is strongly positive with a $305.50 price target, and recent news highlights a strategic growth plan targeting 5%-7% revenue growth by 2030.
The stock's outlook is supported by strong analyst buy ratings and a clear growth strategy, but faces risks from negative profitability metrics and high valuation multiples. Investment opportunity hinges on successful execution of margin expansion and cost savings initiatives, while key risks include persistent net losses and competitive pressures in the healthcare services sector.
IWM trades at $277.63, showing minimal daily movement with a slight decline of 0.03%. The ETF faces bearish technical signals with moving averages indicating selling pressure, though oscillators remain neutral. Recent news highlights IWM's underperformance compared to the S&P 500 over the past decade, with concerns about its broad exposure to both profitable and unprofitable small-cap companies. The Federal Reserve's recent rate hike has added pressure on small-cap stocks, contributing to recent declines.
The outlook for IWM remains challenged by higher interest rates and broader market rotation away from small caps. While the fund provides diversified small-cap exposure, its performance has lagged behind both large-cap indices and screened small-cap alternatives. Key risks include continued Fed tightening, economic sensitivity, and the fund's inclusion of unprofitable companies. Investors seeking small-cap exposure may consider more selective alternatives with better risk-adjusted returns.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
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 →The ETF is designed to track the performance of the securities and the stocks in the Russell 2000 Index. To maintain the composition and weightings, the advisor adjusts the ETF from time to time to conform to periodic changes in the index target.
Read more on IWM →