Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs CarMax, Inc — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $288.87 (market cap $13.46B), while CarMax, Inc trades at $58.5 (market cap $8.26B). The key difference: Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, CarMax, Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | KMX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.46B | $8.26B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $282.00 | $62.17 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $30.88 |
Enterprise Value | $16.30B | $26.77B |
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.
CarMax (KMX) trades at $58.705, down 0.13% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported mixed quarterly earnings, missing in Q2 2025 but beating in Q3 2025 and Q1 2026, with net income of $500.56M in 2025. Recent news includes a Zacks Strong Buy rating and a partnership with Sierra to enhance customer service, though ongoing legal investigations pose a headwind.
The stock's outlook is cautiously optimistic, supported by improving cash flow trends and analyst buy ratings, but risks include high debt levels and margin pressures. With a consensus price target of $53.09 below the current price, near-term upside may be limited despite positive momentum indicators.
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 →CarMax sells, finances, and services used and new cars through a chain of over 230 used retail stores. It was formed in 1993 as a unit of Circuit City and spun off into an independent company in late 2002. Used-vehicle sales typically account for about 83% of revenue and wholesale about 13%, with the remaining portion composed of extended service plans and repair. In fiscal 2022, the company retailed and wholesaled 924,338 and 706,212 used vehicles, respectively. CarMax is the largest used-vehicle retailer in the U.S. but still estimates that it has only about 4% U.S. market share of vehicles 0-10 years old in 2021. It seeks over 5% share by the end of calendar 2025 and revenue between $33 billion to $45 billion by fiscal 2026. CarMax is based in Richmond, Virginia.
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