Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs Linde PLC — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $229.86 (market cap $11.14B), while Linde PLC trades at $516.29 (market cap $241.59B). The key difference: Linde PLC is far larger — about 21.7× Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc's market cap, and Linde PLC pays a 1.22% dividend while Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | LIN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $11.14B | $241.59B |
Sector | Health | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $233.60 | $546.64 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $389.38 |
Enterprise Value | $14.00B | $263.95B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.22% |
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.
Linde (LIN) trades at $524.06, down 1.08% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamentals. The stock shows consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $4.33 exceeding estimates, and robust profitability margins including a 20.44% net income margin. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with a $560 price target, supported by positive cash flow trends and a recent dividend declaration.
Outlook remains positive due to steady revenue growth, high return on equity of 18.49%, and institutional confidence. Risks include elevated valuation multiples like a P/E of 34.65 and rising debt-to-asset ratio, which could pressure shares if earnings growth slows. The stock presents a quality holding for growth-oriented investors mindful of valuation constraints.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Linde is the largest industrial gas supplier in the world, with operations in over 100 countries. The firm's main products are atmospheric gases (including oxygen, nitrogen, and argon) and process gases (including hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and helium), as well as equipment used in industrial gas production. Linde serves a wide variety of end markets, including chemicals, manufacturing, healthcare, and steelmaking. Linde generated approximately $31 billion in revenue and $5 billion in GAAP operating profit in 2021.
Read more on LIN →