Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs Lam Research Corporation — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $301.79 (market cap $14.23B), while Lam Research Corporation trades at $318.84 (market cap $401.19B). The key difference: Lam Research Corporation is far larger — about 28.2× Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc's market cap, and Lam Research Corporation pays a 0.41% 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 Lam Research Corporation for 60 Days on average.
| CRL | LRCX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.23B | $401.19B |
Volume | 1,176,885 | 8,960,892 |
Sector | Health | Technology |
52-Week High | $310.77 | $433.33 |
52-Week Low | $149.93 | $131.37 |
Typical Hold Time | 33 Days | 60 Days |
Enterprise Value | $17.06B | $399.35B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.41% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $298, down 0.77% on the day, with strong analyst support showing 73% buy ratings and a $305.50 consensus price target. The stock maintains a bullish technical outlook with support at $292 and resistance at $301, while recent earnings have consistently beaten expectations despite negative net income margins. The company's 2026 Investor Day highlighted a strategic vision targeting 5-7% organic growth and $300 million in savings by 2030.
CRL presents a compelling growth story with solid operational cash flow and strategic initiatives, though investors face risks from negative profitability metrics and elevated valuation multiples. The stock's current position near analyst targets suggests limited upside without improved earnings execution, while ongoing margin pressures and debt levels require careful monitoring amid the company's transformation efforts.
Lam Research (LRCX) trades at $320.59, down 2.71% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q3 2026 EPS expected at $2.18. Revenue grew to $18.44B in 2025, with a net income margin of 31.27%, while valuation ratios like P/E of 55.66 and P/S of 17.4 reflect high growth expectations. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with a $375.68 price target, supported by AI-driven demand for semiconductor equipment.
The outlook for LRCX is positive due to robust earnings growth and strategic positioning in AI infrastructure, though risks include high valuation multiples and semiconductor cycle volatility. Upside potential exists if the company meets Q3 2026 earnings expectations and maintains margin expansion, but investors should monitor competitive pressures and macroeconomic factors affecting tech spending.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
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 →Lam Research manufactures equipment used to fabricate semiconductors. The firm is focused on the etching, deposition, and clean markets, which are key steps in the semiconductor manufacturing process, especially for 3D NAND flash storage, advanced DRAM, and leading-edge logic/foundry chipmakers. Lam's flagship Kiyo, Vector, and Sabre products are sold in all major geographies to key customers such as Samsung Electronics, Micron, Intel, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing.
Read more on LRCX →