Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs McKesson Corporation — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $298.76 (market cap $14.23B), while McKesson Corporation trades at $933.14 (market cap $108.46B). The key difference: McKesson Corporation is far larger — about 7.6× Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc's market cap, and McKesson Corporation pays a 0.4% 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 McKesson Corporation for 74 Days on average.
| CRL | MCK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.23B | $108.46B |
Volume | 1,176,885 | 712,607 |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $310.77 | $995.69 |
52-Week Low | $149.93 | $725.17 |
Typical Hold Time | 33 Days | 74 Days |
Enterprise Value | $17.06B | $115.00B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.4% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $300.53, up 0.08% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook and strong analyst support. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, though it faces profitability challenges with a negative net income margin and ROE. Recent investor day presentations highlighted a strategic plan targeting 5-7% revenue growth and $300 million in savings by 2030, driving positive sentiment.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic, supported by analyst buy ratings and a $305.50 consensus price target, but risks include ongoing margin pressure, volatile non-human primate costs, and a high valuation multiple. Earnings growth and successful execution of the new strategic plan are critical for sustained upside.
McKesson (MCK) trades at $910.33, down 1.23% over 24 hours, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company reported strong earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $9.93 surpassing the $9.56 estimate. Revenue grew to $359.05 billion in 2025, though net margins remain thin at 1.12%. Recent news highlights a key distribution extension with CVS Health through 2032, reinforcing growth visibility in pharmaceutical distribution.
The outlook remains positive given analyst consensus favoring Buy ratings (80.65%) and a price target of $956.43, implying ~5% upside. Risks include margin pressure from drug pricing dynamics and policy uncertainty, while institutional accumulation and solid cash flow generation support stability. Earnings momentum and strategic partnerships position MCK for sustained growth, though investors should monitor competitive and regulatory headwinds.
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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 →McKesson is a leading wholesaler of branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceutical products to pharmacies (retail chains, independent, and mail order), hospitals networks, and healthcare providers. Along with AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health, the three account for well over 90% of the U.S. pharmaceutical wholesale industry. McKesson is currently divesting from its pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution in Europe and Canada in order to redeploy capital to strategic growth areas in the U.S. (oncology network and ecosystem, and biopharma services). Additionally, the company supplies medical-surgical products and equipment to healthcare facilities and provides a variety of technology solutions for pharmacies.
Read more on MCK →