Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs McKesson Corporation — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $231 (market cap $11.14B), while McKesson Corporation trades at $811.74 (market cap $94.06B). The key difference: McKesson Corporation is far larger — about 8.4× Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc's market cap, and McKesson Corporation pays a 0.41% dividend while Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | MCK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $11.14B | $94.06B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $233.60 | $995.69 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $659.01 |
Enterprise Value | $14.00B | $98.70B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.41% |
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.
McKesson (MCK) trades at $812.28, up 0.78% with a bullish technical signal. The stock shows consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $11.69 exceeding expectations. Revenue grew to $359.05B in 2025, though net margins remain thin at 1.18%. Analysts maintain strong buy consensus (80%) with a $932.83 price target. Recent news highlights growth in specialty pharma and oncology services, supporting positive momentum.
Outlook remains positive driven by earnings strength and sector tailwinds, but risks include policy changes and high liabilities. The stock offers value with a P/E of 21.16 and P/S of 0.25, though investors should monitor debt levels and execution risks amid competitive pressures.
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 →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 →