Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs Moderna, Inc. — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $281.43 (market cap $13.46B), while Moderna, Inc. trades at $60.51 (market cap $24.18B). The key difference: Moderna, Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Moderna, Inc. nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | MRNA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.46B | $24.18B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $282.00 | $81.80 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $22.36 |
Enterprise Value | $16.30B | $20.33B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $286.36, up 3.38% today and near its 52-week high of $277.07. The stock shows strong technical momentum with bullish moving averages and has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters. Recent Q2 2026 results exceeded expectations with EPS of $3.02 versus $2.77 estimate, driving positive sentiment. However, valuation metrics remain elevated with P/E at 684.85 and negative profitability margins.
While technical indicators and analyst consensus (72% buy ratings) support near-term upside, fundamental concerns persist with negative net income margin (-5.96%) and ROE (-7.7%). The stock faces execution risks in maintaining earnings momentum amid competitive pressures. Current price exceeds consensus target of $277.29, suggesting limited near-term upside potential despite positive business inflection.
Moderna (MRNA) trades at $63.70, up 6.5% recently, with a bullish technical signal and strong moving average support. Despite negative net income margins, the company beat Q2 2026 EPS estimates and secured FDA approval for its mRNA flu vaccine, mFLUSIVA, signaling diversification beyond COVID-19. Revenue has declined from pandemic peaks but is projected to stabilize around $2.2B in 2026.
The outlook is mixed: near-term catalysts from new vaccine approvals and pipeline progress offer upside, but persistent losses and high valuation multiples pose risks. Analyst consensus is cautious with a hold-heavy rating, reflecting uncertainty over profitability timelines amid ongoing R&D investments.
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 →Moderna, Inc. operates as a clinical stage biotechnology company. The Company focuses on the discovery and development of messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines. Moderna develops mRNA medicines for infectious, immuno-oncology, and cardiovascular diseases.
Read more on MRNA →