Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs Old Dominion Freight Line Inc — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $282.67 (market cap $13.46B), while Old Dominion Freight Line Inc trades at $212.41 (market cap $43.43B). The key difference: Old Dominion Freight Line Inc is far larger — about 3.2× Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc's market cap, and Old Dominion Freight Line Inc pays a 0.55% dividend while Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | ODFL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.46B | $43.43B |
Sector | Health | Industrials |
52-Week High | $282.00 | $248.73 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $126.29 |
Enterprise Value | $16.30B | $43.17B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.55% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $277.00, up 3.56% on the day and near its 52-week high of $277.07, reflecting strong bullish momentum. The stock exhibits positive technical signals with moving averages indicating an uptrend, though oscillators suggest overbought conditions. Fundamentally, the company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $3.02, beating estimates, and raised full-year guidance, yet faces profitability challenges with a negative net income margin of -5.96% and elevated valuation ratios like a P/E of 684.85. Recent news highlights improved biotech demand and institutional buying interest.
The outlook for CRL is cautiously optimistic, driven by earnings beats and raised guidance, but high valuation and weak profitability pose risks. Investment opportunity lies in sustained demand for drug development services, while risks include margin pressure, debt levels, and sensitivity to biotech funding cycles. The stock's proximity to all-time highs warrants monitoring for pullbacks.
ODFL trades at $212.55, down 1.76% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The company maintains strong profitability with 19.44% net margins and 24.82% ROE, though valuation metrics remain elevated with a P/E of 40.28. Recent Q2 2026 earnings of $1.68 per share exceeded expectations, driven by yield improvements and cost discipline amid ongoing freight market pressures.
The stock faces headwinds from premium valuation and mixed analyst sentiment (33% buy, 56% hold), but strong fundamentals and consistent earnings outperformance provide support. Key risks include freight volume recovery uncertainty and execution pressure given high expectations. The consensus price target of $239.85 suggests 13% upside potential from current levels.
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 →Old Dominion Freight Line is the fourth-largest less-than-truckload carrier in the United States, with more than 240 service centers and 9,200-plus tractors. OD is by far one of the most disciplined and efficient providers in the trucking industry, and its profitability and capital returns stand head and shoulders above its peers. Strategic initiatives revolve around increasing network density through market share gains and maintaining industry-leading service via consistent infrastructure investment.
Read more on ODFL →