Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs Boston Beer Company Inc — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $232.76 (market cap $11.14B), while Boston Beer Company Inc trades at $173.4 (market cap $1.76B). The key difference: Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is far larger — about 6.3× Boston Beer Company Inc's market cap, and Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Boston Beer Company Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | SAM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $11.14B | $1.76B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $233.60 | $260.05 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $161.08 |
Enterprise Value | $14.00B | $1.63B |
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.
Boston Beer Company (SAM) trades at $172.39, down 2.49% on the day, with mixed technical signals showing bearish moving averages but neutral oscillators. Fundamentally, the company reported strong 2025 results with $108M net income and positive cash flow, but faces headwinds with negative 2026 profit margin projections. Recent news highlights innovation in Beyond Beer products and marketing initiatives, though Q1 2026 earnings missed expectations and volume growth concerns persist.
The stock presents a cautious opportunity with analyst consensus target of $213.50 offering 24% upside, but investors face risks from declining volumes, margin pressure, and competitive threats. While cash flow remains positive and valuation ratios appear reasonable, the negative 2026 earnings outlook and bearish technical momentum warrant careful monitoring of upcoming Q2 results and brand performance.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Boston Beer is a leader in U.S. high-end malt beverages and adjacent categories, with strong positions in craft beer, hard cider, and hard seltzer. The firm sells an array of flavor variants and package sizes, predominantly centered around four priority brands: Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, and Truly Hard Seltzer. Its drinks are produced in both company-owned breweries as well as through third-party contract arrangements, and while the company primarily goes to market through independent wholesalers (as mandated by law), it operates a fairly large salesforce to induce demand across the value chain (distributors, retailers, and drinkers). The preponderance of revenue is generated domestically.
Read more on SAM →