Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs S&P500 ETF — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $288.87 (market cap $13.46B), while S&P500 ETF trades at $772.41. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | SPY | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.46B | — |
Sector | Health | — |
52-Week High | $282.00 | $773.22 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $631.99 |
Enterprise Value | $16.30B | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades at $284.37, up 2.66% today and near its 52-week high, reflecting strong bullish momentum. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, including a Q2 2026 EPS of $3.02 versus $2.77 expected, and the company raised its full-year guidance. Despite negative net income margins, operating cash flow remains robust at $738 million in 2025. Analyst sentiment is overwhelmingly positive with 26 buy ratings and a consensus price target of $277.29.
The outlook is supported by improving biotech demand and cost controls, but high valuation multiples and recent insider selling pose risks. Earnings growth and margin expansion are key catalysts, though profitability challenges and macroeconomic sensitivity could pressure the stock. Investors should weigh strong technicals and analyst support against fundamental weaknesses and execution risks.
SPY, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, trades at $772.47, down 0.08% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought RSI readings. The ETF's valuation metrics are not applicable as it tracks the S&P 500 index, and it announced a $1.90 dividend payable in July 2026. Recent news highlights the S&P 500 reaching record highs amid mixed sentiment, with some analysts cautioning on high valuations while others project further gains.
The outlook for SPY is cautiously optimistic, driven by strong market momentum and corporate earnings, but faces risks from elevated valuations and potential inflation pressures. Investment opportunity lies in broad U.S. equity exposure, while key risks include market volatility and economic data surprises.
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 →The ETF is designed to track the performance of the securities and the stocks in the S&P 500 Index. To maintain the composition and weightings, the advisor adjusts the ETF from time to time to conform to periodic changes in the index target.
Read more on SPY →