Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc vs Vital Farms Inc — how do they compare? Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc trades at $288.87 (market cap $13.46B), while Vital Farms Inc trades at $11.45 (market cap $496.50M). The key difference: Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is far larger — about 27.1× Vital Farms Inc's market cap, and Charles River Laboratories Intl. Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Vital Farms Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CRL | VITL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.46B | $496.50M |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $282.00 | $52.41 |
52-Week Low | $145.57 | $8.28 |
Enterprise Value | $16.30B | $583.51M |
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.
Vital Farms (VITL) trades at $11.52, up 2.31% today, amid bearish technical signals and challenging fundamentals. The stock shows oversold conditions with RSI at 29.21, while recent Q2 2026 results revealed a $0.47 per share loss despite beating revenue estimates. The company secured $125 million in financing to navigate industry oversupply pressures and elevated costs affecting profitability.
While analyst consensus remains positive with a $13.00 price target and no sell ratings, near-term headwinds from margin compression and net cash outflows pose significant risks. The stock's valuation appears reasonable with P/E of 11.77 and P/S of 0.67, but investors should monitor execution on cost management and revenue stabilization for sustainable recovery.
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 →Vital Farms is a leading provider of ethically produced, pasture-raised eggs and butter in the United States. Operating as a Public Benefit Corporation, it manages a network of over 650 family farms to deliver high-welfare food products. It leverages a scalable 'asset-light' partnership model that prioritizes transparency and animal welfare to meet the growing consumer demand for clean-label and sustainable food sources.
Read more on VITL →