Charles River Laboratories stock trades near a yearly high as targets rise

Charles River Laboratories stock was last at USD 294.59 on the NYSE on September 28, 2026, only 2.88 percent below its 52-week high of USD 303.31. The latest market debate centers on whether higher long-term targets can offset a weak reported revenue trend and a recent GAAP loss.

Analysts lift their targets

Investing.com reported that Mizuho raised its target from USD 264.00 to USD 295.00 while retaining a Neutral rating. The same report said JPMorgan moved from Neutral to Overweight with a USD 310.00 target, while TD Cowen raised its target to USD 325.00.

Robert W. Baird also raised its target from USD 291.00 to USD 334.00 and maintained an Outperform rating, according to MarketBeat. That target is USD 39.41 above the September 28 price, equal to 13.37 percent upside from the reference price.

Revenue remains the counterweight

Charles River reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of USD 1.00 billion, down 2.7 percent from USD 1.03 billion in the prior-year quarter, while organic revenue increased 0.1 percent, according to StockTitan. GAAP results swung to a net loss of USD 1.5 million, or USD 0.03 per share, after a USD 63.7 million loss tied to divestitures.

The earnings mix was stronger on an adjusted basis. Non-GAAP EPS reached USD 3.02, down 3.2 percent year over year but above the USD 2.74 consensus estimate, while DSA revenue fell 1.9 percent to USD 606.5 million and organic DSA revenue rose 0.2 percent, Zacks reported.

Guidance points to execution

At its September 24, 2026 Investor Day, Charles River reaffirmed 2026 organic revenue growth at 0.0 percent to 1.0 percent and raised non-GAAP EPS guidance from USD 10.80-11.30 to USD 11.15-11.45, according to StockTitan. The company also set a 2027-2030 organic revenue growth target of 5.0 percent to 7.0 percent and expects more than USD 300 million in cumulative savings from 2027 through 2030.

Stock stays near its yearly high

Charles River Laboratories stock was last at USD 294.59 on September 28, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. ET, up USD 1.75 or 0.60 percent from the prior close. Its market capitalization was USD 14.2 billion, with a 52-week range of USD 146.20 to USD 303.31 and volume of 899,980 shares.