CRL Analyst Ratings
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (CRL) operates in the Healthcare sector, specifically the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, with a market capitalization near $14.40B, listed on NYSE, employing roughly 19,000 people, carrying a beta of 1.40 to the broader market. Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. Led by Birgit Girshick, public since 2000-06-23.
Analyst Ratings
In the October 2026 monthly count, 18 analysts rated CRL: 4 Strong Buy, 11 Buy, 2 Hold, 1 Sell and 0 Strong Sell.
Twelve months earlier, in October 2025: 21 analysts, 2 Strong Buy, 7 Buy, 11 Hold, 0 Sell and 1 Strong Sell.
Price Targets
- Average Target
- $305.50
- Median Target
- $321.00
- High
- $357.00
- Low
- $219.00
- Targets Published, Last 12 Months
- 41
Recent Price Targets
The 5 most recent of 40 price targets published in the last 12 months.
| Date | Firm | Analyst | Target | Price When Posted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2026 | UBS | Kevin Caliendo | $357.00 | $295.96 |
| Sep 28, 2026 | Jefferies | David Windley | $340.00 | $292.84 |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Deutsche Bank | Justin Bowers | $320.00 | $291.16 |
| Sep 25, 2026 | RBC Capital | Not named | $322.00 | $291.11 |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Evercore ISI | Not named | $330.00 | $294.44 |
Recent Upgrades & Downgrades
| Date | Firm | Action | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2026 | Jefferies | maintain | Buy | Buy |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Barclays | maintain | Overweight | Overweight |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Baird | maintain | Outperform | Outperform |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Mizuho | maintain | Neutral | Neutral |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Deutsche Bank | maintain | Buy | Buy |
Quantitative Rating
CRL carries a model grade of C- (overall score 1 of 5), computed from six valuation and financial measures (discounted cash flow, return on equity, return on assets, debt to equity, price to earnings and price to book), each scored 1 to 5. It is not an analyst rating.
How to Read CRL Analyst Coverage
Sell-side equity analysts publish three primary outputs: ratings (Strong Buy / Buy / Hold / Sell / Strong Sell, or firm-specific equivalents), price targets, and EPS / revenue estimate revisions. Rating consensus moves slowly relative to price; it reflects 12-month directional conviction rather than near-term momentum. Price targets are more responsive but typically drift behind realized price during sharp moves. The most actionable signal for options traders is a cluster of ratings actions across multiple firms within a short window, which compresses or expands implied volatility on a horizon of days to weeks and shifts the put-call skew toward the directional consensus. The recent-actions table above shows the five most recent firm-level changes; longer histories live behind aggregator sources.
For event-driven options sizing, pair the consensus rating and target distribution with the implied-volatility surface and dealer-positioning view. Aggressive target hikes from multiple firms tend to tighten put skew (downside protection becomes relatively cheaper); aggressive cuts widen put skew. The size of the IV response in the hours after a rating change is visible on the per-ticker volatility skew page and the gamma-exposure page, both of which show how dealer hedging propagates the analyst-driven flow into the listed options chain.
Learn how analyst ratings is reported and how to read the data →
Frequently asked CRL analyst ratings questions
- What is the CRL consensus price target?
- As of the latest aggregator update, Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (CRL) carries a consensus 12-month price target of $305.50. Target ranges run from a low of $219.00 to a high of $357.00. The target is the average of the price targets published by sell-side equity analysts covering the name.
- What is the analyst rating consensus on CRL?
- In the October 2026 monthly count, 18 analysts rated CRL, and the distribution tilts to the Buy side: 4 Strong Buy, 11 Buy, 2 Hold, 1 Sell and 0 Strong Sell. Rating consensus moves slowly relative to price; it reflects sell-side conviction over a 12-month horizon rather than near-term momentum.
- What recent ratings actions has CRL seen?
- The five most recent ratings actions on CRL appear on the page above. Sell-side rating changes are watched for two reasons: an upgrade or downgrade with a meaningful target revision moves the consensus and can trigger short-term positioning shifts, and the firm-level rating cluster (multiple firms moving in the same direction within a short window) is a clearer signal than any single action. Options markets often price the implied-vol response within minutes of the announcement.
- How do analyst targets affect CRL options pricing?
- Analyst target revisions tend to be priced in by the lit options market within minutes of publication, but persistent target drift over weeks does correlate with implied-volatility movement. Aggressive target hikes from multiple firms inside a single quarter tighten put skew (downside protection becomes cheaper relative to upside speculation); aggressive cuts widen put skew. The most actionable read is the implied-vol response in the hours after a target change, which is visible on the per-ticker volatility skew page.