AVTR vs. CRL: Avantor vs. Charles River Laboratories Stock Comparison
How do Avantor (AVTR) and Charles River Laboratories (CRL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Avantor (AVTR) and Charles River Laboratories (CRL) are both classified in the Life Sciences Tools & Services sub-industry within the broader Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
| Profile Item | AVTR | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Avantor, Inc. | Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Life Sciences Tools & Services | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Life Sciences Tools & Services | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 10.48 billion USD | 16.17 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | May 17, 2019 | June 23, 2000 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AVTR | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 36.41% | 110.83% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -5.02% | 27.87% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -16.62% | -1.57% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AVTR | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 43.39% | 47.81% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.94 | 1.33 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -82.42% | -74.73% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 8.56M | 1.05M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AVTR | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.74 | 2.23 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 1.17 | 3.58 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Avantor (AVTR) at 5.91% and Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.27% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
AVTR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.91%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- AVTR
- 5.91%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.27%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- CRL
- 1.27%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Avantor (AVTR) at 5.08% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.01%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.
AVTR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.08%
- Max
- 18.05%
- AVTR
- 5.08%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.01%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- CRL
- 1.01%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 23.42% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Avantor (AVTR) at 8.19%, which runs around its industry’s norm.
AVTR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
8.19%
- Max
- 83.12%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- AVTR
- 8.19%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
23.42%
- Max
- 83.12%
- CRL
- 23.42%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | AVTR | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 5.91% | 1.27% |
| ROA (TTM) | 2.83% | 4.74% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 5.08% | 1.01% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 8.19% | 23.42% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 31.59% | 35.10% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Avantor (AVTR) at -3.41% and Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at -0.85% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.
EPS Growth
Neither side shows strong earnings momentum: Avantor (AVTR) at -175.00% sits in the bottom EPS growth quartile, and Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at -1,555.00% is weaker still, below its industry range.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | AVTR | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -3.41% | -0.85% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | -4.46% | 0.33% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -175.00% | -1,555.00% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both Avantor (AVTR) at 1.89 and Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.41 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.
AVTR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.89
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- AVTR
- 1.89
- Min
- 0.10
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.41
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- CRL
- 1.41
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Avantor (AVTR) at 0.63 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 0.87 uses more debt funding than most peers.
AVTR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.63
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- AVTR
- 0.63
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.87
- Max
- 1.42
- CRL
- 0.87
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | AVTR | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.89 | 1.41 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.63 | 0.87 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 3.40 | 2.92 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Avantor (AVTR) nor Charles River Laboratories (CRL) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
AVTR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- AVTR
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- CRL
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither Avantor (AVTR) nor Charles River Laboratories (CRL) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
AVTR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- AVTR
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- CRL
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | AVTR | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Avantor (AVTR) at 30.94 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 366.87 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for CRL’s trailing earnings.
AVTR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
30.94
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- AVTR
- 30.94
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
366.87
- CRL
- 366.87
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Avantor (AVTR) at 1.58 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 4.07 prices around its industry’s middle — AVTR costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.
AVTR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.58
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- AVTR
- 1.58
- Min
- 0.01
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.07
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- CRL
- 4.07
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Avantor (AVTR) at 1.80 and Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 5.01 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
AVTR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.80
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- AVTR
- 1.80
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.01
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- CRL
- 5.01
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AVTR | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 30.94 | 366.87 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 1.58 | 4.07 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 1.80 | 5.01 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 4.21% | 2.74% |