CRL vs. ICLR: Charles River Laboratories vs. ICON Stock Comparison
How do Charles River Laboratories (CRL) and ICON (ICLR) 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
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) and ICON (ICLR) 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 | CRL | ICLR |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. | ICON plc |
| Country/Region | United States | Ireland |
| 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 | 16.17 billion USD | 15.34 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | June 23, 2000 | May 15, 1998 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | CRL | ICLR |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 110.83% | 30.55% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 27.87% | -6.05% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -1.57% | -5.40% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | CRL | ICLR |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 47.81% | 68.62% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.33 | 1.17 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -74.73% | -76.87% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.05M | 943.50K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | CRL | ICLR |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 2.23 | 0.38 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 3.58 | 0.52 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.27% and ICON (ICLR) at 4.70% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
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%
ICLR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.70%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- ICLR
- 4.70%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
ICON (ICLR) at 5.26% 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.
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%
ICLR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.26%
- Max
- 18.05%
- ICLR
- 5.26%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- 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 ICON (ICLR) at 10.73%, which runs around its industry’s norm.
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%
ICLR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
10.73%
- Max
- 83.12%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- ICLR
- 10.73%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | CRL | ICLR |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 1.27% | 4.70% |
| ROA (TTM) | 4.74% | 0.85% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 1.01% | 5.26% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 23.42% | 10.73% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 35.10% | 23.44% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
ICON (ICLR) at 0.76% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at -0.85% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.
EPS Growth
Neither side shows strong earnings momentum: ICON (ICLR) at -71.56% 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 | CRL | ICLR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -0.85% | 0.76% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 0.33% | 2.15% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -1,555.00% | -71.56% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -23.82% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.41 and ICON (ICLR) at 1.32 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.
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
ICLR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.32
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- ICLR
- 1.32
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
ICON (ICLR) at 0.38 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 0.87 uses more debt funding than most peers.
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
ICLR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.38
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- ICLR
- 0.38
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | CRL | ICLR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.41 | 1.32 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.87 | 0.38 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 2.92 | 5.55 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Charles River Laboratories (CRL) nor ICON (ICLR) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
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%
ICLR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- ICLR
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither Charles River Laboratories (CRL) nor ICON (ICLR) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
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%
ICLR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- ICLR
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | CRL | ICLR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both look expensive on trailing earnings: ICON (ICLR) at 81.90 sits in the richer P/E ratio quartile, and Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 366.87 is richer still, above its industry range.
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
ICLR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
81.90
- Max
- 85.34
- ICLR
- 81.90
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
ICON (ICLR) at 1.86 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 4.07 prices around its industry’s middle — ICLR costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.
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
ICLR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.86
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- ICLR
- 1.86
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
ICON (ICLR) at 1.68 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 5.01 is valued near its industry’s middle — ICLR is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.
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
ICLR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.68
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- ICLR
- 1.68
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CRL | ICLR |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 366.87 | 81.90 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.07 | 1.86 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 5.01 | 1.68 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 2.74% | 3.51% |