CRL vs. NVO: Charles River Laboratories vs. Novo Nordisk Stock Comparison
How do Charles River Laboratories (CRL) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) 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 Novo Nordisk (NVO) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but CRL is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services while NVO is classified in Pharmaceuticals.
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) trades as ordinary local shares, while Novo Nordisk (NVO) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.
| Profile Item | CRL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. | Novo Nordisk A/S Sponsored ADR |
| Country/Region | United States | Denmark |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Life Sciences Tools & Services | Pharmaceuticals |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Life Sciences Tools & Services | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 16.17 billion USD | 177.74 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 23, 2000 | April 30, 1981 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | CRL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 110.83% | -5.29% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 27.87% | -23.41% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -1.57% | -4.13% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) has an aggressive beta of 1.33, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Novo Nordisk (NVO) is defensive at 0.67 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.
| Metric | CRL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 47.81% | 45.98% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.33 | 0.67 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -74.73% | -74.70% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.05M | 12.11M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | CRL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 2.23 | -0.21 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 3.58 | -0.28 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 58.38% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.27% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for NVO.
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%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
58.38%
- Max
- 109.18%
- NVO
- 58.38%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 33.92% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.01% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.
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%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
33.92%
- NVO
- 33.92%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 23.42% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 40.05% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
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%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
40.05%
- Max
- 83.12%
- NVO
- 40.05%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | CRL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 1.27% | 58.38% |
| ROA (TTM) | 4.74% | 19.05% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 1.01% | 33.92% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 23.42% | 40.05% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 35.10% | 83.33% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 6.43% 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
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 1.77% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at -1,555.00% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | CRL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -0.85% | 6.43% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 0.33% | 20.43% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -1,555.00% | 1.77% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | 23.52% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.41 and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.85 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
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.85
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- NVO
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.62 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
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.62
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- NVO
- 0.62
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | CRL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.41 | 0.85 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.87 | 0.62 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 2.92 | 0.49 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports a yield of 29.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
29.03%
- NVO
- 29.03%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports a payout of 45.36%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
45.36%
- NVO
- 45.36%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | CRL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 29.03% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 45.36% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 10.18 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 366.87 trades above its peer range — a wide earnings-valuation gap relative to industry peers.
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
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
10.18
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- NVO
- 10.18
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.53 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 4.07 prices around its industry’s middle — NVO 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
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.53
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- NVO
- 0.53
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 5.01 and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 5.43 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
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
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.43
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- NVO
- 5.43
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CRL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 366.87 | 10.18 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.07 | 0.53 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 5.01 | 5.43 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 2.74% | 18.43% |