Charles River Labs stock extends 12-month rally as valuation debate intensifies

Published on 09/16/2026 at 16:13 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Charles River Labs stock has surged about 80.0 percent over the past year, closing near USD 272.88 as of September 16, 2026. Analysts peg fair value around USD 230.93, leaving the shares roughly 18 percent above that level.

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Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. stock (ISIN US1591881009) is trading around USD 272.88 as of September 16, 2026, capping an impressive 80.0 percent total shareholder return over the past 12 months and a 49.6 percent gain over the last 90 days, according to an analysis on Simply Wall St dated September 16, 2026.

Valuation gap emerges as shares rally

According to Simply Wall St on September 16, 2026, Charles River Labs stock recently closed at about USD 272.88, while the firm’s analyst fair value estimate stands at approximately USD 230.93 per share.

That gap implies the stock is trading roughly 18 percent above the cited fair value marker, highlighting a valuation premium that has widened alongside the company’s push into greater automation across its operations, as discussed in the same Simply Wall St note dated September 16, 2026.

Momentum and returns attract investor attention

The same Simply Wall St analysis notes that despite a share price slip of around 2.6 percent over the past month, Charles River Labs has delivered a 49.6 percent 90-day share price return and an 80.0 percent one-year total shareholder return, figures that make the recent rally a central part of the investment story for the stock as of September 16, 2026.

Separately, a performance study on Benzinga dated September 15, 2026 calculates that USD 1,000 invested in Charles River Labs 15 years ago would be worth USD 8,958.63 today based on a share price of USD 272.88, underscoring an annualized return of about 15.86 percent over that period according to Benzinga.

Analyst views and fundamental backdrop

Alongside the valuation discussion, Simply Wall St cites a consensus fair value of USD 230.93 from analysts following Charles River Labs, framing the current USD 272.88 share price as more expensive than those models support, while its own discounted cash flow model points to an intrinsic value of about USD 300.23 per share.

In broader coverage of professional services and life-science related firms, Zacks Investment Research noted on September 16, 2026 that Charles River carries a Rank #3 (Hold), placing it in the middle of their rating spectrum in an article focused on advisory and specialized talent across the sector, according to Zacks.

Stock level and investor takeaway

Per recent market data snapshots cited in the Simply Wall St and Benzinga pieces, Charles River Labs stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange with a price near USD 272.88 as of mid-September 2026, a level that sits well above the USD 230.93 analyst fair value reference yet below the USD 300.23 intrinsic value suggested by a discounted cash flow approach.