Morgan Stanley lifts target for Charles River Laboratories stock to USD 340.00

Published on 10/20/2026 at 18:55 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Second-quarter GAAP margin rose to 11.90 percent from 9.70 percent. Charles River Laboratories stock costs EUR 281.25 on October 20, 2026.

Analyst target and operating margin

Morgan Stanley raised its Charles River target from USD 300.00 to USD 340.00 on October 12, 2026.
Second-quarter GAAP operating margin reached 11.90 percent, compared with 9.70 percent a year earlier.
Charles River Laboratories stock costs EUR 281.25 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 6:45 p.m. CEST.
Charles River is scheduled to report third-quarter 2026 results on November 4, 2026.

CRL, US1598641074, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Charles River Laboratories (ISIN US1598641074) is the subject of a higher Morgan Stanley valuation after the firm lifted its price target from USD 300.00 to USD 340.00 on October 12, 2026. According to Markets Insider, Morgan Stanley retained an Overweight rating. Charles River Laboratories was trading at EUR 281.25 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 6:45 p.m. CEST.

Margin recovery remains uneven

The latest reported quarter combined a stronger GAAP margin with weaker revenue. Charles River reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of USD 1.00 billion, down 2.70 percent from USD 1.03 billion in the second quarter of 2025, according to Charles River Laboratories. GAAP operating margin increased to 11.90 percent from 9.70 percent, while the non-GAAP margin declined to 20.50 percent from 22.10 percent.

The earnings mix also carried a clear one-off effect. Charles River reported a GAAP loss of USD 0.03 per diluted share for the second quarter, compared with GAAP earnings of USD 1.06 a year earlier, as a USD 63.70 million loss linked to divestitures weighed on the result.

Stock position and upcoming date

Primary-market data put Charles River at USD 315.10 on the NYSE at 12:53 p.m. ET on October 20, 2026, up 5.02 percent on the session. The same quote showed a market capitalization of USD 15.2 billion, a 52-week range of USD 146.20 to USD 333.30 and volume of 431,799 shares.

For valuation context, Morgan Stanley's USD 340.00 target stands 7.90 percent above that USD 315.10 NYSE price. Charles River is scheduled to release third-quarter 2026 results before the market opens on November 4, 2026, according to Business Wire.

Comparison with peers

Charles River Laboratories: up 5.02 percent on October 20, 2026, market capitalization USD 15.2 billion. Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE, USD): up 1.09 percent, P/E 37.00, market capitalization USD 253.9 billion. IQVIA Holdings (NYSE, USD): up 1.06 percent, P/E 33.35, market capitalization USD 44.2 billion.

What the target means for valuation

The higher target reflects a more constructive analyst view, but the operating data remain mixed. Revenue contracted in the second quarter, while GAAP margin improved and manufacturing delivered a 34.90 percent GAAP operating margin against 6.00 percent a year earlier.

Market view

Charles River Laboratories was trading at EUR 281.25 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 6:45 p.m. CEST. The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Charles River Laboratories stock.