Charles River Laboratories stock falls 2.73 percent after Q2 results

Charles River Laboratories stock fell 2.73 percent to USD 277.33 at the September 23, 2026 NYSE close, putting it 8.56 percent below its 52-week high of USD 303.31. The latest operating picture combines a revenue decline with a raised full-year earnings outlook.

Revenue falls as EPS beats

According to Zacks on September 18, 2026, second-quarter 2026 revenue was USD 1 billion, down 2.7 percent year over year but up 0.1 percent organically. Company-defined non-GAAP EPS reached USD 3.02, down 3.2 percent from the prior-year quarter, while the result exceeded consensus by 11.0 percent.

The GAAP result was weaker: Charles River posted a loss of USD 0.03 per share against earnings of USD 1.06 in the year-ago quarter. The difference reflects a USD 63.7 million loss tied mainly to divestitures, giving investors a clear split between adjusted operating performance and reported earnings.

DSA bookings point to recovery

The Discovery and Safety Assessment segment generated USD 606.5 million in Q2 revenue, down 1.9 percent year over year, while its GAAP operating margin reached 20.5 percent. Manufacturing revenue was USD 188.1 million, down 6.3 percent, but its non-GAAP operating margin expanded to 37.8 percent.

At the September 15, 2026 Global Healthcare Conference, Investing.com reported a DSA net book-to-bill ratio of 1.19 and sequential booking growth of 13 percent. That combination matters because bookings above revenue can rebuild the backlog, although management also described the recovery as gradual rather than a sudden acceleration.

Guidance improves while stock retreats

Yahoo Finance reported on September 21, 2026 that management raised its 2026 non-GAAP outlook after the DSA booking performance. Zacks lists the revised EPS guidance at USD 11.15-11.45, compared with the prior USD 10.80-11.30 range, while revenue guidance moved to a decline of 3.5 percent to 2.5 percent.

The market is therefore weighing two different signals. Near term, the September 23 close sat USD 25.98 below the 52-week high and the stock fell 2.73 percent; operationally, the 1.19 book-to-bill ratio and higher EPS guidance point to a recovery case that depends on converting bookings into revenue.

Stock remains below yearly high

Charles River Laboratories stock closed at USD 277.33 on the NYSE on September 23, 2026. Its 52-week range was USD 144.26-303.31, and market capitalization stood at USD 13,358,348,241 on the same date.