Redburn Upgrades Charles River Laboratories (CRL) to Buy, Cuts PT

On May 23, Redburn Atlantic turned bullish on Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL) as it upgraded its stock from “Neutral” to “Buy,” despite marginally reducing the price objective to $182 from $188.

The upgrade was seen off the back of an improvement in demand in Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL)’s Discovery and Safety Assessment (DSA) business. Furthermore, Elliott Management is the company’s largest investor. This, along with the announcement of a comprehensive strategic review, is seen as a catalyst for future performance.

Redburn Upgrades Charles River Laboratories (CRL) from Neutral to Buy

A laboratory scientist surrounded by drug-discovery equipment and resources.

Also, the valuation profile of Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL) is being aided by its leading position in the broader market and expectation of a growth trajectory after the demand normalizes. Additionally, the firm believes that its Q1 2025 report demonstrated the initial signs of improvement in demand.

Redburn Atlantic opines that the stock’s current valuation hints at a 36% discount to its 10-year average historical forward multiple. The signs of demand stabilization were highlighted by a strong improvement in DSA booking activity. Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL) believes that its long-standing hallmarks of advancing scientific innovation and driving greater efficiency in the clients’ drug development programs are expected to present numerous future opportunities.

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL) is engaged in providing drug discovery, non-clinical development, and safety testing services.

While we acknowledge the potential of CRL  to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk.  If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CRL and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None.