Charles River guides FY2026 to upper end of range, sets 2030 targets at investor day; shares rise

Charles River Laboratories (CRL) used its 2026 Investor Day on Sept. 24 to reaffirm its 2026 outlook and unveil financial targets running through 2030. According to the company's release, it now expects FY2026 revenue growth and non-GAAP EPS at the upper ends of their guidance ranges (0% to 1% revenue growth and $11.15 to $11.45 EPS), primarily reflecting continued favorable demand from biopharmaceutical clients. MarketBeat framed the same update as a raise, putting FY2026 EPS guidance at $11.45 against an analyst consensus of $11.33, with revenue guidance maintained at approximately $3.9 billion . Both readings describe the same number: $11.45 was already the top of the prior range.

The longer-range plan, branded Pathway to Purpose, targets 5% to 7% organic revenue growth a year from 2027 through 2030, low-double-digit non-GAAP EPS growth over the same period, and a non-GAAP operating margin of roughly 24% in 2030, versus 21.0% to 21.3% guided for FY2026. The company also expects its Create the Future program to generate over $300 million in cumulative savings from 2027 through 2030, and sees bioanalysis revenue reaching approximately $450 million in 2030.

The stock responded: RTTNews reported CRL up 5.70% intraday on Sept. 24, gaining $15.80 to $293.13. The next day TD Cowen raised its price target to $325 from $300 and kept a Buy rating, projecting growth in line with the company's new 2030 targets and FY2026 EPS of $11.63, above the company's own guidance. For earlier context, the company's second-quarter results, reported in August, beat consensus with EPS of $3.02 versus $2.77, although revenue fell 2.7% year over year .

What to watch: whether FY2026 lands at the upper end as guided, how quickly the cost program shows up in margins as the company moves from 21.0% to 21.3% toward its 2030 target, and whether organic growth can reach the 5% to 7% range after a year of roughly flat revenue guidance.