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Side-by-side financial comparison of Charles River Laboratories (CRL) and KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. (KLC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Charles River Laboratories is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($994.2M vs $676.8M, roughly 1.5× KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc.). KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 0.7% vs -27.8%, a 28.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (0.8% vs -0.8%). KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($62.6M vs $58.6M).

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. is an American pharmaceutical and biotechnology contract research organisation (CRO) headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1947, the company provides preclinical and clinical laboratory services for the development of new drugs, vaccines, and medical devices.

KinderCare Learning Centers, LLC is an American operator of for-profit child care and early childhood education facilities founded in 1969 and currently owned by KinderCare Education based in Portland, Oregon. The company provides educational programs for children from six weeks to 12 years old. KinderCare is the third-largest privately held company headquartered in Oregon. In 39 states and the District of Columbia, some 200,000 children are enrolled in more than 1,250 early childhood educati...

CRL vs KLC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CRL
CRL
1.5× larger
CRL
$994.2M
$676.8M
KLC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
KLC
KLC
+1.6% gap
KLC
0.8%
-0.8%
CRL
Higher net margin
KLC
KLC
28.5% more per $
KLC
0.7%
-27.8%
CRL
More free cash flow
KLC
KLC
$4.0M more FCF
KLC
$62.6M
$58.6M
CRL

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Revenue
$994.2M
$676.8M
Net Profit
$-276.6M
$4.5M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
-28.5%
3.9%
Net Margin
-27.8%
0.7%
Revenue YoY
-0.8%
0.8%
Net Profit YoY
-28.9%
-67.4%
EPS (diluted)
$-5.57
$0.04

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$994.2M
Q3 25
$1.0B
$676.8M
Q2 25
$1.0B
$700.1M
Q1 25
$984.2M
$668.2M
Q4 24
$1.0B
$647.0M
Q3 24
$1.0B
$671.5M
Q2 24
$1.0B
Q1 24
$1.0B
Net Profit
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$-276.6M
Q3 25
$54.4M
$4.5M
Q2 25
$52.3M
$38.6M
Q1 25
$25.5M
$21.2M
Q4 24
$-214.5M
$-133.6M
Q3 24
$69.7M
$14.0M
Q2 24
$94.1M
Q1 24
$73.0M
Gross Margin
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
34.6%
Q2 24
34.5%
Q1 24
34.1%
Operating Margin
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
-28.5%
Q3 25
13.3%
3.9%
Q2 25
9.7%
9.8%
Q1 25
7.6%
7.3%
Q4 24
-16.7%
-13.8%
Q3 24
11.6%
8.1%
Q2 24
14.8%
Q1 24
12.5%
Net Margin
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
-27.8%
Q3 25
5.4%
0.7%
Q2 25
5.1%
5.5%
Q1 25
2.6%
3.2%
Q4 24
-21.4%
-20.6%
Q3 24
6.9%
2.1%
Q2 24
9.2%
Q1 24
7.2%
EPS (diluted)
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$-5.57
Q3 25
$1.10
$0.04
Q2 25
$1.06
$0.33
Q1 25
$0.50
$0.18
Q4 24
$-4.17
$-1.17
Q3 24
$1.33
$0.15
Q2 24
$1.74
Q1 24
$1.30

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$213.8M
$174.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.1B
$930.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$3.2B
$931.2M
Total Assets
$7.1B
$3.9B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.68×
1.00×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$213.8M
Q3 25
$207.1M
$174.7M
Q2 25
$182.8M
$119.0M
Q1 25
$229.4M
$131.3M
Q4 24
$194.6M
$62.3M
Q3 24
$210.2M
$137.2M
Q2 24
$179.2M
Q1 24
$327.0M
Total Debt
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$2.1B
Q3 25
$2.2B
$930.9M
Q2 25
$2.3B
$926.5M
Q1 25
$2.5B
$927.4M
Q4 24
$2.2B
$926.0M
Q3 24
$2.3B
$1.5B
Q2 24
$2.4B
Q1 24
$2.7B
Stockholders' Equity
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$3.2B
Q3 25
$3.4B
$931.2M
Q2 25
$3.4B
$924.3M
Q1 25
$3.2B
$884.9M
Q4 24
$3.5B
$864.5M
Q3 24
$3.8B
$235.6M
Q2 24
$3.7B
Q1 24
$3.6B
Total Assets
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$7.1B
Q3 25
$7.5B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$7.6B
$3.8B
Q1 25
$7.6B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$7.5B
$3.6B
Q3 24
$8.0B
$3.7B
Q2 24
$7.9B
Q1 24
$8.2B
Debt / Equity
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
0.68×
Q3 25
0.64×
1.00×
Q2 25
0.70×
1.00×
Q1 25
0.79×
1.05×
Q4 24
0.65×
1.07×
Q3 24
0.62×
6.42×
Q2 24
0.65×
Q1 24
0.73×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$147.5M
$100.8M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$58.6M
$62.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
5.9%
9.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
8.9%
5.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
22.15×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$518.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$147.5M
Q3 25
$213.8M
$100.8M
Q2 25
$204.6M
$35.0M
Q1 25
$171.7M
$98.4M
Q4 24
$159.4M
Q3 24
$251.8M
Q2 24
$193.5M
Q1 24
$129.9M
Free Cash Flow
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$58.6M
Q3 25
$178.2M
$62.6M
Q2 25
$169.3M
$671.0K
Q1 25
$112.4M
$75.1M
Q4 24
$83.7M
Q3 24
$213.1M
Q2 24
$154.0M
Q1 24
$50.7M
FCF Margin
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
5.9%
Q3 25
17.7%
9.2%
Q2 25
16.4%
0.1%
Q1 25
11.4%
11.2%
Q4 24
8.4%
Q3 24
21.1%
Q2 24
15.0%
Q1 24
5.0%
Capex Intensity
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
8.9%
Q3 25
3.5%
5.6%
Q2 25
3.4%
4.9%
Q1 25
6.0%
3.5%
Q4 24
7.5%
Q3 24
3.8%
Q2 24
3.8%
Q1 24
7.8%
Cash Conversion
CRL
CRL
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
Q3 25
3.93×
22.15×
Q2 25
3.91×
0.91×
Q1 25
6.74×
4.65×
Q4 24
Q3 24
3.61×
Q2 24
2.06×
Q1 24
1.78×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CRL
CRL

Discovery And Safety Assessment Segment$591.6M60%
Manufacturing Support Segment$196.4M20%
Transferred At Point In Time$108.0M11%
Transferred Over Time$98.3M10%

KLC
KLC

Early Childhood Education Centers$627.0M93%
Before And After School Sites$49.8M7%

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