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Side-by-side financial comparison of Charles River Laboratories (CRL) and Wendy's Co (WEN). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Charles River Laboratories is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($994.2M vs $543.0M, roughly 1.8× Wendy's Co). Wendy's Co runs the higher net margin — 4.9% vs -27.8%, a 32.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Charles River Laboratories posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-0.8% vs -5.5%). Charles River Laboratories produced more free cash flow last quarter ($58.6M vs $31.4M). Over the past eight quarters, Wendy's Co's revenue compounded faster (0.8% CAGR vs -0.9%).

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.

The Wendy's Company is an American fast food corporation and the holding company for Wendy's and First Kitchen. Originally founded as the Deisel-Wemmer Company, it is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. The company's principal subsidiary, Wendy's International, is the franchisor of Wendy's restaurants.

CRL vs WEN — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CRL
CRL
1.8× larger
CRL
$994.2M
$543.0M
WEN
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CRL
CRL
+4.6% gap
CRL
-0.8%
-5.5%
WEN
Higher net margin
WEN
WEN
32.7% more per $
WEN
4.9%
-27.8%
CRL
More free cash flow
CRL
CRL
$27.2M more FCF
CRL
$58.6M
$31.4M
WEN
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WEN
WEN
Annualised
WEN
0.8%
-0.9%
CRL

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Revenue
$994.2M
$543.0M
Net Profit
$-276.6M
$26.5M
Gross Margin
62.7%
Operating Margin
-28.5%
11.8%
Net Margin
-27.8%
4.9%
Revenue YoY
-0.8%
-5.5%
Net Profit YoY
-28.9%
-44.2%
EPS (diluted)
$-5.57
$0.14

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
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
$994.2M
$543.0M
Q3 25
$1.0B
$549.5M
Q2 25
$1.0B
$560.9M
Q1 25
$984.2M
$523.5M
Q4 24
$1.0B
$574.3M
Q3 24
$1.0B
$566.7M
Q2 24
$1.0B
$570.7M
Q1 24
$1.0B
$534.8M
Net Profit
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
$-276.6M
$26.5M
Q3 25
$54.4M
$44.3M
Q2 25
$52.3M
$55.1M
Q1 25
$25.5M
$39.2M
Q4 24
$-214.5M
$47.5M
Q3 24
$69.7M
$50.2M
Q2 24
$94.1M
$54.6M
Q1 24
$73.0M
$42.0M
Gross Margin
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
62.7%
Q3 25
62.8%
Q2 25
65.0%
Q1 25
64.1%
Q4 24
65.9%
Q3 24
34.6%
65.5%
Q2 24
34.5%
65.0%
Q1 24
34.1%
64.1%
Operating Margin
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
-28.5%
11.8%
Q3 25
13.3%
16.8%
Q2 25
9.7%
18.6%
Q1 25
7.6%
15.9%
Q4 24
-16.7%
16.7%
Q3 24
11.6%
16.7%
Q2 24
14.8%
17.4%
Q1 24
12.5%
15.2%
Net Margin
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
-27.8%
4.9%
Q3 25
5.4%
8.1%
Q2 25
5.1%
9.8%
Q1 25
2.6%
7.5%
Q4 24
-21.4%
8.3%
Q3 24
6.9%
8.9%
Q2 24
9.2%
9.6%
Q1 24
7.2%
7.9%
EPS (diluted)
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
$-5.57
$0.14
Q3 25
$1.10
$0.23
Q2 25
$1.06
$0.29
Q1 25
$0.50
$0.19
Q4 24
$-4.17
$0.23
Q3 24
$1.33
$0.25
Q2 24
$1.74
$0.27
Q1 24
$1.30
$0.20

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$213.8M
$300.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.1B
$2.8B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$3.2B
$117.4M
Total Assets
$7.1B
$5.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.68×
23.51×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
$213.8M
$300.8M
Q3 25
$207.1M
$291.4M
Q2 25
$182.8M
$281.2M
Q1 25
$229.4M
$335.3M
Q4 24
$194.6M
$450.5M
Q3 24
$210.2M
$482.2M
Q2 24
$179.2M
$465.5M
Q1 24
$327.0M
$498.3M
Total Debt
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
$2.1B
$2.8B
Q3 25
$2.2B
$2.7B
Q2 25
$2.3B
$2.7B
Q1 25
$2.5B
$2.7B
Q4 24
$2.2B
$2.7B
Q3 24
$2.3B
Q2 24
$2.4B
Q1 24
$2.7B
Stockholders' Equity
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
$3.2B
$117.4M
Q3 25
$3.4B
$109.2M
Q2 25
$3.4B
$112.9M
Q1 25
$3.2B
$130.2M
Q4 24
$3.5B
$259.4M
Q3 24
$3.8B
$259.9M
Q2 24
$3.7B
$273.8M
Q1 24
$3.6B
$293.7M
Total Assets
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
$7.1B
$5.0B
Q3 25
$7.5B
$5.0B
Q2 25
$7.6B
$4.9B
Q1 25
$7.6B
$4.9B
Q4 24
$7.5B
$5.0B
Q3 24
$8.0B
$5.1B
Q2 24
$7.9B
$5.1B
Q1 24
$8.2B
$5.2B
Debt / Equity
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
0.68×
23.51×
Q3 25
0.64×
24.95×
Q2 25
0.70×
24.18×
Q1 25
0.79×
21.00×
Q4 24
0.65×
10.57×
Q3 24
0.62×
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
WEN
WEN
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$147.5M
$69.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$58.6M
$31.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
5.9%
5.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
8.9%
7.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.62×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$518.5M
$242.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
$147.5M
$69.3M
Q3 25
$213.8M
$129.3M
Q2 25
$204.6M
$60.6M
Q1 25
$171.7M
$85.4M
Q4 24
$159.4M
$68.6M
Q3 24
$251.8M
$141.2M
Q2 24
$193.5M
$45.5M
Q1 24
$129.9M
$100.0M
Free Cash Flow
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
$58.6M
$31.4M
Q3 25
$178.2M
$104.3M
Q2 25
$169.3M
$39.2M
Q1 25
$112.4M
$67.7M
Q4 24
$83.7M
$26.6M
Q3 24
$213.1M
$123.3M
Q2 24
$154.0M
$28.4M
Q1 24
$50.7M
$82.6M
FCF Margin
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
5.9%
5.8%
Q3 25
17.7%
19.0%
Q2 25
16.4%
7.0%
Q1 25
11.4%
12.9%
Q4 24
8.4%
4.6%
Q3 24
21.1%
21.8%
Q2 24
15.0%
5.0%
Q1 24
5.0%
15.5%
Capex Intensity
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
8.9%
7.0%
Q3 25
3.5%
4.5%
Q2 25
3.4%
3.8%
Q1 25
6.0%
3.4%
Q4 24
7.5%
7.3%
Q3 24
3.8%
3.2%
Q2 24
3.8%
3.0%
Q1 24
7.8%
3.2%
Cash Conversion
CRL
CRL
WEN
WEN
Q4 25
2.62×
Q3 25
3.93×
2.92×
Q2 25
3.91×
1.10×
Q1 25
6.74×
2.18×
Q4 24
1.44×
Q3 24
3.61×
2.81×
Q2 24
2.06×
0.83×
Q1 24
1.78×
2.38×

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%

WEN
WEN

Franchise Royalty Revenueand Fees$149.3M27%
Royalty$103.6M19%
Advertising$103.3M19%
Global Real Estate Development$60.5M11%
Real Estate$59.5M11%
Wendys International$39.5M7%
Franchise$21.5M4%

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