Baxter International Inc. (BAX) vs Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (CRL)
CRL leads on 8 of 14 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Baxter International Inc. and Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
BAX
Baxter International Inc.
$20.86Healthcare
CRL
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.
$187.51Healthcare
Not enough overlapping price history to compare BAX and CRL.
BAX vs CRL: by the numbers
- •BAX is the larger company ($10.77B vs $9.03B market cap).
- •Both run net losses; CRL's is the smaller (-4.59% vs -9.70% net margin).
- •CRL grew revenue faster over the past five years (5.77% vs -0.86% CAGR).
- •BAX pays a dividend (0.96% yield) while CRL does not currently pay one.
Which is better, BAX or CRL?
Metric tally: BAX 6 · CRL 8It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthCRL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityCRL(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | BAX | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Forward P/E | 10.86● | 15.21 |
| P/S ratio | 0.95● | 2.28 |
| P/B ratio | 1.78● | 3.12 |
| EV / EBITDA | 24.95● | 41.45 |
| FCF yield | 6.64%● | 4.26% |
Profitability
| Metric | BAX | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 30.11% | 31.86%● |
| Operating margin | -2.65% | 11.77%● |
| Net margin | -9.70% | -4.59%● |
| ROE | -18.17% | -6.28%● |
| ROIC | -1.79% | 8.36%● |
Dividends
| Metric | BAX | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.96% | — |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | BAX | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | -0.86% | 5.77%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 11.55%● | -40.99% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -10.81% | -3.98%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -22.43% | -11.83%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, BAX or CRL?
- It depends on your goal. growth: CRL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: CRL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, CRL leads 8 to 6.
- Which has grown faster, BAX or CRL?
- Over the past five years, CRL grew revenue faster — BAX at a -0.86% CAGR versus CRL at 5.77%.
- Does BAX or CRL pay a bigger dividend?
- BAX pays a dividend (0.96% yield) while CRL does not currently pay one.
- Which has been the better investment, BAX or CRL?
- Over the past 10-year, CRL delivered the higher annualized total return — BAX at -5.83% versus CRL at 8.26%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Baxter International P/E ratioCharles River Laboratories International P/E ratioBaxter International dividend yieldCharles River Laboratories International dividend yieldBaxter International ROECharles River Laboratories International ROEBaxter International operating marginCharles River Laboratories International operating marginBaxter International revenue growthCharles River Laboratories International revenue growthBaxter International free cash flowCharles River Laboratories International free cash flow
Baxter International & Charles River Laboratories International appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.