For the quarter ended December 2024, Charles River Laboratories (CRL) reported revenue of $1 billion, down 1.1% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.66, compared to $2.46 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +2.79% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $975.34 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.50, the EPS surprise was +6.40%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Charles River performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Revenue- Research Models and Services: $204.26 million compared to the $201.13 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +4.3% year over year.
• Revenue- Discovery and Safety Assessment: $603.35 million compared to the $566.67 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -3.6% year over year.
• Revenue- Manufacturing Solutions: $194.94 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $205.81 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +1.6%.
• Revenue- Service: $811.91 million compared to the $795.10 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -3.1% year over year.
• Revenue- Product: $190.64 million versus $177.81 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +8.6% change.
• Operating income- Research Models and Services- Non-GAAP: $46.54 million versus $45.01 million estimated by three analysts on average.
• Operating income- Discovery and Safety Assessment- Non-GAAP: $148.98 million compared to the $132.62 million average estimate based on three analysts.
• Operating income- Manufacturing Solutions- Non-GAAP: $55.91 million versus $58.54 million estimated by three analysts on average.
• Operating income- Unallocated Corporate Overhead: -$61.76 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of -$43.28 million.
• Operating income- Research Models and Services: $13.77 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $27.04 million.
• Operating income- Discovery and Safety Assessment: $62.86 million versus $102.93 million estimated by two analysts on average.
• Operating income- Manufacturing Solutions: -$182.55 million compared to the $44.27 million average estimate based on two analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for Charles River here>>>

Shares of Charles River have returned -9.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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