Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.CRL
NYSE•Healthcare•Diagnostics & Research
Understand cash generation quality and how management allocates capital.
Free cash flow was $-14.83M in the latest quarter (113.2% decrease YoY). FCF margin is -0.4%. Shares outstanding declined by 3.4% year-over-year, indicating buybacks (returning capital to shareholders). Free cash flow is the lifeblood of a business — it funds dividends, buybacks, debt reduction, and reinvestment without relying on external capital.
Free cash flow, earnings quality, and capital allocation