ICLR
HealthcareICON Public Limited Company · Medical - Diagnostics & Research · $9B
What is ICON Public Limited Company?
ICON Public Limited Company is a global clinical research organization (CRO) headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. The company helps pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies design and execute clinical trials across all development phases.
ICON generates revenue by providing outsourced clinical development services to drug and device makers who need external expertise to run trials efficiently. Clients pay ICON to manage everything from early compound evaluation through Phase I-IV studies — including patient recruitment, data management, biostatistics, regulatory strategy, and pharmacovigilance. By handling the operational complexity of clinical research, ICON allows its clients to focus on science while reducing their fixed infrastructure costs.
ICON was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
- Phase I-IV clinical trial management and site monitoring
- Patient recruitment, retention, and engagement services
- Data management, biostatistics, and medical writing
- Regulatory strategy and pharmacovigilance support
- Medical imaging and laboratory services
Is ICLR a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates ICLR as Below Average overall, reflecting meaningful headwinds across several key fundamental pillars.
Among the five pillars, Valuation stands out as Attractive — suggesting the market may already be pricing in much of the near-term uncertainty, which could interest value-oriented investors watching the CRO space.
Quality, Moat, Growth, and Risk all register at Neutral or Weak, pointing to competitive pressure, limited pricing power, and an uncertain near-term growth trajectory in the contract research industry.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does ICLR pay dividends?
No — ICON Public Limited Company does not currently pay a dividend.
ICON does not currently pay a dividend. As a services-oriented CRO operating in a capital-intensive competitive environment, the company has historically directed available resources toward operational capacity and strategic positioning rather than shareholder distributions. Investors seeking income will need to look elsewhere, but the lack of a dividend is not unusual for companies in this segment of the healthcare services sector.
When does ICLR report earnings?
ICON Public Limited Company reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with standard practice for US-listed equities.
ICON operates in a CRO industry that has faced shifting demand patterns as pharmaceutical clients reassess outsourcing budgets. Revenue visibility has become more variable, and the company's growth profile has moderated relative to the post-pandemic expansion period.
For the most recent quarter's results and guidance commentary, visit ICON's official investor relations page.
ICLR Price History
-48.5% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in ICON Public Limited Company?
Based on ICON Public Limited Company's historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
ICLR Long-term Outlook
The UQS Growth and Risk pillar labels both register as Weak for ICLR, indicating that the near-term fundamental outlook carries meaningful uncertainty. The CRO sector broadly faces a more cautious spending environment from biotech clients, which constrains backlog conversion and new business wins. While the Attractive Valuation pillar suggests limited downside may already be reflected in the share price, a sustained recovery would likely require improvement in both the macro biotech funding environment and ICON's competitive positioning.
Growth drivers
- Potential recovery in biotech and pharma outsourcing budgets
- Expansion of late-phase and real-world evidence service lines
- Growing demand for decentralized and technology-enabled trial solutions
Key risks
- Continued softness in client spending and trial cancellations
- Intense competition from larger CRO peers compressing margins
- Elevated operational risk from integration of prior acquisitions
ICLR vs Peers
ICON competes in a concentrated CRO and life sciences services market alongside several well-resourced peers.
Charles River focuses more heavily on early-stage preclinical research and discovery services, occupying a different part of the drug development value chain than ICON's clinical-stage emphasis.
Qiagen is a molecular diagnostics and sample technology company, competing with ICON primarily in laboratory and genomic data services rather than full-scale trial management.
Revvity provides analytical instruments and informatics solutions to life sciences researchers, overlapping with ICON in data and diagnostics but not in clinical operations management.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ICON Public Limited Company do?
ICON is a contract research organization (CRO) that manages clinical trials on behalf of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. Services span the full development lifecycle — from early compound evaluation through Phase IV studies — including patient recruitment, data management, regulatory support, and pharmacovigilance.
Does ICLR pay dividends?
No, ICON does not currently pay a dividend. The company operates in a competitive services environment and has not established a dividend program. Investors focused on income generation should be aware that ICLR is not structured as a dividend-paying stock at this time.
When does ICLR report earnings?
ICON reports financial results on a quarterly basis, in line with standard practice for US-listed companies. For precise reporting dates and earnings call schedules, the most reliable source is ICON's investor relations page on its official corporate website.
Is ICLR a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates ICLR as Below Average, with Weak signals across Growth, Moat, and Risk pillars. The Valuation pillar is Attractive, which may appeal to contrarian investors. Whether that profile fits your portfolio depends on your risk tolerance and investment horizon — the full pillar breakdown is available to Pro members.
Is ICLR overvalued?
The UQS Valuation pillar for ICLR is rated Attractive, suggesting the stock is not considered expensive relative to its fundamental profile. However, an attractive price does not eliminate risk — the Weak Growth and Risk ratings indicate that the business faces real headwinds that investors should weigh carefully.
How does ICLR compare to its competitors?
ICON competes with Charles River Laboratories, Qiagen, and Revvity, among others. Each peer occupies a distinct niche — preclinical research, molecular diagnostics, or analytical instruments — while ICON focuses on clinical-stage trial management. The UQS platform provides side-by-side quality scoring for direct comparison.
What is ICLR's market cap bracket?
ICON Public Limited Company is classified as a mid-cap company. This places it in a tier that typically offers more liquidity than small-cap peers but less institutional coverage depth than mega-cap healthcare names. Mid-cap CROs can carry higher volatility during sector downturns.
Who founded ICON Public Limited Company?
ICON was incorporated in 1990 in Ireland. Founding details are part of the company's publicly available corporate history. For verified founding information, ICON's official website and regulatory filings are the most accurate sources.
Is ICLR a long-term quality investment?
As a long-term quality indicator, ICLR's current UQS profile is Below Average, with Weak readings on Moat and Growth suggesting the company's competitive durability and earnings trajectory need to improve. Long-term investors should monitor whether the CRO market recovery translates into stronger fundamental scores over time.
What is the main competitive advantage of ICON?
ICON's scale and breadth of services — spanning early development through late-phase research across multiple geographies — provide operational depth that smaller CROs cannot easily replicate. However, the UQS Moat pillar currently rates as Weak, indicating that this advantage may not be sufficiently differentiated from larger peers like IQVIA or Labcorp Drug Development.
What sector does ICLR belong to?
ICON operates in the Healthcare sector, specifically within the contract research and clinical services subsegment. The company serves pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device clients globally, making its revenue closely tied to the health of drug development spending cycles.
Is ICLR a growth stock or value stock?
Based on UQS pillar labels, ICLR leans toward value territory — the Valuation pillar is Attractive while the Growth pillar is Weak. This combination suggests the stock may appeal more to value-oriented investors than to those seeking high-growth exposure within the healthcare services space.
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Pro Analysis
ICLR — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2026 | 48.3 | 44.2 | 37.0 | 42.9 | 36.1 | 93.1 | +7.4 |
| May 7, 2026 | 40.9 | 46.0 | 37.0 | 8.4 | 36.1 | 86.7 | 0.0 |
| May 6, 2026 | 40.9 | 46.0 | 37.0 | 7.7 | 36.1 | 88.0 | 0.0 |
| May 3, 2026 | 40.9 | 46.0 | 37.0 | 7.5 | 36.1 | 88.0 | +0.2 |
| May 2, 2026 | 40.7 | 46.0 | 37.0 | 6.8 | 36.1 | 88.0 | 0.0 |
| Apr 26, 2026 | 40.7 | 46.0 | 37.0 | 6.5 | 36.1 | 88.0 | -0.2 |
| Apr 25, 2026 | 40.9 | 46.0 | 37.0 | 7.6 | 36.1 | 88.0 | 0.0 |
| Apr 23, 2026 | 40.9 | 46.0 | 37.0 | 7.6 | 36.1 | 88.3 | -0.2 |
| Apr 22, 2026 | 41.1 | 46.0 | 37.0 | 7.6 | 36.1 | 89.3 | -0.4 |
| Apr 20, 2026 | 41.5 | 46.0 | 37.0 | 9.5 | 36.1 | 89.3 | +0.1 |
ICLR — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 44.2/100 (25%)ICON Public Limited Company has average quality metrics, with room for improvement in margins or capital efficiency.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 42.2/100 (20%)ICON Public Limited Company shows steady but unspectacular growth, typical for mature companies.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 36.1/100 (15%)ICON Public Limited Company has some risk factors including moderate leverage or solvency concerns.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 93.3/100 (15%)ICON Public Limited Company appears attractively valued relative to its earnings, cash flows, and sector peers.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 37/100 (25%)ICON Public Limited Company possesses some competitive advantages but faces meaningful competition. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for ICLR.
Score Composition
Financial Data
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How is the ICLR UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for ICON Public Limited Company is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses ICON Public Limited Company's competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether ICON Public Limited Company is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.