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ICON PLC (ICLR)



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Upturn Advisory Summary
04/01/2025: ICLR (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit -30.31% | Avg. Invested days 35 | Today’s Advisory PASS |
Upturn Star Rating ![]() ![]() | Upturn Advisory Performance ![]() | Stock Returns Performance ![]() |
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Key Highlights
Company Size Large-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 13.63B USD | Price to earnings Ratio 17.7 | 1Y Target Price 244 |
Price to earnings Ratio 17.7 | 1Y Target Price 244 | ||
Volume (30-day avg) 1049669 | Beta 1.21 | 52 Weeks Range 165.00 - 347.72 | Updated Date 04/2/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 165.00 - 347.72 | Updated Date 04/2/2025 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) - | Basic EPS (TTM) 9.53 |
Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth
Revenue by Products
Product revenue - Year on Year
Revenue by Geography
Geography revenue - Year on Year
Earnings Date
Report Date - | When - | Estimate - | Actual - |
Profitability
Profit Margin 9.56% | Operating Margin (TTM) 17.21% |
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (TTM) 4.5% | Return on Equity (TTM) 8.44% |
Valuation
Trailing PE 17.7 | Forward PE 11.72 | Enterprise Value 16525748285 | Price to Sales(TTM) 1.65 |
Enterprise Value 16525748285 | Price to Sales(TTM) 1.65 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 2 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA 10.57 | Shares Outstanding 80820800 | Shares Floating 79621419 |
Shares Outstanding 80820800 | Shares Floating 79621419 | ||
Percent Insiders 0.61 | Percent Institutions 98.4 |
Analyst Ratings
Rating 4.44 | Target Price 268.12 | Buy 4 | Strong Buy 11 |
Buy 4 | Strong Buy 11 | ||
Hold 3 | Sell - | Strong Sell - | |
Strong Sell - |
Upturn AI SWOT
ICON PLC

Company Overview
History and Background
ICON PLC, founded in 1990, is a global provider of outsourced clinical development and commercialization services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. It started as a consulting company and expanded into a full-service CRO through organic growth and acquisitions.
Core Business Areas
- Clinical Development Services: Encompasses clinical trial management, data management, biostatistics, medical writing, and regulatory affairs.
- Commercialization and Outcomes: Provides market access, medical affairs, and strategic consulting services to optimize product launches and commercial performance.
- Laboratory Services: Offers central laboratory testing, bioanalytical services, and biomarker solutions to support clinical trials.
Leadership and Structure
ICON PLC is led by CEO Steve Cutler. The organizational structure includes functional departments (e.g., Clinical Operations, Commercialization) and regional divisions to serve global clients.
Top Products and Market Share
Key Offerings
- Clinical Trial Management: Full-service management of clinical trials from Phase I to Phase IV. This includes site selection, patient recruitment, monitoring, and data management. ICON is a large player with competitors like IQV, PPD (Thermo Fisher), and LabCorp. Market share for individual product lines is difficult to ascertain, but ICON is a top 5 CRO globally based on overall revenue.
- Central Laboratory Services: Provides centralized laboratory testing for clinical trials, ensuring consistency and quality of data. Competitors include LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics. Difficult to ascertain market share for ICON's central lab services.
- Bioanalytical Services: Offers bioanalytical testing to measure drug concentrations and metabolites in biological samples. Competitors include Charles River Laboratories and WuXi AppTec. Difficult to ascertain market share for ICON's bioanalytical services.
Market Dynamics
Industry Overview
The clinical research organization (CRO) industry is experiencing growth driven by increasing R&D spending in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, growing complexity of clinical trials, and the need for specialized expertise. There is also a growing trend for drug manufacturers to outsource clinical trial management and analysis to CROs.
Positioning
ICON PLC is a leading global CRO, known for its strong execution, global reach, and integrated service offerings. It differentiates itself through its data-driven approach and focus on technology. ICON's competitive advantages are its comprehensive service portfolio and scale.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
The global CRO market is estimated to reach $95.12 Billion in 2027. ICON PLC is well positioned to address this TAM with its global reach and full range of services.
Upturn SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Global presence
- Comprehensive service offerings
- Strong execution capabilities
- Experienced management team
- Strong reputation
Weaknesses
- Reliance on large pharma clients
- Exposure to economic downturns
- Integration risks from acquisitions
- Cyber Security Risks
Opportunities
- Growing demand for CRO services
- Expansion into emerging markets
- Adoption of new technologies
- Partnerships with biotechnology companies
- Increase in clinical research funding
Threats
- Increased competition
- Pricing pressure
- Regulatory changes
- Economic uncertainty
- Data privacy concerns
Competitors and Market Share
Key Competitors
- IQV
- TMO
- LH
Competitive Landscape
ICON PLC competes with other large CROs on factors such as service offerings, geographic reach, price, and reputation. ICON is known for its focus on technology and data-driven approach.
Major Acquisitions
PRA Health Sciences
- Year: 2021
- Acquisition Price (USD millions): 12000
- Strategic Rationale: Expanded ICON's service offerings and global reach, creating a leading global CRO.
Growth Trajectory and Initiatives
Historical Growth: ICON PLC has experienced significant growth over the past decade, driven by acquisitions and organic expansion.
Future Projections: Analyst estimates project continued revenue growth for ICON PLC, driven by the favorable industry trends.
Recent Initiatives: ICON PLC has recently focused on expanding its digital health capabilities and investing in technology to improve efficiency.
Summary
ICON PLC is a leading CRO that's strong in terms of the comprehensive services it offers and its global presence. It recently acquired PRA Health Services to expand service offerings. Threats to consider are increasing competition and regulatory changes in the sector. ICON does not pay dividends.
Similar Companies

IQV

IQVIA Holdings Inc



IQV

IQVIA Holdings Inc

LH

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings



LH

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings

TMO

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc



TMO

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc
Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- Company filings
- Industry reports
- Analyst estimates
- ICON PLC Investor Relations
Disclaimers:
This analysis is based on publicly available information and is not financial advice. Market share data is approximate and may vary.
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
About ICON PLC
Exchange NASDAQ | Headquaters - | ||
IPO Launch date 1998-05-15 | CEO & Director Dr. Steven A. Cutler MBA, Ph.D. | ||
Sector Healthcare | Industry Diagnostics & Research | Full time employees 41900 | Website https://www.iconplc.com |
Full time employees 41900 | Website https://www.iconplc.com |
ICON Public Limited Company, a clinical research organization, provides outsourced development and commercialization services in Ireland, rest of Europe, the United States, and internationally. The company specializes in the strategic development, management, and analysis of programs that support various stages of the clinical development process from compound selection to Phase I-IV clinical studies. It also provides clinical development services, including all phases of development, peri and post approval, data solutions, and site and patient access services; clinical trial management, consulting, and contract staffing services; and commercial services comprising clinical development strategy, planning and trial design, full study execution, and post-market commercialization. In addition, the company offers laboratory services, including bionanalytical, biomarker, vaccine, good manufacturing practice, and central laboratory services, as well as full-service and functional service partnerships to customers. Further, the company provides adaptive trials, cardiac safety solutions, clinical and scientific operations, consulting and advisory, commercial positioning, decentralized and hybrid clinical trials, early clinical, laboratories, language services, medical imaging, real world intelligence, site and patient, and strategic solutions. It serves pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries, as well as government and public health organizations. ICON Public Limited Company was incorporated in 1989 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
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