Stock Analysis
ICON plcICLR
P/E 61.34×· 5Y range 14.47–137.64×· 69th percentile of history
Sector: Healthcare · Industry: Diagnostics & Research
AnalystsBuy24 analystsP/E 61.3× sits at the 69th percentile of its 5.059548254620124-year history.
Cash covers 26% of debt · FY 2025.
PMP Verdict
Mixed fundamentals, fairly valued
Strengths
- Quality90
- Growth63
Risks
- Profitability21
- Financial Health38
Mixed picture — no clear quality or value edge.
Market context
-2.8% today· Z 1.2σ
Bull Case
- ✓Revenue CAGR 10.8% — durable top-line growth
What's happening with ICLR
Profile
Strong earnings quality; profitability, financial health and moat lag behind.
How is each axis scored?
- Valuation55/100 · Moderate
- P/E vs own history (69th pct)5/25
- FCF yield (7.8%)20/25
- P/S (1.6x)25/25
- EV/EBIT (36.8x)5/25
- Growth63/100 · Moderate
- Revenue CAGR (10.8%)20/25
- Net income CAGR (8.7%)12/25
- EPS CAGR 5Y (4.8%)6/25
- Fwd implied growth (320.3%)25/25
- Profitability21/100 · Weak
- ROIC (2.8%)5/25
- ROE (2.3%)5/25
- Net margin (2.6%)6/25
- Operating margin (5.2%)5/25
- Financial Health38/100 · Weak
- Altman Z (1.95)10/25
- Current ratio (0.95)6/25
- Interest coverage (2.3x)10/25
- Net cash / debt (D/A 16%)12/25
- Quality90/100 · Strong
- Piotroski F (6/9)15/25
- Beneish M (-2.68)25/25
- FCF conversion (481%)25/25
- Margin stability (σ 2.7%)25/25
- Moat43/100 · Weak
- ROIC >12% years (0/5 yrs)0/25
- Median gross margin (28.7%)6/25
- FCF-positive years (5/5 yrs)25/25
- Worst-year net margin (worst 2.6%)12/25
Risk Flags
- ⚠Interest coverage 2.3× — thin debt cushion
About ICON plc
Icon is a global contract research organization that provides outsourced clinical development services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms. Show more
Icon supports clients across late-stage clinical trials through the regulatory approval process and postmarket studies. Icon's services include clinical trial management, patient recruitment, data analytics, laboratory services, and regulatory consulting. With more than 40,000 employees operating in over 50 countries, the company partners with life sciences firms to run clinical trials and bring new drugs to market.
Employees: 40,100 · Website ↗
Price History
Weekly Candlestick Chart — up to 5Y
Key Metrics
Financial snapshot · Tap any metric for its definition and grade
TTM Snapshot
trailing twelve months · YoYValuation
55CP/E (TTM)61.3xD
Grade D: ExpensivePrice / TTM EPS (own statements) — vs own 5Y history: 14.5x–137.6x · 69th pct
P/FCF15.0xA
Grade A: CheapPrice / Free Cash Flow per share (Finnhub). Inverse of FCF yield — negative when FCF is negative
FCF Yield7.8%A
Grade A: ValueTTM (OCF − CapEx) / Market Cap — vs own 5Y history: 2.0%–16.3% · 84th pct
P/S (TTM)1.59xA
Grade A: CheapPrice / TTM Revenue (own statements) — vs own 5Y history: 0.8x–3.8x · 16th pct
EV/EBIT36.8xD
Grade D: ExpensiveEnterprise value / TTM EBIT (D&A not in our data) — capital-structure neutral — vs own 5Y history: 13.0x–48.0x · 80th pct
EV/Sales1.9xA
Grade A: CheapEnterprise Value / TTM Revenue (Finnhub) — capital-structure neutral sales multiple
Forward P/E14.6xA
Grade A: CheapPrice / next-year EPS estimate — shows whether the TTM multiple is rich or just front-loading growth
P/B Ratio1.40xA
Grade A: FairPrice to Book Value. Neg. equity = heavy buybacks
PEG Ratio—
Finnhub PEG — their P/E basis ÷ expected EPS growth. Suppressed when their P/E diverges >2× from our TTM P/E (different basis)
Dividend Yield—
TTM dividend yield (Finnhub) — annual dividends / price. None = no dividend; very high yield can signal distress
Payout Ratio—
Dividends / Net Income (Finnhub) — share of earnings paid out; >90% or negative = unsustainable
Profitability
21EROIC2.8%D
Grade D: LowNOPAT (EBIT less ~21% tax) / invested capital (equity + debt − cash). Flagship quality metric — durable >15% signals a moat
ROE2.3%D
Grade D: WeakReturn on Equity. Neg. equity = heavy buybacks
ROA0.4%D
Grade D: WeakReturn on Assets (Finnhub) — Net Income / Total Assets; how efficiently assets produce profit
Net Margin2.6%D
Grade D: LowNet Income / Revenue
Operating Margin5.2%D
Grade D: LowTTM EBIT / TTM Revenue
Gross Margin26.4%D
Grade D: LowGross Profit / Revenue
FCF Margin12.5%C
Grade C: AverageFCF / Revenue
True FCF Margin11.0%C
Grade C: AverageTTM (OCF − CapEx − SBC) / TTM Revenue — SBC treated as a real cost
Growth
63BRevenue CAGR10.8%C
Grade C: OkCompound annual revenue growth (up to 5Y depending on data availability)
Net Income CAGR8.7%C
Grade C: OkCompound annual net income growth (up to 5Y depending on data availability)
EPS CAGR (5Y)4.8%D
Grade D: LowCompound annual EPS growth over up to 5Y of per-share earnings (own statements). Null when either endpoint EPS ≤ 0
Implied EPS Growth320.3%A
Grade A: HighAnalyst forward EPS (normalized basis) vs our GAAP TTM EPS — different bases, so extreme values usually mark cyclically depressed TTM earnings, not real growth
Dilution (5Y)—
Share count change over 5Y
SBC / Net Income58.9%D
Grade D: HighStock-based comp/Net income. >30% = dilution risk
SBC / Revenue1.5%A
Grade A: LowTTM stock-based comp / TTM Revenue
Financial Health
38DAltman Z-Score1.95C
Grade C: Gray zoneBankruptcy risk. >3 Safe, <1.8 Distress
Current Ratio0.95xD
Grade D: LowCurrent Assets/Liabilities
Quick Ratio0.92xC
Grade C: Ok(Current Assets − Inventory) / Current Liabilities (Finnhub) — stricter liquidity test, excludes inventory
Interest Coverage2.3xD
Grade D: RiskyEBIT/Interest. >10 Strong
Debt Repayment2.5yA
Grade A: FastYears to repay net debt via FCF
Net Debt/EBIT6.1xD
Grade D: HighLeverage. <2x Low, >4x High
Debt/Equity0.38xA
Grade A: LowDebt / Equity: <1 Conservative, >2 Risky. Not meaningful with non-positive equity; shown as unavailable rather than low debt.
Cash / Debt0.26xD
Grade D: ThinCash covers how much of total debt. >1 = could repay all debt from cash
Quality
90A+Piotroski F-Score6/9C
Grade C: AverageFinancial strength 0–9. >7 Strong
Beneish M-Score-2.68A
Grade A: SafeEarnings manipulation risk. < -2.22 Safe
FCF Conversion481.3%A
Grade A: StrongFCF / Net Income
Margin Stability2.7%A
Grade A: StableEBIT margin std deviation. Lower = stable
Capex / Revenue1.0%A
Grade A: Asset-lightTTM CapEx / TTM Revenue — high % = capital-hungry business
Asset Turnover0.51xC
Grade C: AverageRevenue / Total Assets (Finnhub) — how efficiently the asset base generates sales
Insider Transactions
SEC Form 4 · 8 recordsP/S codes are the directional signal; grants, option exercises and tax withholding carry none. Form 4 doesn't flag 10b5-1 plans — scheduled sales may appear within open-market sells.
| Trade date | Insider | Transaction | Shares | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
McCague Eugene Pacelli Filed | McCague Eugene Pacelli | Option exercise | -3255 | |
McCague Eugene Pacelli Filed | McCague Eugene Pacelli | SellOpen market sale | -3255 | |
McCague Eugene Pacelli Filed | McCague Eugene Pacelli | Option exercise | +3.3K | |
Murphy Ronan Martin Filed | Murphy Ronan Martin | Option exercise | -5005 | |
Murphy Ronan Martin Filed | Murphy Ronan Martin | SellOpen market sale | -5005 |
Show 3 more filingsShow fewer filings
| Trade date | Insider | Transaction | Shares | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Murphy Ronan Martin Filed | Murphy Ronan Martin | Option exercise | +5.0K | |
CLIMAX JOHN DR Filed | CLIMAX JOHN DR | Option exercise | -5005 | |
CLIMAX JOHN DR Filed | CLIMAX JOHN DR | SellOpen market sale | -5005 |
Option exercise (M) rows report a derivative leg, not an open-market sale — a paired negative entry is the option position being consumed.
More metrics — Moat, Per Share, Balance Sheet, MarketHide additional metrics
Moat
43D+ROIC >12% Years0/5 yrsD
Grade D: WeakShare of completed fiscal years with ROIC > 12% — measures multi-year capital-return durability
Gross Margin (Med.)28.7%D
Grade D: WeakMedian annual gross margin across available fiscal years — pricing-power durability
FCF-Positive Years5/5 yrsA
Grade A: DurableShare of completed fiscal years with positive free cash flow
Net Margin Floor2.6%C
Grade C: ModerateWeakest annual net margin across completed fiscal years — recession/downcycle resilience
Per Share
EPS (TTM)$2.77
Own TTM net income / shares — same earnings basis as P/E
Cash / Share$12.03
Cash & short-term investments per share (Finnhub)
Book Value / Share$121.55
Shareholders' equity per share (Finnhub). Negative = accumulated losses / heavy buybacks
Balance Sheet
Total Debt$3.53B
Total debt obligations (short + long term)
Cash & Equiv.$928.38M
Cash and short-term investments
Net Debt$2.60B
Total Debt minus Cash. Negative = Net Cash position
Total Equity$9.38B
Shareholders' equity (book value)
Asset / Liability2.34xA
Grade A: SolidTotal Assets / Total Liabilities
Market
Market Cap$13.13B
Current Market Capitalization
Beta1.22C
Grade C: VolatilePrice sensitivity vs the market (Finnhub) — 1.0 moves with market, >1.2 amplifies swings
How grades work: each metric is graded A–D against fixed thresholds (tap a row for the meaning). Card grades map the pillar score to A+–E — a card grade is that pillar's own score, not an average of the rows shown.
Financials as of Dec 2025 · Ratio snapshot Oct 16, 2026
Key Insights: ICON plc (ICLR)
ICLR is down 2.83% at the last close. Piotroski F-Score of 6/9 indicates mixed fundamentals for ICON plc. Altman Z-Score of 1.95 falls in the grey zone (1.81–2.99) — financial distress is unlikely but not ruled out.
- Beneish M-Score of -2.68 suggests a low likelihood of earnings manipulation.
- Takes ~2.5 years to repay net debt from free cash flow.
See how ICLR ranks on the Capex Tracker — top 50 capital spenders compared.
Recent Market Moves
See all ICLR moves →| Date | Session | Price | Move | Z-Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 24 | Regular | 174.62 | +6.54% | 2.89 |
| Sep 24 | After-hours | 173.90 | +6.10% | 2.71 |
| Sep 21 | After-hours | 169.55 | +3.31% | 2.21 |
Frequently Asked Questions about ICLR
What is the current ICON plc (ICLR) stock price?
ICLR is trading at $170.18 at the last market close, down 2.83% on the session. PreMarketPrice tracks ICLR pre-market, intraday and after-hours prices.
Is ICLR stock a buy right now?
PreMarketPrice's quantitative model rates ICON plc's financial health at 38/100. This is a data-driven snapshot of fundamentals, not investment advice.
Is ICLR stock overvalued?
ICON plc trades at a trailing P/E of 61.3 and our valuation score rates it 55/100 (higher = cheaper vs. its own history). See the Valuation History and Key Metrics sections for forward P/E, EV/EBITDA and PEG context.
When does ICON plc report earnings?
No confirmed earnings date is currently scheduled for ICLR. The Earnings section lists recent reports and updates as dates are announced.
What sector does ICON plc operate in?
ICON plc operates in the Healthcare sector, within the Diagnostics & Research industry. The Related Stocks section lists sector peers for comparison.
What does ICON plc do?
Icon is a global contract research organization that provides outsourced clinical development services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms.
About ICON plc (ICLR) Stock
ICON plc (ICLR) is a US-listed stock operating in the Healthcare sector, specifically the Diagnostics & Research industry. As of the latest update, ICON plc is trading at $170.18, down 2.83% on the day with a market capitalization of $13.1 billion. The financial health score for ICLR is 38/100, which indicates weak financial strength based on profitability, leverage, liquidity, and growth metrics. This page provides real-time pre-market pricing, earnings calendar, financial health analysis, and valuation metrics for ICLR stock.
ICLR Stock Analysis & Key Metrics
On PreMarketPrice, you can track ICON plc (ICLR) across multiple dimensions:
- Pre-market price & movement: Real-time ICLR stock price with percentage change, updated continuously during pre-market and regular trading hours.
- Valuation & P/E history: Historical P/E, P/S, and P/B ratios for ICLR with trend analysis and normalized valuation multiples.
- Financial statements: Revenue, net income, assets, liabilities, and equity for ICON plc across multiple reporting periods.
- Financial health score: A composite score of 38/100 based on Altman Z-Score, Piotroski F-Score, profitability, and leverage metrics for ICLR.
- Sector peers: Compare ICLR against 6 other healthcare stocks on key financial metrics.
Is ICLR a Good Stock to Buy?
This page provides data-driven analysis to help you evaluate ICON plc (ICLR) as an investment. The financial health score of 38/100 suggests weak financial fundamentals. Valuation metrics show whether the stock is trading above or below its historical average.However, this is not financial advice — always do your own research before investing.
Data on this page is sourced from real-time market feeds, Polygon.io, and Finnhub.ICON plc (ICLR) trades on NYSE/NASDAQ. Pre-market trading occurs 4:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET. Regular market hours are 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET.