ICON (ICLR) vs Illumina (ILMN)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Illumina (ILMN) has outperformed ICON (ICLR) over the past year, gaining 170.6% versus a loss of 12.1%. Over five years, ILMN leads with a -33.7% price change compared with -40.3% for ICLR. Illumina is the larger company by market cap ($39.95 billion vs $12.69 billion), about 3.1 times the size, while ICON is growing revenue faster (+0.8% vs -0.7%).
On valuation, ICON trades at a lower forward P/E (13.9x vs 43.2x for Illumina). Illumina converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 19.6% versus 2.8%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ICLR | ILMN |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $164.50 | $264.57 |
| Market cap | $12.69B | $39.95B |
| 1-day change | +0.26% | -1.19% |
| YTD return | -9.95% | +101.72% |
| 1-year return | -12.09% | +170.58% |
| 5-year return | -40.34% | -33.65% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 173.16 | 49.36 |
| Forward P/E | 13.93 | 43.24 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.95 | $5.36 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $8.25B | $4.34B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +0.76% | -0.66% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $229.34M | $850.00M |
| Gross margin | 26.37% | 66.08% |
| Operating margin | 5.37% | 18.58% |
| Net margin | 2.78% | 19.57% |
| 52-week high | $203.91 | $309.35 |
| 52-week low | $66.57 | $88.00 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -19.33% | -14.48% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +12.10% | -12.25% |
| Average volume | 822.57K | 2.69M |
| Shares outstanding | 77.15M | 151.00M |
| Employees | 40,200 | 8,600 |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Diagnostics & Research | Diagnostics & Research |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Illumina is about 3.1 times larger than ICON by market value ($39.95B vs $12.69B).
- ILMN has outperformed ICLR by 182.7 percentage points over the past year.
- ICON trades at a higher earnings multiple (173.2x vs 49.4x trailing P/E).
- Illumina is more profitable, keeping 19.6 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 2.8 cents for ICON.
About ICON
ICLR stock →ICON Public Limited Company, a clinical research organization, provides outsourced development and commercialization services in Ireland, 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.
Healthcare · Diagnostics & Research · 40,200 employees
About Illumina
ILMN stock →Illumina, Inc. provides sequencing- and array-based solutions for genetic and genomic analysis in the Americas, Europe, Greater China, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.
Healthcare · Diagnostics & Research · 8,600 employees
ICLR vs ILMN FAQ
Which is bigger, ICON or Illumina?
Illumina (ILMN) is larger, with a market capitalization of $39.95B compared with $12.69B for ICON (ICLR).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ICLR or ILMN?
ILMN returned +170.58% over the past 12 months, compared with -12.09% for ICLR (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ICLR or ILMN?
ILMN has the lower trailing P/E at 49.4, versus 173.2 for ICLR. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are ICON and Illumina in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Diagnostics & Research industry within the Healthcare sector.