ICON (ICLR) vs IQVIA (IQV)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
IQVIA (IQV) has outperformed ICON (ICLR) over the past year, gaining 28.5% versus a loss of 11.8%. Over five years, IQV leads with a +3.7% price change compared with -40.2% for ICLR. IQVIA is the larger company by market cap ($42.61 billion vs $12.69 billion), about 3.4 times the size.
On valuation, ICON trades at a lower forward P/E (13.9x vs 17.9x for IQVIA). IQVIA converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 8.3% 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 | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $164.50 | $258.88 |
| Market cap | $12.69B | $42.61B |
| 1-day change | +0.26% | +0.30% |
| YTD return | -9.72% | +14.51% |
| 1-year return | -11.79% | +28.50% |
| 5-year return | -40.19% | +3.72% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 173.16 | 32.16 |
| Forward P/E | 13.93 | 17.94 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.95 | $8.05 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $8.25B | $16.31B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +0.76% | +5.87% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $229.34M | $1.36B |
| Gross margin | 26.37% | 33.29% |
| Operating margin | 5.37% | 13.38% |
| Net margin | 2.78% | 8.34% |
| 52-week high | $203.91 | $277.40 |
| 52-week low | $66.57 | $154.50 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -19.33% | -6.68% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +12.10% | +12.35% |
| Average volume | 822.57K | 1.45M |
| Shares outstanding | 77.15M | 164.60M |
| Employees | 40,200 | 94,000 |
| Sector | Healthcare | Health Care |
| Industry | Diagnostics & Research | Biotechnology: Commercial Physical & Biological Resarch |
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
- IQVIA is about 3.4 times larger than ICON by market value ($42.61B vs $12.69B).
- IQV has outperformed ICLR by 40.3 percentage points over the past year.
- ICON trades at a higher earnings multiple (173.2x vs 32.2x trailing P/E).
- IQVIA is more profitable, keeping 8.3 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 2.8 cents for ICON.
- IQVIA grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+5.87% vs +0.76%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: ICON in Healthcare and IQVIA in Health Care.
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 IQVIA
IQV stock →IQVIA Holdings Inc. provides clinical research services, commercial insights, and healthcare intelligence to the life sciences and healthcare industries in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific.
Health Care · Biotechnology: Commercial Physical & Biological Resarch · 94,000 employees
ICLR vs IQV FAQ
Which is bigger, ICON or IQVIA?
IQVIA (IQV) is larger, with a market capitalization of $42.61B compared with $12.69B for ICON (ICLR).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ICLR or IQV?
IQV returned +28.50% over the past 12 months, compared with -11.79% for ICLR (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ICLR or IQV?
IQV has the lower trailing P/E at 32.2, 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 IQVIA in the same industry?
No. ICON is in the Healthcare sector, while IQVIA is in Health Care.