ICON (ICLR) vs NRC Health (NRC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
NRC Health (NRC) has outperformed ICON (ICLR) over the past year, gaining 68.0% versus a loss of 12.1%. Over five years, ICLR leads with a -40.3% price change compared with -52.9% for NRC. ICON is the larger company by market cap ($12.66 billion vs $446.6 million), about 28.3 times the size.
On valuation, ICON trades at a lower forward P/E (13.9x vs 19.2x for NRC Health). NRC Health pays a dividend yielding 2.97%, while ICON does not currently pay one.
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 | NRC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $164.08 | $20.19 |
| Market cap | $12.66B | $446.59M |
| 1-day change | +1.48% | +0.55% |
| YTD return | -9.95% | +7.57% |
| 1-year return | -12.09% | +67.97% |
| 5-year return | -40.34% | -52.92% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 172.72 | 84.13 |
| Forward P/E | 13.88 | 19.23 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.95 | $0.24 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 2.97% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.60 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $8.25B | — |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +0.76% | — |
| Net income (latest FY) | $229.34M | — |
| Gross margin | 26.37% | — |
| Operating margin | 5.37% | — |
| Net margin | 2.78% | — |
| 52-week high | $203.91 | $23.68 |
| 52-week low | $66.57 | $11.01 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -19.53% | -14.74% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +12.39% | +28.78% |
| Average volume | 815.35K | 115.43K |
| Shares outstanding | 77.15M | 22.12M |
| Employees | 40,200 | 357 |
| Sector | Health Care | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology: Commercial Physical & Biological Resarch | Health Information Services |
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
- ICON is about 28.3 times larger than NRC Health by market value ($12.66B vs $446.59M).
- NRC has outperformed ICLR by 80.1 percentage points over the past year.
- ICON trades at a higher earnings multiple (172.7x vs 84.1x trailing P/E).
- NRC Health offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (2.97% vs 0.00%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: ICON in Health Care and NRC Health in Healthcare.
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.
Health Care · Biotechnology: Commercial Physical & Biological Resarch · 40,200 employees
About NRC Health
NRC stock →NRC Health provides analytics and insights to measure and improve patient and employee experience for healthcare organizations in the United States. The company offers market experience solutions, a subscription-based services for improved tracking of awareness, perception, and consistency of healthcare brands; assessment of differentiators; and segmentation tools to evaluate the needs, wants, and behaviors of communities through assessments.
Healthcare · Health Information Services · 357 employees
ICLR vs NRC FAQ
Which is bigger, ICON or NRC Health?
ICON (ICLR) is larger, with a market capitalization of $12.66B compared with $446.59M for NRC Health (NRC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ICLR or NRC?
NRC returned +67.97% 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 NRC?
NRC has the lower trailing P/E at 84.1, versus 172.7 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.
Which pays a higher dividend, ICON or NRC Health?
NRC Health pays a dividend yielding 2.97%, while ICON does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are ICON and NRC Health in the same industry?
No. ICON is in the Health Care sector, while NRC Health is in Healthcare.