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ABBV vs. ICLR: AbbVie vs. ICON Stock Comparison

How do AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but ABBV is classified in Biotechnology while ICLR is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.

Company profile comparison for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR)
Profile ItemABBVICLR
NameAbbVie Inc.ICON plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesIreland
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryBiotechnologyLife Sciences Tools & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryBiotechnologyLife Sciences Tools & Services
Market Capitalization514.92 billion USD15.34 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJanuary 2, 2013May 15, 1998
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ABBV
ICLR
GSPC
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricABBVICLR
Total Return (1Y)37.33%30.55%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)32.74%-6.05%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)24.73%-5.40%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ABBV
ICLR
GSPC
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricABBVICLR
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.65%68.62%
Beta (5Y)0.211.17
Max Drawdown (5Y)-21.92%-76.87%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.76M943.50K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ABBV and ICLR are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricABBVICLR
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.290.38
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.020.52

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: ICON (ICLR) earns 4.70% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; AbbVie (ABBV) has no ROE this period.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
ABBV
--

ICLR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

4.70%

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
ICLR
4.70%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): ABBV does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; ICLR is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both AbbVie (ABBV) at 15.67% and ICON (ICLR) at 5.26% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

15.67%

Max
18.05%
ABBV
15.67%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%

ICLR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.26%

Max
18.05%
ICLR
5.26%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

AbbVie (ABBV) at 39.59% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of ICON (ICLR) at 10.73%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

39.59%

Max
83.12%
ABBV
39.59%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%

ICLR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

10.73%

Max
83.12%
Q3
14.77%
ICLR
10.73%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricABBVICLR
ROE (TTM)--4.70%
ROA (TTM)10.74%0.85%
Net Margin (TTM)15.67%5.26%
Operating Margin (TTM)39.59%10.73%
Gross Margin (TTM)73.72%23.44%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 8.57% and ICON (ICLR) at 0.76% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

AbbVie (ABBV) at -0.84% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while ICON (ICLR) at -71.56% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricABBVICLR
Revenue Growth (YoY)8.57%0.76%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.75%2.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)-0.84%-71.56%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-29.03%-23.82%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 0.87 and ICON (ICLR) at 1.32 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.87

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
ABBV
0.87
Min
0.10

ICLR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.32

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
ICLR
1.32
Min
0.10
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: ICON (ICLR) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38 against its industry range, while AbbVie (ABBV) reports no figure this period.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
ABBV
--

ICLR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.38

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
ICLR
0.38
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): ABBV does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; ICLR is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricABBVICLR
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.871.32
Debt / Equity (MRQ)--0.38
Net Debt / EBITDA2.215.55

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

ICON (ICLR) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile AbbVie (ABBV) reports a yield of 2.40%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.40%

ABBV
2.40%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ICLR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

ICLR
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AbbVie (ABBV) reports payout ratio above 100% at 117.35%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings; ICON (ICLR) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%).

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

117.35%

ABBV
117.35%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ICLR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

ICLR
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricABBVICLR
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.40%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)117.35%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 50.05 and ICON (ICLR) at 81.90 sit in the richer earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, so investors are paying more for TTM earnings than they pay for typical peers.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

50.05

Max
85.34
ABBV
50.05
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07

ICLR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

81.90

Max
85.34
ICLR
81.90
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

ICON (ICLR) at 1.86 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while AbbVie (ABBV) at 7.80 prices around its industry’s middle — ICLR costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

7.80

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
ABBV
7.80
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01

ICLR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.86

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
ICLR
1.86
Min
0.01
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

AbbVie (ABBV) reports a negative P/B ratio of -112.34, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile ICON (ICLR) reports 1.68, ranking against industry peers normally.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

-112.34

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
ABBV
-112.34

ICLR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.68

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
ICLR
1.68
Min
-5.59
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricABBVICLR
P/E Ratio (TTM)50.0581.90
P/S Ratio (TTM)7.801.86
P/B Ratio (MRQ)-112.341.68
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.44%3.51%