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GSK vs. ICLR: GSK vs. ICON Stock Comparison

How do GSK (GSK) 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

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

ICON (ICLR) trades as ordinary local shares, while GSK (GSK) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR)
Profile ItemGSKICLR
NameGSK plc ADRICON plc
Country/RegionUnited KingdomIreland
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryPharmaceuticalsLife Sciences Tools & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryPharmaceuticalsLife Sciences Tools & Services
Market Capitalization100.88 billion USD15.34 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateMarch 28, 1980May 15, 1998
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GSK
ICLR
GSPC
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GSK (GSK) 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 GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricGSKICLR
Total Return (1Y)13.73%30.55%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.65%-6.05%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)7.97%-5.40%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GSK
ICLR
GSPC
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GSK (GSK) 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 GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricGSKICLR
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)26.25%68.62%
Beta (5Y)0.311.17
Max Drawdown (5Y)-37.63%-76.87%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.05M943.50K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GSK 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 GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricGSKICLR
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.360.38
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.560.52

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

GSK (GSK) at 28.27% sits in the top ROE quartile, while ICON (ICLR) at 4.70% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for GSK.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

28.27%

Max
109.18%
GSK
28.27%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%

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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GSK (GSK) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both GSK (GSK) at 12.97% and ICON (ICLR) at 5.26% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

12.97%

Max
18.05%
GSK
12.97%
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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GSK (GSK) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

GSK (GSK) at 32.14% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of ICON (ICLR) at 10.73%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

32.14%

Max
83.12%
GSK
32.14%
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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GSK (GSK) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricGSKICLR
ROE (TTM)28.27%4.70%
ROA (TTM)9.24%0.85%
Net Margin (TTM)12.97%5.26%
Operating Margin (TTM)32.14%10.73%
Gross Margin (TTM)73.79%23.44%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both GSK (GSK) at 4.11% 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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GSK (GSK) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

GSK (GSK) at 123.15% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while ICON (ICLR) at -71.56% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricGSKICLR
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.11%0.76%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.66%2.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)123.15%-71.56%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-27.63%-23.82%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both GSK (GSK) at 0.86 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.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.86

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
GSK
0.86
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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GSK (GSK) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

ICON (ICLR) at 0.38 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while GSK (GSK) at 1.30 uses more debt funding than most peers.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.30

Max
1.42
GSK
1.30
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00

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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GSK (GSK) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricGSKICLR
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.861.32
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.300.38
Net Debt / EBITDA1.885.55

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 GSK (GSK) reports a yield of 1.57%, ranking against industry peers normally.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.57%

GSK
1.57%
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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GSK (GSK) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

ICON (ICLR) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile GSK (GSK) reports a payout of 63.33%, ranking against industry peers normally.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

63.33%

GSK
63.33%
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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GSK (GSK) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricGSKICLR
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.57%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)63.33%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

GSK (GSK) at 17.54 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while ICON (ICLR) at 81.90 sits in the richer quartile — ICLR needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

17.54

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
GSK
17.54
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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GSK (GSK) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both GSK (GSK) at 3.01 and ICON (ICLR) at 1.86 fetch a relatively low price per dollar of sales, landing in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

3.01

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

ICON (ICLR) at 1.68 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while GSK (GSK) at 4.02 is valued near its industry’s middle — ICLR is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

4.02

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
GSK
4.02
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59

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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GSK (GSK) vs. ICON (ICLR): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for GSK (GSK) and ICON (ICLR)
MetricGSKICLR
P/E Ratio (TTM)17.5481.90
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.011.86
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.021.68
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)5.28%3.51%