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ICLR vs. ILMN: ICON vs. Illumina Stock Comparison

How do ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN) 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

ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN) are both classified in the Life Sciences Tools & Services sub-industry within the broader Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN)
Profile ItemICLRILMN
NameICON plcIllumina Inc.
Country/RegionIrelandUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryLife Sciences Tools & ServicesLife Sciences Tools & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryLife Sciences Tools & ServicesLife Sciences Tools & Services
Market Capitalization15.34 billion USD32.23 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateMay 15, 1998July 28, 2000
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ICLR
ILMN
GSPC
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ICON (ICLR) vs. Illumina (ILMN), 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 ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricICLRILMN
Total Return (1Y)30.55%79.70%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-6.05%28.16%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-5.40%-10.65%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricICLRILMN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)68.62%48.47%
Beta (5Y)1.171.46
Max Drawdown (5Y)-76.87%-82.95%
Avg. Volume (3M)943.50K2.77M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ICLR and ILMN 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 ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricICLRILMN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.381.56
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.522.25

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Illumina (ILMN) at 32.39% sits in the top ROE quartile, while ICON (ICLR) at 4.70% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ILMN.

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%

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

32.39%

Max
109.18%
ILMN
32.39%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
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ICON (ICLR) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Illumina (ILMN) at 19.72% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and ICON (ICLR) at 5.26% also retains a top-quartile share.

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%

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

19.72%

ILMN
19.72%
Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
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ICON (ICLR) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Illumina (ILMN) at 20.02% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of ICON (ICLR) at 10.73%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

20.02%

Max
83.12%
ILMN
20.02%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
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ICON (ICLR) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricICLRILMN
ROE (TTM)4.70%32.39%
ROA (TTM)0.85%8.32%
Net Margin (TTM)5.26%19.72%
Operating Margin (TTM)10.73%20.02%
Gross Margin (TTM)23.44%67.68%

Growth

Revenue Growth

ICON (ICLR) at 0.76% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Illumina (ILMN) at -0.66% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: ICON (ICLR) reports EPS growth of -71.56%, ranked against its industry; Illumina (ILMN) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricICLRILMN
Revenue Growth (YoY)0.76%-0.66%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)2.15%-1.78%
EPS Growth (YoY)-71.56%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-23.82%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Illumina (ILMN) at 2.63 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while ICON (ICLR) at 1.32 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for ICLR.

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

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.63

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
ILMN
2.63
Q1
2.47
Min
0.10
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ICON (ICLR) vs. Illumina (ILMN): 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 Illumina (ILMN) at 0.74 uses more debt funding than most peers.

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

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.74

Max
1.42
ILMN
0.74
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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ICON (ICLR) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricICLRILMN
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.322.63
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.380.74
Net Debt / EBITDA5.550.85

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Neither ICON (ICLR) nor Illumina (ILMN) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

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%

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Neither ICON (ICLR) nor Illumina (ILMN) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

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%

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricICLRILMN
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Illumina (ILMN) at 36.68 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.

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

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

36.68

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
ILMN
36.68
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
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ICON (ICLR) vs. Illumina (ILMN): 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 Illumina (ILMN) at 7.10 prices around its industry’s middle — ICLR costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

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

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

7.10

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
ILMN
7.10
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01
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ICON (ICLR) vs. Illumina (ILMN): 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 looks cheap against book in the lower P/B ratio quartile, while Illumina (ILMN) at 10.30 carries a premium in the upper quartile — a clear price-to-book gap.

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

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

10.30

Max
13.53
ILMN
10.30
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
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ICON (ICLR) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricICLRILMN
P/E Ratio (TTM)81.9036.68
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.867.10
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.6810.30
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.51%2.67%