Seek Returns

ICLR vs. LLY: ICON vs. Eli Lilly Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for ICON (ICLR) and Eli Lilly (LLY)
Profile ItemICLRLLY
NameICON plcEli Lilly and Company
Country/RegionIrelandUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryLife Sciences Tools & ServicesPharmaceuticals
GICS Sub-IndustryLife Sciences Tools & ServicesPharmaceuticals
Market Capitalization15.34 billion USD1,206.07 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateMay 15, 1998June 1, 1972
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ICLR
LLY
GSPC
Loading price history…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for ICON (ICLR) and Eli Lilly (LLY). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for ICON (ICLR) and Eli Lilly (LLY). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Eli Lilly (LLY)
MetricICLRLLY
Total Return (1Y)30.55%52.36%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-6.05%34.18%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-5.40%41.08%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ICLR
LLY
GSPC
Loading price history…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for ICON (ICLR) and Eli Lilly (LLY). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Eli Lilly (LLY)
MetricICLRLLY
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)68.62%35.34%
Beta (5Y)1.170.40
Max Drawdown (5Y)-76.87%-34.48%
Avg. Volume (3M)943.50K2.52M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
ICLR and LLY 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 Eli Lilly (LLY)
MetricICLRLLY
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.381.36
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.522.29

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Eli Lilly (LLY) at 86.02% sits in the top ROE quartile, while ICON (ICLR) at 4.70% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for LLY.

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%

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

86.02%

Max
109.18%
LLY
86.02%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Eli Lilly (LLY) at 31.90% 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%

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

31.90%

LLY
31.90%
Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Eli Lilly (LLY) at 53.66% 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%

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

53.66%

Max
83.12%
LLY
53.66%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Eli Lilly (LLY)
MetricICLRLLY
ROE (TTM)4.70%86.02%
ROA (TTM)0.85%21.06%
Net Margin (TTM)5.26%31.90%
Operating Margin (TTM)10.73%53.66%
Gross Margin (TTM)23.44%83.63%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both ICON (ICLR) at 0.76% and Eli Lilly (LLY) at 44.70% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Eli Lilly (LLY) at 95.99% 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.

Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Eli Lilly (LLY)
MetricICLRLLY
Revenue Growth (YoY)0.76%44.70%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)2.15%31.69%
EPS Growth (YoY)-71.56%95.99%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-23.82%51.71%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both ICON (ICLR) at 1.32 and Eli Lilly (LLY) at 1.39 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

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

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.39

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
LLY
1.39
Min
0.10
Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) at 1.23 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

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.23

Max
1.42
LLY
1.23
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): 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 Eli Lilly (LLY)
MetricICLRLLY
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.321.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.381.23
Net Debt / EBITDA5.550.96

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 Eli Lilly (LLY) reports a yield of 0.49%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.49%

LLY
0.49%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) reports a payout of 21.71%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

21.71%

LLY
21.71%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Eli Lilly (LLY)
MetricICLRLLY
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.49%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%21.71%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both ICON (ICLR) at 81.90 and Eli Lilly (LLY) at 43.95 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.

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

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

43.95

Max
85.34
LLY
43.95
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) at 13.95 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

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

13.95

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
LLY
13.95
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01
Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): 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 relative to book while Eli Lilly (LLY) at 29.96 prices above its industry range — a wide valuation gap against assets.

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

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

29.96

LLY
29.96
Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
Loading chart…
ICON (ICLR) vs. Eli Lilly (LLY): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for ICON (ICLR) and Eli Lilly (LLY)
MetricICLRLLY
P/E Ratio (TTM)81.9043.95
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.8613.95
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.6829.96
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.51%0.77%