ICON plc vs UL Solutions Inc., two Biotechnology stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Where ICLR and ULS diverge most: on return on equity, ICLR reads 1.9% and ULS reads 26.2%; on return on assets, ICLR reads 1.1% and ULS reads 11.8%. The rest of the comparable metrics sit closer together. What ICLR's price implies is a bet that sits within the historical range (whole-company basis). What ULS's price implies is a somewhat stretched bet versus history (segment-resolved basis). The bull and bear cases for each are in their full reports below.
| Metric | ICLR | ULS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $167.98 | $87.26 |
| Market cap | $13.0B | $17.8B |
| Sector | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| Stage | Mature | Mature |
| Implied growth (priced in) | +14.2% | — |
| P/E | 74.0 | 50.7 |
| P/B | 1.40 | 13.32 |
| P/S | 1.57 | 5.73 |
| EV/EBITDA | 19.7 | 29.9 |
| Revenue growth | +2.1% | +6.9% |
| Operating margin | 8.5% | 18.2% |
| Net margin | 2.1% | 11.3% |
| Return on equity | 1.9% | 26.2% |
| Return on assets | 1.1% | 11.8% |
| Return on invested capital | 2.5% | 24.5% |
| FCF yield | 5.8% | 2.5% |
| Dividend yield | — | 0.6% |
| Debt / equity | 0.31 | 0.27 |
| Current ratio | 1.14 | 1.16 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 1.87 | 7.52 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 6 / 9 | 6 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.