HHS vs ICLR

For growth investors, ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) is the stronger pick with 2.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -13. 9% for Harte Hanks, Inc. (HHS). ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) offers the better valuation at 13. 1x trailing P/E (10. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) a "Buy" — based on 30 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

Over the past 5 years, ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) delivered a total return of -45.

4%, compared to -46. 1% for Harte Hanks, Inc. (HHS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ICLR returned +91. 0% versus HHS's -82. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Harte Hanks, Inc.

(HHS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 71β versus ICON Public Limited Company's 1. 60β — meaning ICLR is approximately 125% more volatile than HHS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 38% versus 109% for Harte Hanks, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) is pulling ahead at 2.

0% versus -13. 9% for Harte Hanks, Inc. (HHS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Harte Hanks, Inc. grew EPS 97. 3% year-over-year, compared to 28. 8% for ICON Public Limited Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, ICLR leads at 14. 8% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) is the more profitable company, earning 9.

6% net margin versus -0. 5% for Harte Hanks, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ICLR leads at 13. 3% versus 1. 4% for HHS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ICLR leads at 29. 4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Harte Hanks, Inc.

(HHS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 71)). ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) carries a higher beta of 1. 60 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (HHS: -82. 7%, ICLR: +91. 0%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (HHS (Communication Services) and ICLR (Healthcare)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: HHS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; ICLR is a small-cap deep-value stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.