ICLR vs TMO

For growth investors, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

(TMO) is the stronger pick with 3. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 0% for ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR). ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) offers the better valuation at 13. 1x trailing P/E (10. 7x 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.

On trailing P/E, ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) is the cheapest at 13.

1x versus Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. at 26. 2x. On forward P/E, ICON Public Limited Company is actually cheaper at 10. 7x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: ICON Public Limited Company wins at 1. 53x versus Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 's 8. 86x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

(TMO) delivered a total return of +1. 9%, compared to -44. 8% for ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TMO returned +222. 6% versus ICLR's +90. 2%. 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), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

(TMO) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 07β versus ICON Public Limited Company's 1. 64β — meaning ICLR is approximately 53% more volatile than TMO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 38% versus 76% for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

(TMO) is pulling ahead at 3. 9% versus 2. 0% for ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: ICON Public Limited Company grew EPS 28. 8% year-over-year, compared to 7. 3% for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.. 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.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

(TMO) is the more profitable company, earning 15. 1% net margin versus 9. 6% for ICON Public Limited Company — meaning it keeps 15. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TMO leads at 18. 2% versus 13. 3% for ICLR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TMO leads at 37. 7%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 53x versus Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 's 8. 86x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) trades at 10. 7x forward P/E versus 18. 7x for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. — 8. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TMO: 40. 8% to $654. 67.

In this comparison, TMO (0.

4% yield) pays a dividend. ICLR does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

(TMO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 07), +222. 6% 10Y return). ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR) carries a higher beta of 1. 64 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (TMO: +222. 6%, ICLR: +90. 2%), 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.

Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: ICLR is a small-cap deep-value stock; TMO is a mid-cap quality compounder 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.