ULS vs ICFI

For growth investors, UL Solutions Inc.

(ULS) is the stronger pick with 6. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 3% for ICF International, Inc. (ICFI). ICF International, Inc. (ICFI) offers the better valuation at 14. 1x trailing P/E (9. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate UL Solutions Inc. (ULS) a "Buy" — based on 8 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, ICF International, Inc.

(ICFI) is the cheapest at 14. 1x versus UL Solutions Inc. at 62. 8x. On forward P/E, ICF International, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 9x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: ICF International, Inc. wins at 0. 86x versus UL Solutions Inc. 's 6. 57x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, UL Solutions Inc.

(ULS) delivered a total return of +190. 4%, compared to -21. 6% for ICF International, Inc. (ICFI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ULS returned +190. 4% versus ICFI's +88. 1%. 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), ICF International, Inc.

(ICFI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 56β versus UL Solutions Inc. 's 0. 87β — meaning ULS is approximately 55% more volatile than ICFI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, ICF International, Inc. (ICFI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 56% versus 64% for UL Solutions Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), UL Solutions Inc.

(ULS) is pulling ahead at 6. 4% versus -7. 3% for ICF International, Inc. (ICFI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: UL Solutions Inc. grew EPS -1. 2% year-over-year, compared to -14. 9% for ICF International, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ULS leads at 6. 6% 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.

UL Solutions Inc.

(ULS) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 6% net margin versus 4. 9% for ICF International, Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ULS leads at 17. 1% versus 8. 1% for ICFI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ULS leads at 49. 1%, 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, ICF International, Inc. (ICFI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 86x versus UL Solutions Inc. 's 6. 57x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, ICF International, Inc. (ICFI) trades at 9. 9x forward P/E versus 43. 7x for UL Solutions Inc. — 33. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ICFI: 47. 2% to $102. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

ICF International, Inc. (ICFI) offers the highest yield at 0. 8%, versus 0. 5% for UL Solutions Inc. (ULS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, ICF International, Inc.

(ICFI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 56), 0. 8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ICFI: +88. 1%, ULS: +190. 4%), 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 Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: ULS is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; ICFI 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.