ICON plc Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

ICLR.O

2024-10-243mins

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ICON plc Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

DUBLIN, Ireland – ICON plc (NASDAQ: ICLR), a leading healthcare intelligence and clinical research organization, announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

Key Financial Metrics

Metric	Q3 2024	Q3 2023	Year-Over-Year Change	Consensus Estimates/Q3 2024
Revenue	$2,030 million	$2,054 million	-1.2%	$2.13 billion
GAAP Net Income	$197.1 million
GAAP EPS	$2.36	$1.97	+19.8%
Adjusted Net Income	$279.2 million
Adjusted EPS	$3.35	$3.30	+1.5%	$3.84
Adjusted EBITDA	$418.8 million		-3.2%

ICON plc's financial performance in the third quarter showed a decline in revenue, underperforming against consensus estimates. The company experienced a slight year-over-year increase in adjusted earnings per share. Despite adjusted EBITDA showing a decrease, the GAAP earnings per share recorded significant growth, reflecting positive operational efficiencies and expense management.

Segment Revenue Breakdown

Segment	Q3 2024 Revenue
Net Business Wins	$2,328 million
Gross Business Wins	$2,832 million
Cancellations	$504 million
Backlog	$24.3 billion

The segment performance highlights growth in new business wins and an increase in backlog. Although specific guidance comparisons are not available, the strategic partnerships developed during the quarter are expected to enhance future revenue streams.

Key Developments and Operational Highlights

Net business wins in the quarter totaled $2,328 million with a book to bill ratio of 1.15.
The closing backlog reached $24.3 billion, increasing 2.1% from the previous quarter and 9.4% year-over-year.
Cash generated from operating activities grew by 17.9% year-over-year, amounting to $402.7 million.
ICON repurchased $100 million worth of stock at an average price of $297.
Adjusted full-year 2024 guidance revised, reflecting updated market conditions.

Executive Commentary

CEO Dr. Steve Cutler stated that the company faced revenue challenges due to budget cuts from major clients and a slowdown in vaccine-related activities. The company is taking measures to realign resources with anticipated demand. Dr. Cutler emphasized the formation of a strategic partnership with a top 10 pharmaceutical company, bolstering the pipeline and supporting medium-term growth prospects.

Return to Shareholders

ICON plc repurchased $100 million of its shares and continues to focus on shareholder value through strategic buybacks. No new dividends announcements were made in the release.

Forward Guidance

The company updated its full-year 2024 revenue guidance to between $8,260 million and $8,300 million, a year-over-year growth of 1.7% to 2.2%. Adjusted earnings per share guidance was revised to a range of $13.90 to $14.10, representing growth of 8.7% to 10.2%.

Stock Price Movement

Following the earnings release, ICON's stock experienced a minor decline of approximately 0.96%, reflecting cautious investor sentiment toward the revised forward guidance.

In conclusion, while ICON faced challenges this quarter due to customer-related headwinds, strategic wins and operational adjustments drive a cautious yet optimistic outlook. The company is poised to leverage new partnerships in anticipation of future growth.

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