ICON Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:ICLR) is one of the best cheap stocks to buy for beginners. On September 9, Jefferies analyst David Windley downgraded ICON Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:ICLR) to Hold from Buy, bringing the price target down to $175 from $220. ICON Public Limited Company (ICLR): Among Small-Cap Healthcare Stocks Hedge Funds is Buying The firm told investors in a research note that it now sees “too many headwinds” for ICON Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:ICLR) to keep recommending the ...

WEST PALM BEACH, FL, Sept. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOXO Technologies Inc. (OTC: FOXO) (the “Company”), announces that it has signed a stock purchase agreement to acquire Vector Biosource Inc. (“Vector”). Vector is an information, data and biospecimen sourcing provider serving the biotechnology, clinical research and pharmaceutical research industries. Vector generated second quarter 2025 net revenues of approximately $225,000 ($0.9 million on an annual run rate basis) and is expected to grow significan ...

MORRISVILLE, N.C., Sept. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Science 37, the leader in expanding patient access to clinical trials, and Catalent®, a global leader in enabling pharma, biotech, and consumer health partners to optimize product development and supply, announced a strategic partnership redefining how investigational medicinal products (IMPs) are delivered directly to patients’ homes for clinical research. Through this collaboration, Catalent supports Science 37’s Direct-to-Patient Clinical Trial Site m ...

Group 1 - Medpace, a clinical research organization based in Cincinnati, delivered an impressive performance in Q2 2025, which positively impacted the perception of the healthcare sector [1] - The company is recognized for its focus on sustainable business models, high cash generation, cash flow growth, strong balance sheets, and widening moats [1]

TORONTO, July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NetraMark Holdings Inc. (the "Company" or "NetraMark") (CSE: AIAI) (OTCQB: AINMF) (Frankfurt: PF0) a premier artificial intelligence (AI) company transforming clinical trials and Pentara Corporation ("Pentara"), a company offering clinical data analysis services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries today announced they have entered into an agreement. NetraMark, in collaboration with Pentara, will be co-branding and launching a novel site intelligence ...

IQVIA Holdings stock surged on Tuesday after the clinical research and analytics company's second-quarter results topped estimates. https://t.co/RpNKde2yOG ...

Core Insights - Velocity Clinical Research has formed a strategic partnership with Palantir Technologies to automate the payments reconciliation process in clinical trials, utilizing advanced AI technology [1][4][6] - The collaboration aims to address the fragmented and inefficient nature of invoice and payment reconciliation in clinical research, which has historically been time-consuming and error-prone [2][5] - The automated solution integrates Palantir's AI technology with Velocity's workflows, significantly reducing the time required for financial tasks and allowing finance teams to focus on higher-value activities [3][5][7] Company Overview - Velocity Clinical Research is a leading integrated site organization for clinical trials, operating over 70 sites and collaborating with more than 220 investigators [8] - The company partners with pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms to conduct research on new drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics, aiming to enhance human health and wellbeing [8] - Velocity also has a technology hub in India, where it develops innovative systems to leverage extensive site, patient, and historical performance data [9]

Core Insights - Medidata is advancing the life sciences industry through innovative, AI-powered solutions and a focus on patient, data, and study experiences [1][5][6] Group 1: Innovation and Partnerships - Medidata has launched the Site Insights Program to enhance site engagement and technology compliance in research [3] - The company has partnered with Cogstate to develop a comprehensive CNS trial experience, optimizing endpoint data quality [4] - Collaborations with Click Therapeutics aim to support patients beyond clinical trials with software-enhanced drugs [4][5] Group 2: Market Leadership - Medidata secured new enterprise agreements with a large pharmaceutical company, two top 10 biopharma manufacturers, and ICON, reinforcing its position as a trusted partner in clinical trials [5] - The company continues to set industry standards in clinical trial innovation, leveraging AI and machine learning to accelerate drug development [5] Group 3: Recognition and Awards - Medidata's Clinical Data Studio was recognized for improving data quality and accelerating study timelines, earning accolades from the Summit for Clinical Ops Executives [6] - The company was inducted into the Digital Health New York Hall of Fame, highlighting its commitment to innovation [6] - Medidata received the 2025 MedTech Breakthrough Award for Best Clinical Trial Technology Solution Provider due to its collaboration with Cogstate [6] Group 4: Leadership Strengthening - Medidata has enhanced its leadership team with new executive appointments and promotions to drive patient-centered innovation [7]

Core Insights - ICON plc (ICLR) is positioned for growth in upcoming quarters due to strategic additions and advancements in AI and technology, optimizing clinical delivery and showing improvements in key metrics [1][3] - The company has faced a significant stock decline of 37.9% year-to-date, contrasting with a 3.8% decline in the industry and a slight increase of 0.1% in the S&P 500 [2] Growth Drivers - ICON is focused on expanding its business through strategic acquisitions and partnerships, enhancing its scientific and therapeutic expertise in areas such as oncology, rare diseases, dermatology, infectious diseases, and women's health [3] - A partnership with Mural Health Technologies aims to utilize their participant management and payments platform to enhance clinical trial processes [4] - The company is innovating in clinical trial design, patient recruitment, and patient-centric trials, integrating AI advancements through tools like iSubmit and SmartDraft to streamline operations [5][8] - ICON's updated digital platform supports decentralized clinical trials with features for direct data capture and integration with other ICON solutions [6] Challenges - Macroeconomic pressures, including high inflation and rising labor costs, have led to a 4.3% year-over-year decrease in total revenues and a contraction of gross margin by 170 basis points in Q1 2025 [7][8] - Foreign exchange fluctuations pose a significant risk as ICON operates in multiple currencies, affecting financial results due to the translation of revenues and expenses into U.S. dollars [9] Financial Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ICON's 2025 earnings per share has decreased by 2.1% to $13.25, with a revenue estimate of $7.94 billion, indicating a 4.2% decline from the previous year [10]

Financial Performance - Total revenue for Q1 2025 was $3,829 million, representing a year-over-year growth of 2.5% on a reported basis and 3.5% at constant currency, with adjusted EBITDA increasing by 2.4% [29][30][31] - Adjusted diluted EPS for Q1 2025 was $2.7, up 6.3% year-over-year [31] - The backlog reached a record $31.5 billion, growing 4.8% compared to the prior year [10][31] Business Segment Performance - Technology and Analytics Solutions (TAS) revenue for Q1 2025 was $1,546 million, up 6.4% reported and 7.6% at constant currency, driven by strong growth in real-world evidence [30][29] - R&D Solutions revenue was $2,102 million, up 0.3% reported and 1.1% at constant currency, with approximately 3% growth when excluding COVID-related work [30] - Contract Sales and Medical Solutions revenue declined by 4.2% reported and 2.1% at constant currency, indicating challenges in this segment [30] Market Insights - The company noted a strong recovery trend in the biopharmaceutical sector, with clients launching new drugs despite a challenging environment [8][10] - The average time from RFP issuance to award increased by approximately 10%, reflecting heightened caution in the sector [10][60] - The funding environment for early-stage projects has deteriorated, impacting decision-making processes [10][60] Strategic Direction and Industry Competition - The company is well-positioned to navigate near-term challenges and remains confident in the industry's resilience and prospects [6][19] - The U.S. biopharmaceutical sector is recognized as a strategic sector deserving strong support, contributing significantly to global drug approvals and economic output [20][21] - The company is focusing on deploying AI agents to enhance productivity and efficiency across its operations [27] Management Commentary on Operating Environment - Management highlighted that while there is uncertainty in the market, leading indicators such as pipeline and decision timelines remain strong [55][56] - The company expects pent-up demand to drive continued growth in necessary spending, particularly in TAS [55][56] - Management acknowledged that the reprioritization of R&D pipelines due to previous regulatory changes is largely complete, but new uncertainties may still cause delays [59][60] Other Important Information - The company repurchased $425 million of its shares during the quarter, with approximately $2.6 billion remaining under the current program [32][36] - Full-year revenue guidance was raised by $275 million, now expecting revenue between $16 billion and $16.4 billion [32][33] Q&A Session Summary Question: Drivers behind the strength in RWE and order book outlook - Management noted that TAS delivered better-than-expected revenue growth, driven largely by strong growth in real-world evidence, and expects this trend to continue due to pent-up demand [38][39] Question: Margin expansion opportunities - Management explained that FX impacts margins, and while there are ongoing cost reduction efforts, the overall margin picture has not changed significantly [43][44] Question: Competitiveness of RFPs and vendor consolidation - Management indicated that RFP flow remains strong, with no significant changes in the flow of RFPs, and noted that large pharma clients are beginning to revert to full-service models [46][49] Question: Impact of uncertainty on TAS - Management acknowledged that while there is uncertainty, leading indicators remain strong, and pent-up demand is driving necessary spending in TAS [55][56] Question: Book-to-bill trends and cancellations - Management attributed softer bookings to delays in contract signings and funding uncertainties, rather than cancellations, and emphasized that the overall growth outlook remains positive [64][66] Question: Pricing environment changes - Management confirmed that there have been no significant changes in the pricing environment, and they are comfortable operating under current conditions [73] Question: Mix of FSO versus FSP and mega trial updates - Management noted a shift back towards full-service work and confirmed that one mega trial is expected to start in the second half of the year, while another has been delayed [82][84]