Performance Overview - Revenue for 2Q2025 reached RMB 3,342 million, a 7.9% increase QoQ and a 13.9% increase YoY [14] - Net profit for 2Q2025 was RMB 396 million, reflecting a 29.5% increase QoQ but a 55.2% decrease YoY due to prior investment income [14] - Non-IFRS net profit for 2Q2025 was RMB 406 million, showing a 16.3% increase QoQ and a 15.6% increase YoY [14] Financial Highlights - Total revenue for 1H2025 was RMB 6,441 million, a 14.9% increase YoY [15] - Net profit for 1H2025 was RMB 701 million, down 37.0% YoY [15] - Non-IFRS net profit for 1H2025 was RMB 756 million, a 9.5% increase YoY [15] Customer and Market Insights - New purchase orders (POs) increased by over 10% YoY [15] - Revenue from the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies increased by 48.0% YoY [15] - Active customer base includes over 2,600 customers, with 480+ new customers added [16] Revenue Composition - Revenue from China entities accounted for 88%, while overseas subsidiaries contributed 12% [19] - Laboratory services made up 60% of total revenue, followed by small molecule CDMO services at 22% and clinical development services at 15% [19] Global Presence and Projects - The company is involved in 795 drug discovery projects and 1,027 clinical CRO projects, including 89 in Phase III [17] - The company operates 21 R&D and manufacturing facilities across China, the UK, and the US [16] Future Outlook - The company expects to maintain a full-year 2025 revenue growth guidance of 10-15% [15] - Anticipated recovery in demand from Chinese customers, alongside sustained global customer demand [54]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue in Q2 2025 was $2,017 million, representing a year-on-year decrease of 4.8% but up approximately 1% sequentially from Q1 2025 [19][20] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $396 million, an increase of $5.4 million sequentially, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 19.6% [20][21] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) was $3.26, a decrease of 13.1% year-over-year but an increase of 2.2% sequentially [21] - Gross margin improved to 28.3% compared to 29.9% in Q2 2024 and up 10 basis points from Q1 2025 [20][21] - The company repurchased $250 million in shares during the quarter, with a new share repurchase authorization of up to $1 billion [18][24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Gross business awards increased by 11% sequentially, driven by wins from biotech customers and large pharma partnerships [9][10] - The net book-to-bill ratio was 1.02 times, negatively impacted by elevated cancellations, particularly from a large COVID vaccine trial [11][12] - Adjusted SG&A expenses were $174.8 million, or 8.7% of revenue, down by $8.6 million year-over-year [20][21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a modest uptick in RFPs, particularly in the biotech segment, while large pharma showed more volatility [27][28] - The oncology and cardiometabolic therapeutic areas are seeing increased activity, with obesity trials gaining traction [55][56] - Revenue from China accounted for approximately 3% of total revenue, with significant growth potential in the medium to long term [111][113] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on leveraging partnerships with large pharma and expanding relationships with mid-sized companies [48][50] - ICON launched a Centre for Obesity, aiming to streamline trial processes and improve efficiencies [16] - The company is investing in AI and digital innovations to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency [17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism about the market, expecting cancellations to remain elevated in the near term but anticipating a return to historical levels as conditions stabilize [12][13][40] - The company updated its full-year guidance, increasing the low end to $7.85 billion, reflecting expectations for higher pass-through revenue [15] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining a disciplined approach to capital deployment while continuing to invest in growth areas [18][21] Other Important Information - The company emphasized the competitive nature of the industry, noting intensified competition and the need for cost efficiency in drug development [75][78] - Management acknowledged the volatility in the market but remained optimistic about the pipeline of actionable opportunities [42][88] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on market segments, biotech vs pharma - Management noted a modest uptick in RFPs, particularly in biotech, with early phase and Phase three business looking positive [27][28] Question: Bookings performance in biotech - Management highlighted that three of the top four awards were in biotech, indicating a positive trend despite caution in decision-making [33][34] Question: Changes in bookings as the quarter progressed - Management expressed constructive views on the environment, noting a 10% improvement in gross bookings over the previous quarter [40][41] Question: Partnerships and expanded opportunities - Management discussed strategies to deepen partnerships and expand service offerings to capture a larger share of customer spending [48][50] Question: New opportunities in the pipeline - Management identified oncology and cardiometabolic areas as key growth drivers, with a focus on early phase and Phase three trials [55][56] Question: Share dynamics in the industry - Management expressed satisfaction with gross wins and indicated progress in gaining market share across various segments [61][62] Question: Pricing environment in large pharma - Management acknowledged a more intense pricing environment, emphasizing the need for cost efficiency and value creation [75][78] Question: Concerns about potential air pockets in bookings - Management reassured that the growth in metabolic trials represents a long-term opportunity, despite potential short-term volatility [86][88] Question: Clarification on cancellations and future expectations - Management expects cancellations to remain elevated in the near term but anticipates normalization in the future [100][102]