ICON PLC

We are a CRO providing outsourced services on a global basis to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and government and public health organizations. We specialize in the strategic development, management and analysis of programs that support all stages of the clinical development process, from compound selection to Phase I-IV clinical studies. Our vision is to be the healthcare intelligence partner of choice by delivering industry leading solutions and best in class performance in clinical development.

We believe that we are one of a select group of CROs with the expertise and capability to conduct clinical trials in most major therapeutic areas on a global basis and have the operational flexibility to provide development services on a stand-alone basis or as part of an integrated "full-service" or a “blended-service” solution. At September 30, 2026 we had approximately 40,250 employees in 98 locations in 55 countries. During the three months ended September 30, 2026 we derived 24.6%, 63.0% and 12.4% of our revenue in the United States, Europe and Rest of World respectively (during the three months ended September 30, 2025: 31.1%, 57.6% and 11.3% respectively).

Revenue consists of fees earned under contracts with third-party clients. In most cases, a portion of the contract fee is paid at the time the study or trial is started, with the balance of the contract fee generally payable in installments over the study or trial duration, based on the delivery of certain performance targets or milestones. Revenue from long term contracts is recognized on a proportional performance method based on the relationship between cost incurred and the total estimated costs of the trial or on a fee-for-service basis according to the particular circumstances of the contract. As is customary in the CRO industry, we contract with third party investigators in connection with clinical trials. Investigator costs and certain other third party costs are included in our assessment of progress towards completion and costs incurred in measuring revenue. Where these costs are reimbursed by clients, they are included in the total contract value recognized over time, based on our assessment of progress towards completion.

As the nature of our business involves the management of projects, the majority of which have a duration of one to four years, the commencement or completion of projects in a fiscal year can have a material impact on revenues earned with the relevant clients in such years. In addition, as we typically work with some, but not all divisions of a client, fluctuations in the number and status of available projects within such divisions can also have a material impact on revenues earned from such clients from year to year.

Termination or delay in the performance of an individual contract may occur for various reasons, including, but not limited to, unexpected or undesired results, production problems resulting in shortages of the drug being studied, adverse patient reactions to the drug, the client’s decision to de-emphasize a particular trial or inadequate patient enrollment or investigator recruitment. In the event of termination, the Company is usually entitled to all sums owed for work performed through the notice of termination and certain costs associated with the termination of the study. In addition, contracts generally contain provisions for renegotiation in the event of changes in the scope, nature, duration, or volume of services of the contract.

Our unsatisfied performance obligation comprises our assessment of contracted revenue yet to be earned from projects awarded by clients. At September 30, 2026 we had unsatisfied performance obligations of approximately $16.4 billion(see Note 4 Accounts receivable, unbilled revenue (contract assets) and unearned revenue or payments on account (contract liabilities)for further details). We believe that our unsatisfied performance obligation as of any date is not necessarily a meaningful predictor of future results, due to the potential for cancellation or delay of the projects included in the unsatisfied performance obligation, and no assurances can be given on the extent to which we will be able to realize the unsatisfied performance obligation.

Although we are domiciled in Ireland, we report our results in U.S. dollars. As a consequence, the results of our non-U.S. based operations, when translated into U.S. dollars, could be materially affected by fluctuations in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies of those operations.

In addition to translation exposures, we are also subject to transaction exposures where the currency in which contracts are priced can be different from the currencies in which costs relating to those contracts are incurred. Our operations in the United States are not materially exposed to such currency differences as the majority of our revenues and costs are in U.S. dollars. However, outside of the United States the multinational nature of our activities means that contracts are usually priced in a single currency, most often U.S. dollars or euro, while costs arise in a number of currencies, depending, among other things, on which of our offices provide staff for the contract and the location of investigator sites. Although many such contracts benefit from some degree of natural hedging, due to the matching of contract revenues and costs in the same currency, where costs are incurred in currencies other than those in which contracts are priced, fluctuations in the relative value of those currencies could have a material effect on our results of operations. We regularly review our currency exposures.

As we conduct operations on a global basis, our effective tax rate has depended, and will depend, on the geographic distribution of our revenue and earnings among locations with varying tax rates. Our results therefore may be affected by changes in the tax rates of the various jurisdictions. In particular, as the geographic mix of our results of operations among various tax jurisdictions changes, our effective tax rate may vary significantly from period to period.