ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI) Upgraded by Wall Street Zen to Strong-Buy Rating

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded ICF International to “strong-buy” from “hold,” though analyst opinion remains mixed: MarketBeat’s consensus rating is still “Hold,” with a $102.33 price target, while Weiss Ratings maintains a “sell (D+)” rating.
• ICF’s second-quarter adjusted EPS of $1.86 beat estimates, but revenue fell slightly year over year to $474.5 million and missed expectations. Management reaffirmed 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $6.95–$7.25 and revenue guidance of $1.9–$2.0 billion.
• The company authorized a $100 million share-repurchase program, equivalent to up to 8.1% of outstanding shares, while its $9.3 billion business-development pipeline points to potential longer-term growth in commercial energy and federal markets.

ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI - Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note issued on Saturday.

Separately, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (d+)" rating on shares of ICF International in a report on Friday, July 24th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, ICF International presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $102.33.

ICF International Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ ICFI opened at $95.00 on Friday. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $75.37 and its 200-day simple moving average is $74.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 1.48 and a current ratio of 1.48. ICF International has a 52 week low of $58.83 and a 52 week high of $101.71. The firm has a market cap of $1.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.67 and a beta of 0.51.

ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The business services provider reported $1.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.65 by $0.21. ICF International had a return on equity of 11.59% and a net margin of 4.86%.The firm had revenue of $474.50 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $478.30 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.66 earnings per share. The company's revenue was down .3% on a year-over-year basis. ICF International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.950-7.250 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that ICF International will post 7.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ICF International announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, June 25th that allows the company to buyback $100.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the business services provider to reacquire up to 8.1% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are generally an indication that the company's leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO John Wasson sold 12,411 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.08, for a total transaction of $993,872.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 27,511 shares in the company, valued at $2,203,080.88. The trade was a 31.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Handel Michael J. Van acquired 8,000 shares of ICF International stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 15th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $61.39 per share, with a total value of $491,120.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 24,254 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,488,953.06. This trade represents a 49.22% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Company insiders own 1.71% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On ICF International

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Kennedy Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in ICF International by 80.7% in the 4th quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC now owns 162,690 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $13,877,000 after purchasing an additional 72,664 shares during the period. Gabelli Funds LLC grew its position in ICF International by 142.9% in the 4th quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 25,500 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $2,175,000 after purchasing an additional 15,000 shares during the last quarter. Neumeier Poma Investment Counsel LLC increased its holdings in shares of ICF International by 46.6% during the 4th quarter. Neumeier Poma Investment Counsel LLC now owns 481,086 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $41,037,000 after purchasing an additional 152,905 shares during the period. Systematic Financial Management LP increased its holdings in shares of ICF International by 84.9% during the 1st quarter. Systematic Financial Management LP now owns 216,538 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $14,138,000 after purchasing an additional 99,442 shares during the period. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of ICF International by 2,121.1% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 422 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 403 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 94.12% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting ICF International

Here are the key news stories impacting ICF International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Adjusted EPS exceeded expectations. ICF reported second-quarter non-GAAP EPS of $1.86, up from $1.66 a year earlier and above analyst estimates of approximately $1.65-$1.69. Net income was $27 million, while adjusted EBITDA reached $53.4 million, or 11.2% of revenue. ICF Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management reaffirmed its full-year outlook. ICF maintained 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $6.95-$7.25 and revenue guidance of $1.9-$2.0 billion, broadly consistent with analyst expectations. Reaffirmation reduces the risk of a near-term forecast cut. ICF International Declares Dividend, Reaffirms 2026 Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Future demand indicators were constructive. The business development pipeline reached $9.3 billion at quarter-end, and the company highlighted potential reacceleration in commercial energy and an inflection in federal growth. William Blair maintained a Buy rating, citing these opportunities. ICF International Transitional Quarter Sets Stage for Growth
• Positive Sentiment: ICF declared a quarterly dividend of $0.14 per share, payable October 9 to shareholders of record September 4. The dividend supports shareholder returns, though its annualized yield is modest at roughly 0.6%.
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue was mixed. Second-quarter revenue of $474.5 million was essentially flat year over year and below the $478.3 million consensus estimate. The quarterly book-to-bill ratio was 0.85, although the trailing-12-month ratio remained healthier at 1.09. ICF Q2 Earnings Metrics Versus Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Growth remains subdued. The sales shortfall and flat year-over-year revenue underscore slower near-term expansion, while the company described the quarter as transitional and pointed to gradual rather than immediate growth.

ICF International Company Profile

ICF International NASDAQ: ICFI, commonly known as ICF, is a global consulting and digital services provider specializing in the intersection of strategy, technology, and policy. The firm delivers integrated services and solutions to government and commercial clients in areas such as energy and environment, health and social programs, transportation, infrastructure, technology, and marketing and communications. ICF's offerings span strategic planning, data analytics, program evaluation, digital transformation, and implementation support.

Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Reston, Virginia, ICF has grown through both organic expansion and targeted acquisitions to broaden its capabilities and geographic reach.

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