Company Description
Fortrea Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: FTRE) is a global contract research organization (CRO) and provider of clinical development solutions to the life sciences industry. The company is classified in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector and the Testing Laboratories industry. Fortrea works with emerging and large biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies to support the development of therapies from early clinical stages through late-stage studies.
According to company disclosures, Fortrea delivers phase I–IV clinical trial management, clinical pharmacology and consulting services. Its offerings are aimed at helping customers run clinical trials and advance potential treatments for patients. Fortrea states that its solutions build on three decades of experience across more than 20 therapeutic areas, emphasizing scientific rigor, insights from clinical development, and access to an investigator site network.
Fortrea describes itself as a global provider, with a team working in about 100 countries. This geographic reach is intended to support customers that run multinational clinical studies and need consistent processes and oversight across regions. The company highlights its ability to partner with both emerging and large organizations across the life sciences value chain.
In addition to the operational aspects of clinical development, Fortrea’s public communications reference its role in the broader financial and corporate landscape. The company’s common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC under the symbol FTRE, and it has also registered rights to purchase Series A preferred stock. Fortrea has reported quarterly financial results, issued guidance, and engaged in capital structure actions such as a tender offer for senior secured notes, as reflected in its press releases and Form 8-K filings.
Fortrea has also used equity-based inducement awards under a dedicated inducement award plan for new hires, as disclosed in its SEC filings. The company’s board and leadership changes, including director appointments and executive roles such as general counsel, are documented through current reports on Form 8-K, indicating ongoing corporate governance activity.
Fortrea’s origins as a clinical development business that became an independent, publicly traded company are noted in third-party descriptions. The company is described as having been formed after a spin-off of a clinical development business previously owned by another organization. This background provides context for its focus on late-stage clinical development and its positioning as a CRO serving a wide range of life sciences customers.
Business focus and services
Fortrea’s core business centers on providing clinical development solutions. Based on company descriptions, these solutions include:
- Phase I–IV clinical trial management for biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies.
- Clinical pharmacology services, which support the study of how potential therapies behave in the body.
- Consulting services related to clinical development.
The company positions these services as contributing to healthcare innovation by helping customers accelerate the development of life-changing therapies for patients. Its experience across numerous therapeutic areas and its investigator site network are presented as key elements of its operating model.
Industry context
Within the Testing Laboratories industry and the broader Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector, Fortrea operates as a contract research organization focused on clinical development. CROs typically support life sciences companies by managing and executing clinical studies and related activities. Fortrea’s own statements emphasize its role in partnering with customers across different sizes and segments of the life sciences industry.
Geographic footprint
Fortrea reports that its team works in about 100 countries. This global footprint is intended to support clinical development programs that require access to diverse patient populations and investigator sites. The company’s headquarters city is identified in multiple news releases as Durham, North Carolina.
Regulatory and public company status
Fortrea files reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a public company. Recent Form 8-K filings show that:
- Its common stock, with a par value of $0.001 per share, is registered and trades under the symbol FTRE on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.
- Rights to purchase Series A preferred stock are also registered on the same exchange.
- The company periodically reports results of operations and financial condition through press releases furnished as exhibits to Form 8-K.
- Corporate actions such as a debt tender offer for senior secured notes and amendments to an inducement award plan are disclosed via Form 8-K.
These filings provide insight into Fortrea’s financial reporting, capital structure management, and governance practices.
Company history
Third-party descriptions indicate that Fortrea was formed as an independent, publicly traded company after a spin-off of a clinical development business from another organization. That clinical development business had previously been acquired through a transaction involving Covance. This history underpins Fortrea’s emphasis on three decades of experience in clinical development and its focus on late-stage contract research activities.
Use cases for investors and observers
For investors and others researching FTRE stock, Fortrea represents exposure to a contract research organization that operates in the life sciences clinical development space. Public information highlights:
- Its role as a global provider of clinical development solutions.
- Its customer base across biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies.
- Its presence in numerous therapeutic areas.
- Its public company status on NASDAQ and ongoing SEC reporting.
Fortrea’s press releases also discuss topics such as quarterly financial performance, guidance, cost-saving initiatives, debt tender offers, leadership appointments, and collaborations with other organizations in areas like cell and gene therapy development.
FAQs about Fortrea Holdings Inc. (FTRE)
- What does Fortrea Holdings Inc. do?
Fortrea is a global contract research organization that provides clinical development solutions to the life sciences industry. It offers phase I–IV clinical trial management, clinical pharmacology and consulting services to biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies.
- In which industry and sector is Fortrea classified?
Fortrea is classified in the Testing Laboratories industry within the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector.
- Who are Fortrea’s typical customers?
Company descriptions state that Fortrea partners with emerging and large biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies that are developing therapies and medical technologies.
- On which exchange does FTRE trade?
Fortrea’s common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC under the ticker symbol FTRE. Rights to purchase Series A preferred stock are also registered on NASDAQ.
- What types of services does Fortrea provide across the clinical trial lifecycle?
Fortrea provides phase I–IV clinical trial management, clinical pharmacology services and consulting services. These offerings are intended to support clinical development from early human studies through later-stage trials.
- How global is Fortrea’s operations?
Fortrea reports that its team works in about 100 countries. This global presence is intended to support customers running clinical trials in multiple regions.
- What experience does Fortrea cite in clinical development?
The company states that its solutions leverage three decades of experience spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas, supported by scientific rigor, insights and an investigator site network.
- What is known about Fortrea’s corporate history?
Third-party descriptions indicate that Fortrea was formed as an independent, publicly traded company after a spin-off of a clinical development business that had previously been acquired through the purchase of Covance. This background supports its focus on late-stage contract research services.
- How does Fortrea communicate financial performance?
Fortrea reports financial results through press releases, which are furnished as exhibits to Form 8-K filings with the SEC. These communications may include revenue, net income or loss, adjusted measures and guidance.
- Does Fortrea use equity-based incentives?
According to an 8-K filing, Fortrea has a 2025 Inducement Award Plan, which has been amended and restated to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance. The plan is used for inducement awards to certain new employees under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).