IQVIA Holdings Inc logo

IQVIA Holdings Inc(IQV)

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EXPLORE ADVISORIES AND THEIR HISTORY
QUALITY SIGNAL RECENCY
3-STAR RATING
STRONG BUY
BUY for 4 days
PROFIT SINCE LAST BUY
-1.1% ▼
LAST CLOSE
$273.6
10/26/2026
(24-hour delay)

Advisory History & Simulated Performance *

*as per simulation (see disclosures)
  • ALL
  • 1Y
  • 1M
  • 1W
  • BUY Advisory
  • SELL Advisory (Profit)
  • SELL Advisory (Loss)
  • Profit
  • Loss
  • PASS (Skip)
Upturn Stock price based on last close iconStock price based on last close
Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Advisory Performance History (Simulated)Advisory Performance History info

Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Upturn Advisory & Investor View for IQV

10/26/2026: IQV (3-star) is a STRONG-BUY. BUY for 4 days. Simulated Profits (-1.10%). Updated daily EoD!

IQVIA Holdings Inc is a prominent global player providing clinical research, data analytics, and technology solutions to the life sciences sector. Its primary strength lies in the integration of massive proprietary healthcare datasets with end-to-end clinical development services, creating a defensible and recurring revenue model. The main investment story centers on the company’s ability to leverage AI and data to accelerate pharmaceutical innovation. However, investors must monitor risks related to its significant debt load, intensifying competition in technology, and regulatory scrutiny over healthcare data usage. This stock is generally best suited for growth-oriented investors who are comfortable with the cyclical nature of biopharma R&D spending.

How to Read the Upturn Advisory

The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.

Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.

Investor Fit

Investor styleFitWhy
Growth investorStrong fitThe company benefits from long-term secular growth trends in biopharma R&D outsourcing.
Momentum investorMixed fitMomentum depends on market sentiment regarding healthcare spending and tech-driven efficiency gains.
Value investorMixed fitValuation often reflects a premium for its unique data moats, which may limit value-based entry points.
Dividend investorWeak fitThe company does not pay a dividend, making it unsuitable for income-focused portfolios.
Low-risk investorMixed fitWhile established, the company carries significant debt and industry cyclicality risks.

Risk Profile

Risk factorLevelWhy it matters
Price volatilityMedium / highThe stock can experience sharp swings based on biopharma spending announcements.
Valuation riskMediumInvestors pay for growth, making the stock sensitive to earnings misses.
Competition risk (AI/Tech)Medium / highEmerging AI tech platforms could threaten IQVIA's data service premiums.
Business qualityStrongThe company holds a defensible, data-rich position in the drug development supply chain.
Dividend incomeLow / noneNo dividend payments provide no income floor for investors.
Execution riskMediumManaging global clinical trials and complex technology integrations is operationally demanding.

Price Behavior

Strong Uptrend
PRICE PATH

Strong Uptrend

The stock has maintained a strong upward price trend across the last three quarters.

Moderately Choppy
PRICE STABILITY

Moderately Choppy

The stock has experienced noticeable price swings while retaining some directional structure.

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit 32.57%
Avg. Invested days 44
Today’s Advisory Strong Buy
Upturn Advisory Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 2.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 3.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 10/26/2026

Upturn Scorecard

Upturn Star Rating

★★★★★
IQV receives a 4-star rating, supported by solid company fundamentals, solid quantitative characteristics, and strong analyst coverage. The rating is constrained by weak price momentum.

Company Fundamentals

★★★★★
IQV has solid overall fundamentals (4 stars), with moderate financial health, moderate growth momentum, and solid ownership. In FY2025 versus FY2024, solid cash generation (FCF margin 12.6%) is partially offset by slightly negative earnings growth (-0.9%), moderate revenue growth (+5.9%), soft profitability (net margin 8.3%).

Financial Health Rating

★★★★★
IQV's financial health is supported by strong cash strength, including free-cash-flow generation of $2.1B (12.6% of revenue). Liquidity is moderate (3 stars), which helps explain the 3-star overall score.

Growth Momentum Score

★★★★★
Revenue growth is IQV's strongest growth driver at +5.9% FY2025 versus FY2024 (moderate, 3 stars). By comparison, while earnings growth (-0.9%, slightly negative) and free-cash-flow growth (-3.0%, slightly negative) hold the profile back, so recent growth is not broad-based across the business.

Ownership

★★★★★
Institutional ownership is 103.5% and approximately 94.9% of outstanding shares are publicly tradable, supporting liquidity and institutional participation. Insider ownership of 1.09% provides only moderate management-shareholder alignment.

Top 5 Institutional Investors

BlackRock Inc 8.84%
Harris Associates L.P. 7.40%
Vanguard Capital Management, LLC 6.63%
State Street Corp 4.56%
Vanguard Portfolio Management, LLC 4.56%

Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)

★★★★★
IQV generates approximately $333 of gross profit, $134 of operating income, and $126 of free cash flow for every $1,000 of revenue. Based on FY2025 results. Moderate margins and solid cash conversion support a 3-star rating, while capital efficiency is soft.

Economic Dimensions

★★★★★
Effective Tax Rate: 15.62%

Quantitative Style Profile

★★★★★
IQV has a high-quality, large-cap, liquid profile. Weak momentum is the primary drawback, while valuation that is moderately attractive rather than deeply discounted.

Style Classification

Quality Focused

Quality TiltLarge / Mega Cap StabilityHighly Liquid / Institution-Friendly

Key Highlights

Company Size Large-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 45.98B USD
Price to earnings Ratio 34.7
1Y Target Price 302.67
Price to earnings Ratio 34.7
1Y Target Price 302.67
Volume (30-day avg) 1.5M shares
Beta 1.17
52 Weeks Range 154.50 - 282.98
Updated Date 10/25/2026
52 Weeks Range 154.50 - 282.98
Updated Date 10/25/2026
Dividends yield (FY) -
Basic EPS (TTM) 8.05

How Company Makes Money

Business areaWhat it includesRetail investor read
R&D SolutionsClinical trial management, regulatory services, and lab testing.This is the core services arm that helps pharmaceutical companies get drugs approved.
Technology & AnalyticsProprietary databases, SaaS platforms like OCE, and data insights.This is the high-margin 'software' side that provides intelligence for sales and marketing.

Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth

Revenue by Products

Product revenue - Year on Year

Revenue by Geography

Geography revenue - Year on Year

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Earnings Date

Report Date 2026-10-27
When Before Market
Estimate 2.94
Actual -

Profitability

Profit Margin 8.1%
Operating Margin (TTM) 13.03%

Management Effectiveness

Return on Assets (TTM) 5.06%
Return on Equity (TTM) 22.82%

Valuation

Trailing PE 34.7
Forward PE 18.48
Enterprise Value 58.41B
Price to Sales(TTM) 2.71
Enterprise Value 58.41B
Price to Sales(TTM) 2.71
Enterprise Value to Revenue 3.44
Enterprise Value to EBITDA 16.56
Shares Outstanding 164.60M
Shares Floating 156.25M
Shares Outstanding 164.60M
Shares Floating 156.25M
Percent Insiders 1.09
Percent Institutions 103.5

Financial Metrics

🧭 Investment Snapshot

Total Revenue (Scale)

Information icon Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.

Net Income (Profit)

Information icon Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.

Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)

Information icon Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.

📈 Growth & Strength

Operating Income (Core Profit)

Information icon Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.

EBITDA (Cash Earnings)

Information icon Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.

Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)

Information icon Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.

🛡️ Financial Safety

Cash (Liquidity Buffer)

Information icon Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.

Total Debt (Leverage Risk)

Information icon Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.

Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)

Information icon Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.

🧱 Balance Sheet Strength

Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)

Information icon Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.

Total Assets (Asset Base)

Information icon The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.

Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)

Information icon Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.

⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors

Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)

Information icon Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.

Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)

Information icon Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.

Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)

Information icon Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.

Form CRS provides a relationship summary of our automated advisory services, flat subscription fees, and conflicts of interest. Form ADV Part 2A brochure contains complete details on services, billing, and disclosures. If any summary differs from our current regulatory filings, the filed Form ADV controls.