IQV
HealthcareIQVIA Holdings Inc. · Medical - Diagnostics & Research · $28B
What is IQVIA Holdings Inc.?
IQVIA Holdings Inc. is a large-cap healthcare services company that sits at the intersection of data analytics, technology, and clinical research. It serves life sciences clients across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific.
IQVIA generates revenue by providing pharmaceutical and biotech companies with the tools they need to develop drugs, commercialize products, and understand market dynamics. Its three business segments cover cloud-based analytics platforms, end-to-end clinical trial management, and contract sales support. Clients rely on IQVIA for real-world evidence generation, prescribing trend data, and outsourced commercial operations — making the company a deeply embedded partner across the drug development lifecycle.
IQVIA was formed in 2013 and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.
- Cloud-based analytics and commercial outsourcing platforms
- Clinical trial project management and monitoring services
- Real-world evidence and health outcomes research
- Country and prescriber-level pharmaceutical sales data
- Contract sales and medical solutions for healthcare providers
Is IQV a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates IQV as Below Average overall, reflecting a mixed profile across its five quality pillars.
The most constructive signal for IQV is its Valuation pillar, which is rated Attractive — suggesting the market may not be fully pricing in the company's long-term positioning. Quality and Moat both register as Neutral, indicating a business with some structural advantages but not a standout competitive position relative to sector peers.
Growth and Risk are both rated Weak, which are the primary drags on the overall score. Investors should weigh the company's near-term growth headwinds and elevated risk profile carefully.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does IQV pay dividends?
No — IQVIA Holdings Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.
IQVIA does not currently pay a dividend. For a company operating in data-intensive healthcare services and clinical research, capital is typically directed toward technology investment, acquisitions, and debt management rather than shareholder distributions. Income-focused investors should factor this into their assessment of IQV.
When does IQV report earnings?
IQVIA Holdings reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with standard practice for US-listed equities.
Given the Weak Growth pillar rating, recent results have reflected pressure on revenue expansion relative to prior periods and sector peers. Contract research and analytics demand cycles can create variability quarter to quarter.
For the most current quarterly results and guidance, visit IQVIA's official investor relations page.
IQV Price History
-26.8% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in IQVIA Holdings Inc.?
Based on IQVIA Holdings Inc.'s historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
IQV Long-term Outlook
The combination of a Weak Growth pillar and Weak Risk pillar suggests a cautious near-term fundamental outlook for IQV. However, the Attractive Valuation pillar indicates the current price may already reflect much of that uncertainty. The path forward depends on whether clinical research demand recovers and whether the company can stabilize margins across its three segments.
Growth drivers
- Renewed pharmaceutical R&D outsourcing demand as biotech funding stabilizes
- Expansion of real-world evidence and data analytics services globally
- Cross-selling technology solutions into existing clinical research client relationships
Key risks
- Prolonged weakness in biotech funding reducing clinical trial volumes
- Elevated financial risk profile weighing on operational flexibility
- Competitive pressure from specialized CROs and data analytics platforms
IQV vs Peers
IQVIA operates in a broad healthcare services and life sciences tools landscape, where it competes with companies spanning genomics, precision instruments, and laboratory analytics.
Natera focuses on cell-free DNA testing and genetic analysis, carving out a specialized genomics niche rather than broad CRO and analytics services.
Mettler-Toledo provides precision instruments and laboratory equipment, competing at the tools layer of life sciences rather than the data and services layer.
Agilent delivers laboratory instruments, software, and diagnostics solutions, with a broader scientific instrumentation focus compared to IQVIA's data and clinical research model.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does IQVIA Holdings do?
IQVIA provides analytics, technology platforms, and clinical research services to the life sciences industry. Its clients — primarily pharmaceutical and biotech companies — use IQVIA to manage clinical trials, analyze prescribing trends, generate real-world evidence, and outsource commercial sales functions.
Does IQV pay dividends?
No, IQVIA does not currently pay a dividend. The company reinvests capital into its technology infrastructure, clinical research capabilities, and strategic acquisitions rather than returning cash to shareholders through distributions.
When does IQV report earnings?
IQVIA reports on a quarterly basis, in line with standard US-listed company practice. For exact dates and the most recent results, check IQVIA's investor relations page directly, as our data source does not cover forward earnings dates.
Is IQV a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates IQV as Below Average, driven primarily by Weak Growth and Risk pillar ratings. The Attractive Valuation pillar is a relative bright spot. Whether IQV fits a portfolio depends on an investor's tolerance for near-term uncertainty and their view on life sciences outsourcing demand recovery.
Is IQV overvalued?
Based on the UQS Valuation pillar, IQV is rated Attractive — meaning the current price appears to reflect existing headwinds rather than optimistic assumptions. This does not guarantee upside, but it suggests valuation is not stretched relative to the company's current fundamental profile.
How does IQV compare to its competitors?
IQVIA's scale in clinical research outsourcing and pharmaceutical data sets it apart from more specialized peers like Natera in genomics or Mettler-Toledo in precision instruments. However, its Neutral Moat rating suggests its competitive advantages are real but not dominant across the full healthcare services landscape.
What is IQV's market cap bracket?
IQVIA Holdings is classified as a large-cap company, reflecting its significant scale in the healthcare services and contract research organization space.
Who founded IQVIA Holdings?
IQVIA was formed in 2016 through the merger of IMS Health and Quintiles Transnational, though the combined entity traces its corporate formation to 2013. Founding context and leadership history are widely available through public company filings and IQVIA's own corporate history resources.
Is IQV a long-term quality investment?
As a long-term quality indicator, IQV's Below Average UQS Score reflects current weaknesses in growth trajectory and risk profile that investors should monitor. The Neutral Quality and Moat ratings suggest the underlying business has structural merit, but sustained improvement in growth and risk metrics would be needed to strengthen the long-term case.
What is the main competitive advantage of IQVIA?
IQVIA's primary advantage lies in its proprietary data assets — decades of pharmaceutical sales, prescribing, and outcomes data — combined with deep integration into client workflows across clinical development and commercialization. This creates switching costs that support client retention, though the Neutral Moat rating indicates this advantage is not insurmountable.
What sector does IQV belong to?
IQVIA operates within the Healthcare sector, specifically at the intersection of healthcare technology, data analytics, and contract research services for the life sciences industry.
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Pro Analysis
IQV — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2026 | 54.8 | 57.7 | 43.0 | 39.0 | 55.9 | 89.6 | +8.4 |
| May 7, 2026 | 46.4 | 57.6 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 5.1 | 85.0 | -0.7 |
| May 3, 2026 | 47.1 | 57.6 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 5.1 | 89.2 | +0.2 |
| Apr 26, 2026 | 46.9 | 57.6 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 5.1 | 88.3 | +0.5 |
| Apr 19, 2026 | 46.4 | 57.6 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 5.1 | 84.9 | -0.3 |
| Apr 18, 2026 | 46.7 | 57.6 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 5.1 | 86.5 | -0.5 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 47.2 | 57.6 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 5.1 | 90.4 | -0.2 |
| Apr 12, 2026 | 47.4 | 57.6 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 5.1 | 91.6 | +0.2 |
| Apr 5, 2026 | 47.2 | 57.6 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 5.1 | 90.2 | -0.1 |
| Apr 2, 2026 | 47.3 | 57.6 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 5.1 | 90.4 | — |
IQV — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 57.7/100 (25%)IQVIA Holdings Inc. shows solid profitability with healthy returns on capital and reasonable margins.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 39.0/100 (20%)IQVIA Holdings Inc. shows steady but unspectacular growth, typical for mature companies.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 55.9/100 (15%)IQVIA Holdings Inc. maintains a reasonable risk profile with manageable debt levels.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 89.6/100 (15%)IQVIA Holdings Inc. appears attractively valued relative to its earnings, cash flows, and sector peers.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 43/100 (25%)IQVIA Holdings Inc. possesses some competitive advantages but faces meaningful competition. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for IQV.
Score Composition
Financial Data
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How is the IQV UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for IQVIA Holdings Inc. is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses IQVIA Holdings Inc.'s competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether IQVIA Holdings Inc. is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.