IQVIA Holdings Inc. (IQV)
IQVIA is a global giant that helps pharmaceutical companies run clinical trials and use data to bring new medicines to market faster.
Is IQVIA Holdings Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: IQVIA is a global giant that helps pharmaceutical companies run clinical trials and use data to bring new medicines to market faster.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only; any dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Dominance in AI-driven drug discovery
Major regulatory changes affecting drug trials
What does IQVIA Holdings Inc. do?
Think of IQVIA as the engine room behind the scenes of the healthcare industry. They provide the data, technology, and expert staff that drug companies need to test new treatments and prove they work. Because their money comes from long-term contracts with pharmaceutical firms, what really counts is how much those companies choose to spend on research and development.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and value, and weakest on income.
- !Pays no dividend - the whole return rides on the share price
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 9% over the year
- !Carries a lot of debt - roughly 2.6x its equity
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 23%)
- Momentum screens high (74/100)
- Essential partner for the world's largest drug companies
- Strong track record of turning shareholder money into profit
- Deep expertise in complex healthcare data
- Income screens low (16/100)
- Changes in government healthcare policy or drug pricing
- Economic downturns causing clients to cut research budgets
- Data privacy regulations impacting their core business model
What do IQVIA Holdings Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does IQVIA Holdings Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does IQVIA Holdings Inc. pay a dividend?
No - IQVIA Holdings Inc. doesn't currently pay a dividend, so the whole return would rest on the share price. Plenty of growing companies reinvest their profits instead of paying them out - neither approach is better or worse, they're just different.
When does IQVIA Holdings Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
IQVIA Holdings Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-11-03 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-28 | $3.03 | $3.15 | Beat +4% |
| 2026-05-05 | $2.82 | $2.90 | Beat +3% |
| 2026-02-05 | $3.40 | $3.42 | In line |
| 2025-10-28 | $2.98 | $3.00 | In line |
| 2025-07-22 | $2.77 | $2.81 | Beat +1% |
| 2025-05-06 | $2.63 | $2.70 | Beat +3% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, IQVIA Holdings Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 4 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
More in Healthcare
Eli Lilly
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
Incyte Corporation
The Cigna Group
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
Moderna, Inc.
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.What are the scenarios for IQVIA Holdings Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of IQVIA Holdings Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Essential partner for the world's largest drug companies
- Strong track record of turning shareholder money into profit
- Deep expertise in complex healthcare data
- Does not pay a dividend to shareholders
- High reliance on the spending budgets of pharmaceutical clients
- Share price can be more volatile than the average company
- Changes in government healthcare policy or drug pricing
- Economic downturns causing clients to cut research budgets
- Data privacy regulations impacting their core business model
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant, sustained drop in global pharmaceutical research spending
- A major data security breach that damages their reputation
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.