IQVIA (NYSE:IQV) Rating Lowered to “Hold” at Wall Street Zen

IQVIA (NYSE:IQV) was downgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report released on Saturday.

IQV has been the subject of several other reports. TD Cowen increased their target price on IQVIA from $215.00 to $245.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. UBS Group lowered their price objective on IQVIA from $280.00 to $240.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of IQVIA in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Mizuho set a $266.00 price target on shares of IQVIA in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of IQVIA from $250.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, December 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $241.75.

IQVIA Trading Up 3.6%

Shares of IQVIA stock opened at $187.50 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $228.03 and its 200 day moving average is $209.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $31.93 billion, a PE ratio of 23.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.84 and a beta of 1.37. IQVIA has a 1 year low of $134.65 and a 1 year high of $247.04. The company has a current ratio of 0.75, a quick ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.09.

IQVIA (NYSE:IQV) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The medical research company reported $3.42 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.40 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $4.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.24 billion. IQVIA had a net margin of 8.34% and a return on equity of 30.50%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.12 earnings per share. IQVIA has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.550-12.850 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that IQVIA will post 10.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On IQVIA

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of IQVIA in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $3,612,000. Amundi grew its stake in shares of IQVIA by 46.3% during the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 1,279,817 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $210,722,000 after acquiring an additional 405,250 shares during the period. Diversified Trust Co increased its holdings in IQVIA by 57.2% in the 3rd quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 42,579 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $8,087,000 after acquiring an additional 15,487 shares during the last quarter. Nichols & Pratt Advisers LLP MA lifted its holdings in IQVIA by 8.6% during the third quarter. Nichols & Pratt Advisers LLP MA now owns 122,603 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $23,287,000 after purchasing an additional 9,684 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Act Two Investors LLC bought a new position in IQVIA during the second quarter worth about $26,528,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.62% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting IQVIA

Here are the key news stories impacting IQVIA this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat consensus: IQV reported Q4 EPS of $3.42 and revenue of $4.36B, both above estimates and showing double‑digit Y/Y sales growth — a core reason buyers are stepping in. IQVIA Holdings (IQV) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: FY‑2026 guidance modestly raised on revenue and EPS ranges (EPS 12.55–12.85; revenue $17.2B–$17.4B) — guidance came in around or slightly above Street revenue/consensus EPS, supporting near‑term sentiment. IQVIA’s (NYSE:IQV) Q4 CY2025 Sales Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies lowered its price target to $255 but kept a “buy” rating — that still implies sizable upside vs. the current price and helps underpin demand from buy‑side holders. Jefferies PT Cut (Benzinga)
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup trimmed its price target to $200 and moved to “neutral” — a calibration of expectations but not a full sell signal. Citigroup PT Change (Benzinga)
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary and value‑style writeups (Zacks) highlight IQV as a longer‑term value play based on style scores — useful for longer‑horizon investors rather than short‑term movers. Why IQVIA Is a Top Value Stock (Zacks)
• Negative Sentiment: IQV warned that higher interest expenses will weigh on annual profit, and Reuters notes the company forecast annual profit below Street expectations — this is increasing focus on leverage and interest‑rate sensitivity. IQV Forecasts Weak Annual Profit (Reuters)
• Negative Sentiment: Market headlines flagged that shares fell after management’s outlook for adjusted earnings missed some expectations — that knee‑jerk reaction pressured the stock before buyers re‑entered. Shares Down After Outlook Misses (MarketWatch)
• Negative Sentiment: BTIG cut its rating to neutral citing sector headwinds — another signal that some sell‑side shops are taking a more cautious near‑term stance. BTIG Cuts Rating to Neutral (MSN)

About IQVIA

IQVIA (NYSE: IQV) is a global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions and contract research services to the life sciences industry. The company combines clinical research capabilities with large-scale health data and analytics to support drug development, regulatory reporting, commercial strategy and real‑world evidence generation. IQVIA traces its current form to the combination of Quintiles and IMS Health announced in 2016 and subsequently rebranded as IQVIA, bringing together long-established clinical research operations and extensive healthcare information assets.

IQVIA’s principal activities include outsourced clinical development services (acting as a contract research organization for phases I–IV), real‑world evidence and observational research, regulatory and safety services, and a suite of technology platforms that enable data integration, analytics and operational management.