IQVIA (NYSE:IQV) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Stifel Nicolaus Analyst Says

Key Points

• Stifel Nicolaus raised IQVIA’s price target to $303 from $276 and maintained a “buy” rating, implying 16.21% potential upside. Other analysts also increased targets, with the consensus rating at “Moderate Buy.”
• IQVIA reported quarterly adjusted earnings of $3.15 per share, beating estimates of $3.03, while revenue rose 8.7% year over year to $4.37 billion.
• Institutional investors own 89.62% of IQVIA, while insiders have sold 15,581 shares worth approximately $3.8 million over the past quarter.

IQVIA (NYSE:IQV - Get Free Report) had its price objective lifted by investment analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from $276.00 to $303.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a "buy" rating on the medical research company's stock. Stifel Nicolaus' price objective indicates a potential upside of 16.21% from the stock's current price.

Several other research firms also recently issued reports on IQV. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price objective on IQVIA from $247.00 to $319.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, September 29th. William Blair upgraded IQVIA to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $329.00 target price (up from $300.00) on shares of IQVIA in a research report on Monday, September 28th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of IQVIA from $252.00 to $287.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of IQVIA from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $276.00.

IQVIA Price Performance

IQVIA stock opened at $260.74 on Wednesday. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $258.89 and its 200-day simple moving average is $211.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.18, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 0.71. IQVIA has a 1 year low of $154.50 and a 1 year high of $277.40. The company has a market capitalization of $42.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.17.

IQVIA (NYSE:IQV - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The medical research company reported $3.15 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.03 by $0.12. IQVIA had a net margin of 8.10% and a return on equity of 30.25%. The firm had revenue of $4.37 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.30 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.81 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. IQVIA has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.800-13.000 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that IQVIA will post 11.56 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider James G. Berkshire sold 2,668 shares of IQVIA stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $261.33, for a total value of $697,228.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 10,890 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,845,883.70. This trade represents a 19.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Keriann Cherofsky sold 558 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $245.21, for a total value of $136,827.18. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 2,989 shares of the company's stock, valued at $732,932.69. The trade was a 15.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 15,581 shares of company stock valued at $3,796,021. Corporate insiders own 1.70% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On IQVIA

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. purchased a new position in shares of IQVIA in the 3rd quarter valued at about $1,387,000. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of IQVIA by 38.7% during the third quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 2,126 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $572,000 after buying an additional 593 shares in the last quarter. Krilogy Financial LLC increased its stake in shares of IQVIA by 10.3% during the third quarter. Krilogy Financial LLC now owns 1,898 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $498,000 after buying an additional 177 shares during the period. Sax Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in IQVIA in the third quarter valued at approximately $293,000. Finally, NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC raised its holdings in IQVIA by 24.4% in the third quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 3,877 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $1,004,000 after acquiring an additional 761 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.62% of the company's stock.

About IQVIA

IQVIA Holdings Inc NYSE: IQV is a global provider of technology, analytics and contract research services for the life sciences industry. The company helps pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device organizations develop products, manage clinical trials, understand healthcare markets and improve commercial performance.

IQVIA's offerings include clinical research and trial management, real-world data and evidence, healthcare analytics, technology platforms, consulting, and commercial services such as sales support and patient engagement.

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