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Here's Why IQVIA Holdings (NYSE:IQV) Has Caught The Eye Of Investors

For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like IQVIA Holdings (NYSE:IQV). While this doesn't necessarily speak to whether it's undervalued, the profitability of the business is enough to warrant some appreciation - especially if its growing.

See our latest analysis for IQVIA Holdings

How Fast Is IQVIA Holdings Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

In the last three years IQVIA Holdings' earnings per share took off; so much so that it's a bit disingenuous to use these figures to try and deduce long term estimates. So it would be better to isolate the growth rate over the last year for our analysis. To the delight of shareholders, IQVIA Holdings' EPS soared from US$4.01 to US$6.36, over the last year. That's a fantastic gain of 59%.

It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. The music to the ears of IQVIA Holdings shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 9.3% to 14% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in our book.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

earnings-and-revenue-history
earnings-and-revenue-history

Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for IQVIA Holdings.

Are IQVIA Holdings Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Since IQVIA Holdings has a market capitalisation of US$41b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But we are reassured by the fact they have invested in the company. Indeed, they have a considerable amount of wealth invested in it, currently valued at US$309m. This comes in at 0.7% of shares in the company, which is a fair amount of a business of this size. This still shows shareholders there is a degree of alignment between management and themselves.

Is IQVIA Holdings Worth Keeping An Eye On?

You can't deny that IQVIA Holdings has grown its earnings per share at a very impressive rate. That's attractive. Further, the high level of insider ownership is impressive and suggests that the management appreciates the EPS growth and has faith in IQVIA Holdings' continuing strength. Fast growth and confident insiders should be enough to warrant further research, so it would seem that it's a good stock to follow. You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for IQVIA Holdings you should be aware of.

Although IQVIA Holdings certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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