Assetmark Inc. Significantly Expands Stake in IQVIA Holdings Inc.

Assetmark Inc. has made a remarkable increase in its investment in IQVIA Holdings Inc. (NYSE:IQV - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, whereby its stake grew by an astonishing 21,537.3%. This expansion was documented in their latest 13F filing with the SEC. By the conclusion of this reporting period, Assetmark Inc. owned a total of 49,333 shares in the medical research company, having acquired an additional 49,105 shares during the quarter. The value of Assetmark Inc.'s holdings in IQVIA was estimated at $9,694,000.

Moreover, other institutional investors and hedge funds have also adjusted their positions regarding IQVIA. For example, Jag Capital Management LLC increased its stake by 1.6% in the fourth quarter, bringing its total to 12,631 shares worth approximately $2,482,000 after adding 200 shares. Synergy Investment Management LLC established a new position in IQVIA valued at $92,000 during the same quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. expanded its holdings by 3.7%, owning 1,246,890 shares valued at $245,026,000 after purchasing an additional 44,991 shares. Likewise, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its stake by 1.9%, now owning 67,473 shares worth $13,259,000 after buying an extra 1,273 shares. Finally, Plato Investment Management Ltd increased its position significantly by 69.0%, holding a total of 6,944 shares valued at $1,370,000 after a purchase of 2,836 shares. Collectively, institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.62% of IQVIA's stocks.

IQVIA Stock Performance

As of Friday, IQVIA shares opened at $191.69. The company boasts a market capitalization of $33.80 billion, with a P/E (price-to-earnings) ratio of 25.56 and a PEG (price/earnings to growth) ratio of 1.99. IQVIA has a beta of 1.50, a current ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio also of 0.84, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.12. The stock’s fifty-day moving average stands at $197.79, while its two-hundred-day moving average is at $213.11. IQVIA has seen a twelve-month low of $179.28 and a twelve-month high of $261.73.

IQVIA recently announced its earnings results on February 6. The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $2.90 for the quarter, which was below analysts' expectations of $3.11 by a margin of $0.21. Throughout the fiscal year, IQVIA has maintained a return on equity of 28.81% with a net profit margin of 8.91%. Analysts project an EPS of 10.84 for IQVIA Holdings Inc. for the ongoing year.

Market Analysis on IQVIA

The stock has been analyzed in several research reports. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price for IQVIA shares from $273.00 to $261.00 while maintaining a "buy" rating as of February 7. Citigroup also reduced its price target from $225.00 to $210.00 while assigning a "neutral" rating. Conversely, Truist Financial confirmed their "buy" rating, raising the target price to $263.00 from a previous $261.00 in a report on February 10. Leerink Partners reaffirmed an "outperform" rating with a target price reduction to $248.00 from $260.00 in a report on November 19. William Blair also reiterated an "outperform" rating on IQVIA shares in a December 11 note. In total, four analysts rated the stock as a hold, seventeen gave it a buy rating, while one analyst assigned a strong buy rating. Presently, IQVIA has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" along with an average target price of $249.05.

Overview of IQVIA Holdings Inc.

Company Profile

IQVIA Holdings Inc. specializes in providing advanced analytics, technology solutions, and clinical research services tailored for the life sciences sector across various regions including the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. The company operates through three key segments: Technology & Analytics Solutions, Research & Development Solutions, and Contract Sales & Medical Solutions.

investment, stocks, research