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Stock Comparison · Structural lead, mixed market

Abbott Laboratories vs IQVIA Holdings: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

IQVIA holds the cleaner structural position, with stability as the main driver and profitability adding further support. Abbott Laboratories still has the edge on stability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. Both sides have seen trend damage — neither carries a clear market edge right now. With both trends damaged, the structural comparison carries most of the weight here.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

On stability, the clearer edge sits with Abbott Laboratories, while the overall score remains tighter and points the other way.

Trajectory Similarity
0.73
Similar
Peer-set rank: #11
within Abbott Laboratories's functional peer set

This comparison is anchored in long-term financial trajectory similarity within the selected peer universe.

A solid similarity means the pair shares a clearly comparable long-term financial profile, even if individual dimensions still differ.

Most of the shared profile comes through capital structure and margin consistency.

Similarity drivers
capital structuremargin consistency
How to read the score
0.85–1.00 · Very similar0.70–0.84 · Similar0.55–0.69 · Moderately similarbelow 0.55 · Loose match
Peer-Relative Score
ABT
Abbott Laboratories
46
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
IQV
IQVIA Holdings Inc.
53
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: ABT vs IQV Profitability 17 42 Stability 63 25 Valuation 66 75 Growth 42 66 ABT IQV
Gap Ranking
#1 Stability +38
#2 Profitability +25
#3 Growth +24
#4 Valuation +9
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for ABT and IQV Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer ABTIQV Relative valuation Structural strength

The two profiles are relatively close, but the price setup still leans toward IQVIA Holdings Inc..

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where ABT and IQV each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY ABT Lower · below norm 0th 50th 100th 9 pct gap IQV Lower · below norm 0th 50th 100th 1st 10th
ABT (1st percentile) and IQV (10th percentile) both sit in the lower portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Stability
On stability, Abbott Laboratories is positioned higher in the group, while IQVIA Holdings Inc. is closer to the middle.
Profitability
IQVIA Holdings Inc. sits higher in the group on profitability, adding to the overall structural advantage.
Stability — Dominant Gap
ABT
63
IQV
25
Gap+38in favour of ABT

The stability gap is wide, with the stronger side looking materially steadier through time.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Abbott Laboratories still looks less cycle-sensitive — that keeps the result from looking completely one-sided.

What this means for the comparison

Stability is the clearest driver of the lead, with profitability adding further support — though stability still provides a real counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the ABT vs IQV comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how ABT and IQV each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.