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IQVIA Holdings vs Labcorp Holdings: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with IQVIA carrying a narrow edge on profitability. Labcorp 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

The comparison is mainly decided in profitability, while stability remains the main counterforce.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Diagnostics & Research

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. IQV and LH share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how IQVIA and Labcorp each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
IQV
IQVIA Holdings Inc.
53
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
LH
Labcorp Holdings Inc.
49
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

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

The clearest separation appears in profitability.

Dimension spread: IQV vs LH Profitability 42 21 Stability 25 44 Valuation 75 70 Growth 66 64 IQV LH
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +21
#2 Stability +19
#3 Valuation +5
#4 Growth +2
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for IQV and LH Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer IQVLH Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup is mixed: neither company clearly combines the stronger profile with the more supportive price setup.

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

Entry today — historical context

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

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY IQV Lower · below norm 0th 50th 100th 71 pct gap LH Elevated · below norm 0th 50th 100th 10th 80th
Today IQV sits in the lower portion of its own 5-year history (10th percentile), while LH sits higher in its own history (80th). Within each stock's own 5-year context, IQV is at a historically more favourable entry position than LH. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger — peer-relative analysis is a separate question addressed above.

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

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Profitability
Profitability also leans toward IQVIA Holdings Inc., reinforcing the broader structural lead.
Stability
Labcorp Holdings Inc. sits higher in the group on stability, adding to the overall structural advantage.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
IQV
42
LH
21
Gap+21in favour of IQV

Return on equity adds support too, with a 11.4-point advantage.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

There is still a strong counterforce in stability, so the lead stays clear without becoming a sweep.

What this means for the comparison

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

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

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

Explore full breakdown →
Similar profitability-and-stability comparisons

Explore how IQV and LH 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.