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IQV vs TMO
Which Stock Would AI Choose? IQVIA Holdings (IQV) vs. Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Different life-science roles: IQV is a clinical research and data-analytics leader, while TMO is a diversified tools, instruments, diagnostics, and services giant.
- Both stocks have rallied strongly over the past year, with comparable 12-month gains, though their recent momentum profiles differ.
- Scale gap is wide: TMO's market capitalization is roughly five times that of IQV, reflecting a broader revenue base and product portfolio.
- Analyst positioning differs: IQV trades well below its consensus target, while TMO trades near its average target after a powerful run.
- Sentiment and catalysts are diverging, with IQV benefiting from improving bookings and AI-product launches and TMO from a life-sciences demand recovery.
Introduction
IQVIA Holdings (IQV) and Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) both sit at the center of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology value chain, yet they serve that chain in fundamentally different ways. IQV focuses on clinical research services (CRO, or contract research organization), healthcare data, and analytics, while TMO supplies the instruments, reagents, diagnostics, and contract manufacturing that power laboratories worldwide. For investors weighing exposure to life-sciences innovation, this stock comparison is a useful lens on relative performance, market positioning, and momentum. Growth-oriented and sector-allocating investors alike track these names to gauge the health of pharma spending, biotech funding, and the broader healthcare ecosystem.
IQV Overview and Recent Performance
IQVIA Holdings provides outsourced clinical development services, real-world evidence, and commercial analytics to life-sciences companies. Its Research & Development Solutions segment supports drugmakers in running clinical trials, while its Technology & Analytics Solutions business supplies mission-critical data and consulting. Recent market activity shows IQV consolidating after a strong multi-month advance, with the stock trading in the mid-$260s and posting a roughly 12-month gain near 29% despite some near-term price pressure.
Sentiment has been shaped by an improving demand backdrop. In recent quarterly results, the company reported accelerated organic revenue growth, a strengthening book-to-bill ratio (new orders relative to revenue), and double-digit growth in net new bookings — signals that clinical-trial demand is recovering. IQV has also leaned into artificial intelligence, launching products such as IQVIA Life Science Models and IQVIA Explorer, and expanded a partnership with Veeva Systems. These developments have supported a steady stream of analyst price-target increases, even as valuation and margin pressures remain areas of focus.
TMO Overview and Recent Performance
Thermo Fisher Scientific is the world's largest life-sciences tools and services company, spanning analytical instruments, laboratory consumables, specialty diagnostics, and biopharma services through brands such as Thermo Scientific, Fisher Scientific, Patheon, and PPD. Its diversified portfolio serves academic, government, pharmaceutical, and industrial customers. Recent performance has been notably strong, with the stock breaking out to trade near $690 after a roughly 9% monthly advance and a 12-month return above 23%.
Momentum has been driven by a broad recovery across life-sciences end markets, including a rebound in biotech and pharmaceutical funding. Recent earnings showed revenue growth and improved customer activity, prompting management to raise its full-year outlook. The company has also been active on the corporate front, completing the acquisition of Clario, selling its microbiology business to private equity, and announcing new collaborations in proteomics and clinical research. These catalysts have lifted analyst price targets, though the stock now trades close to the consensus target after its extended run.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The core contrast is business model. IQV is service- and data-driven, earning revenue by running clinical trials and selling analytics to pharma clients; its fortunes hinge on R&D outsourcing budgets and booking trends. TMO is product- and infrastructure-driven, with a more diversified revenue mix that is less concentrated in any single customer or trial pipeline. This difference shows in scale: TMO's revenue is roughly two-and-a-half times larger than IQV's, and its market capitalization is several times greater.
Growth drivers also diverge. IQV's narrative centers on recovering clinical-trial demand, AI-enabled analytics, and margin expansion, while TMO's rests on a cyclical rebound in biotech funding, bioprocessing demand, and strategic M&A (mergers and acquisitions). Risk profiles differ as well: IQV carries exposure to CRO pricing pressure and pharma clients potentially building in-house AI tools, whereas TMO faces sensitivity to capital-equipment spending cycles and a large debt load relative to its size.
On market positioning, both stocks have re-rated higher, but IQV retains more apparent upside to consensus targets while TMO trades near its average target. Momentum recently favored TMO, which sits just below all-time highs, while IQV has cooled from its peak — a divergence that shapes how each stock currently screens on trend strength and relative performance.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable trend consistency, stability, and relative positioning, Tickeron's AI would likely assign a modest near-term edge to TMO. Thermo Fisher has demonstrated cleaner momentum, trading near record highs with falling short interest and a broadening demand recovery, factors that algorithmic trend models tend to reward. That said, the verdict is probabilistic rather than definitive: IQV offers a potentially more favorable risk-reward setup, trading further below its consensus target with improving bookings and fresh AI-product catalysts. A balanced AI read would favor TMO on trend strength while flagging IQV as the more attractively positioned candidate should its recent consolidation resolve to the upside.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is IQV is a Hold and TMO is a StrongBuy.
IQV in downward trend: price dove below 50-day moving average on November 02, 2026
IQV moved below its 50-day moving average on November 02, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 20 of 27 similar past instances, the stock price decreased further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 74%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on November 02, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on IQV as a result. In 53 of 78 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 68%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for IQV turned negative on October 30, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 42 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 22 of the 42 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 52%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where IQV declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 64%.
IQV broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 21, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the oversold zone for 2 days, which means it's wise to expect a price bounce in the near future.
Following a +2.07% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where IQV advanced for three days, in 186 of 301 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 62%.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 16 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. IQV’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 32 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 43 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 74 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (7.036) is normal, around the industry mean (66.911). P/E Ratio (32.486) is within average values for comparable stocks, (2.514). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.985) is also within normal values, averaging (3.473). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (0.002) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (2.693) is also within normal values, averaging (9.775).
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 89 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. IQV’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 85, placing this stock worse than average.
Momentum Indicator for TMO turns positive, indicating new upward trend
TMO saw its Momentum Indicator move above the 0 level on October 15, 2026. This is an indication that the stock could be shifting in to a new upward move. Traders may want to consider buying the stock or buying call options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 87 similar instances where the indicator turned positive. In 58 of the 87 cases, the stock moved higher in the following days. The odds of a move higher are at 67%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
Following a +3.44% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where TMO advanced for three days, in 192 of 307 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 63%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 135 of 244 cases where TMO Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 55%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for TMO moved out of overbought territory on October 01, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 36 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 17 of the 36 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 47%.
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 38 of 66 cases where TMO's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 58%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for TMO turned negative on November 02, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 43 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 23 of the 43 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 53%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where TMO declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 61%.
TMO broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 15, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 9 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. TMO’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 28 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 60 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 65 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (4.956) is normal, around the industry mean (66.911). P/E Ratio (37.945) is within average values for comparable stocks, (2.514). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (2.021) is also within normal values, averaging (3.473). Dividend Yield (0.003) settles around the average of (0.002) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (5.247) is also within normal values, averaging (9.775).
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 68 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. TMO’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 85, placing this stock better than average.
IQV | TMO | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 82 | 38 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 74 Overvalued | 65 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 89 | 68 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 43 | 60 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 16 | 9 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 32 | 28 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
TMO's Valuation (65) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as IQV (74) in the Servicestothe Health Industry industry. This means that TMO’s stock grew similarly to IQV’s over the last 12 months.
TMO's Profit vs Risk Rating (68) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as IQV (89) in the Servicestothe Health Industry industry. This means that TMO’s stock grew similarly to IQV’s over the last 12 months.
IQV's SMR Rating (43) in the Servicestothe Health Industry industry is in the same range as TMO (60) in the Medical Specialties industry. This means that IQV’s stock grew similarly to TMO’s over the last 12 months.
TMO's Price Growth Rating (9) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as IQV (16) in the Servicestothe Health Industry industry. This means that TMO’s stock grew similarly to IQV’s over the last 12 months.
TMO's P/E Growth Rating (28) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as IQV (32) in the Servicestothe Health Industry industry. This means that TMO’s stock grew similarly to IQV’s over the last 12 months.
| IQV | TMO | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | N/A | 4 days ago 47% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 69% | 2 days ago 58% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 68% | 2 days ago 67% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 52% | 2 days ago 53% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 65% | 2 days ago 62% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 63% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 63% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 64% | 4 days ago 61% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 50% | 2 days ago 60% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | N/A | 2 days ago 55% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
IQV’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green while TMO’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- IQV’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- TMO’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
IQV’s TA Score shows that 2 TA indicator(s) are bullish while TMO’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- IQV’s TA Score: 2 bullish, 5 bearish.
- TMO’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
IQV (@Medical Specialties) experienced а -5.47% price change this week, while TMO (@Medical Specialties) price change was +0.29% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Medical Specialties industry was -9.05%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -8.17%, and the average quarterly price growth was +36.11%.
Reported Earning Dates
IQV is expected to report earnings on Feb 11, 2027.
TMO is expected to report earnings on Feb 04, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Medical Specialties (-9.05% weekly)Medical specialties are companies that make equipment used by the health care industry. Equipment manufactured and distributed by these companies include dialysis machines, blood analysis equipment, surgical equipment, dental instruments, and diagnostic tools, among other items. Large companies typically aim to produce and distribute high-quality products across a broad market spectrum. Smaller firms are more likely to specialize in a particular market segment. Due to the industry’s close association with medical treatments, they typically have low sensitivity to macroeconomic fluctuations. Within this industry, Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic Plc and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. are some of the companies with multi-billion market capitalizations in the U.S. stock markets.
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TMO and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, TMO has been closely correlated with A. These tickers have moved in lockstep 74% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if TMO jumps, then A could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To TMO | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TMO | 100% | +1.12% | ||
| A - TMO | 74% Closely correlated | +0.97% | ||
| DHR - TMO | 72% Closely correlated | +2.09% | ||
| RVTY - TMO | 69% Closely correlated | -2.48% | ||
| IQV - TMO | 68% Closely correlated | +0.46% | ||
| BRKR - TMO | 67% Closely correlated | +12.90% | ||
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