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IQVIA Holdings Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 1 lowered, 7 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 5.2 percent: Revenue was $4,100 million, up 5.2 percent reported and 3.9 percent at constant currency against the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 1.1 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $949 million, up 1.1 percent; GAAP net income was $331 million against $285 million a year earlier. Source
  • Bookings of $2.6 billion: Net new bookings were $2.6 billion, a book-to-bill of 1.15x; trailing-twelve-month book-to-bill was 1.12x. Source
  • Backlog reached $32.4 billion: R&DS contracted backlog was $32.4 billion at September 30, up 4.1 percent year-over-year and 3.9 percent at constant currency. Source
  • RFP growth accelerating to 20 percent: Management said RFP growth accelerated to 20 percent year-over-year and cited it as a demand indicator. Source
  • Midpoints reaffirmed, ranges narrowed: Management reaffirmed the midpoints of revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted diluted EPS guidance and narrowed each range; the prior release had wider ranges. Source
  • Free cash flow $772 million: Operating cash flow was $908 million and free cash flow was $772 million, up 35 percent year-over-year, equal to 150 percent of adjusted net income. Source

“With continued execution across the business and healthy demand indicators, such as RFP growth accelerating to 20 percent year-over-year, we remain confident in our ability to sustain our top and bottom-line growth performance.”

Ari Bousbib, chairman and CEO of IQVIA

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefull-year 2025$16,150 million to $16,250 millionKept
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull-year 2025$3,775 million to $3,800 millionKept
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefull-year 2025$11.85 to $11.95Kept
COVID-related revenue step-down Sourcefull-year 2025approximately $100 million, entirely in R&DSKept
Foreign exchange contribution to revenue Sourcefull-year 2025approximately 100 basis points tailwindKept
Acquisition contribution to revenue Sourcefull-year 2025approximately 150 basis pointsKept
R&DS backlog conversion Sourcenext twelve monthsapproximately $8.1 billionKept
R&DS backlog conversion growth Sourcenext twelve months4.0 percent year-over-yearLowered from 4.8 percent year-over-year

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2025 midpoints for revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted diluted EPS were reaffirmed, and each range was narrowed. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 5.2 percent: Revenue was $4,100 million, up 5.2 percent reported and 3.9 percent at constant currency against the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 1.1 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $949 million, up 1.1 percent; GAAP net income was $331 million against $285 million a year earlier. Source
  • Per-share results for the quarter: GAAP diluted EPS was $1.93 against $1.55 a year earlier; Adjusted diluted EPS was $3.00 against $2.84. Source
  • Nine-month revenue growth: Nine-month revenue was $11,946 million, up 4.4 percent reported and 3.7 percent at constant currency; Adjusted diluted EPS was $8.50. Source

Segments and revenue lines

  • TAS revenue up 5.0 percent: TAS revenue was $1,631 million, up 5.0 percent reported and 3.3 percent at constant currency; management cited drug launches and the broader commercial portfolio. Source
  • R&DS revenue up 4.5 percent: R&DS revenue was $2,260 million, up 4.5 percent reported; excluding reimbursed expenses, R&DS revenue grew 4.8 percent. Source
  • CSMS revenue up 16.1 percent: CSMS revenue was $209 million, up 16.1 percent reported and 13.9 percent at constant currency. Source
  • Nine-month TAS growth: Nine-month TAS revenue was $4,805 million, up 6.7 percent reported; R&DS was $6,563 million, up 2.5 percent; CSMS was $578 million, up 6.8 percent. Source

“TAS delivered solid results despite a tougher year-over-year comparison, driven by ongoing momentum from drug launches and the strength of our broader commercial portfolio.”

Ari Bousbib, chairman and CEO of IQVIA

Demand, bookings and backlog

  • Bookings of $2.6 billion: Net new bookings were $2.6 billion, a book-to-bill of 1.15x; trailing-twelve-month book-to-bill was 1.12x. Source
  • Backlog reached $32.4 billion: R&DS contracted backlog was $32.4 billion at September 30, up 4.1 percent year-over-year and 3.9 percent at constant currency. Source
  • Client decision timelines improved: Management attributed 13 percent year-over-year growth in net bookings to improved client decision timelines and demand across all customer segments. Source
  • RFP growth accelerating to 20 percent: Management said RFP growth accelerated to 20 percent year-over-year and cited it as a demand indicator. Source

Costs, expenses and reconciling items

  • Cost of revenues rose: Cost of revenues was $2,727 million against $2,518 million a year earlier; SG&A was $514 million against $522 million. Source
  • Restructuring spend lower: Restructuring costs were $20 million against $28 million; restructuring and related expenses in the Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation were $30 million against $38 million. Source
  • Interest expense increased: Interest expense was $189 million against $170 million, with interest income of $13 million in both periods. Source
  • Purchase accounting amortization excluded: Purchase accounting amortization of $138 million in the quarter is excluded from Adjusted Net Income. Source

Full-year 2025 guidance

  • Midpoints reaffirmed, ranges narrowed: Management reaffirmed the midpoints of revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted diluted EPS guidance and narrowed each range; the prior release had wider ranges. Source
  • Currency assumption date updated: Guidance assumes foreign exchange rates as of October 27, 2025; the second-quarter release used rates as of July 21, 2025. Source
  • Non-GAAP basis for guidance: Full-year guidance for measures other than revenue is given on a non-GAAP basis without reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measure. Source

Cash, debt and capital returns

  • Free cash flow $772 million: Operating cash flow was $908 million and free cash flow was $772 million, up 35 percent year-over-year, equal to 150 percent of adjusted net income. Source
  • Net debt and leverage: Cash was $1,814 million and debt $14,957 million, giving net debt of $13,143 million and a Net Leverage Ratio of 3.52x. Source
  • Nine-month share repurchases: Repurchases of common stock were $1,032 million in the first nine months, the same first-half figure reported in the second-quarter release. Source
  • Acquisitions cash outlay: Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired, were $798 million for the nine months, against $649 million a year earlier. Source

Strategy, people and leadership

  • Connected Intelligence platform: Portfolio described as powered by IQVIA Connected Intelligence, built on high-quality health data, Healthcare-grade AI and advanced analytics. Source
  • Privacy and responsible AI stated: The release states IQVIA uses AI responsibly and describes itself as a global leader in protecting individual patient privacy. Source
  • About 91,000 employees: The release describes about 91,000 employees in over 100 countries, up from about 90,000 in the second-quarter release. Source
  • Chairman and CEO commentary: Ari Bousbib, chairman and CEO, gave management's comments on the quarter quoted in the release. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
R&DS contracted backlog Source$32.4 billion
R&DS quarterly net new bookings Source$2.6 billion
Book-to-bill ratio, trailing twelve months Source1.12x
RFP growth, year-over-year Source20 percent
R&DS backlog expected to convert in next twelve months Source$8.1 billion

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management noted TAS faced a tougher year-over-year comparison this quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said revenue and profit were towards the high-end of its guidance for the quarter. Source
  • Not stated: Management reaffirmed the midpoints of full-year 2025 guidance and narrowed the ranges. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.