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IQVIA Holdings Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 raised, 1 lowered. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 8.7% in quarter: Revenue was $4,368 million, up 8.7% reported and 8.5% at constant currency, from $4,017 million a year earlier. First-half revenue was $8,519 million, up 8.6%. Source
  • Full-year guidance raised on three measures: Management raised full-year 2026 guidance for revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS, citing stronger organic revenue growth and changes in M&A and foreign exchange impacts. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 9.2%: Adjusted EBITDA was $994 million, against $910 million a year earlier. First-half Adjusted EBITDA was $1,926 million, up 7.4%. Source
  • Commercial areas drove organic acceleration: Management said these areas contributed to an acceleration of Commercial Solutions organic revenue growth year over year. Source
  • Operating cash flow up 26.0%: First-half free cash flow was $851 million, against $718 million a year earlier. Source

“In a strengthening market environment, the IQVIA team executed well and delivered outstanding results, exceeding the high-end of our expectations for revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS,”

Ari Bousbib, chairman and CEO of IQVIA

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefull-year 2026$17,275 million to $17,475 millionRaised from $17,150 million to $17,350 million
Revenue growth (midpoint) Sourcefull-year 20266.5%Raised from 5.8%
Organic revenue growth Sourcefull-year 2026approximately 100 basis points higher than prior guidanceRaised
Contribution from acquisitions Sourcefull-year 2026approximately 200 basis pointsRaised from approximately 150 basis points
Foreign exchange contribution to revenue Sourcefull-year 2026approximately 20 basis points tailwindLowered from 100 basis points tailwind
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull-year 2026$4,000 million to $4,050 millionRaised from $3,975 million to $4,025 million
Adjusted Diluted EPS Sourcefull-year 2026$12.80 to $13.00Raised from $12.65 to $12.95

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 revenue guidance raised, from $17,150 million to $17,350 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA guidance raised, from $3,975 million to $4,025 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 Adjusted Diluted EPS guidance raised, from $12.65 to $12.95. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 8.7% in quarter: Revenue was $4,368 million, up 8.7% reported and 8.5% at constant currency, from $4,017 million a year earlier. First-half revenue was $8,519 million, up 8.6%. Source
  • Full-year guidance raised on three measures: Management raised full-year 2026 guidance for revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS, citing stronger organic revenue growth and changes in M&A and foreign exchange impacts. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 9.2%: Adjusted EBITDA was $994 million, against $910 million a year earlier. First-half Adjusted EBITDA was $1,926 million, up 7.4%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 12.1%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $3.15, against $2.81 a year earlier. First-half Adjusted diluted EPS was $6.04, up 9.8%. Source
  • GAAP net income lower year over year: GAAP net income attributable to IQVIA was $256 million, against $266 million. GAAP diluted EPS was $1.53, against $1.54. Source

Segment results

  • Commercial Solutions revenue rose 8.6%: Commercial Solutions revenue was $1,793 million, up 8.6% reported and 8.4% at constant currency. First-half Commercial Solutions revenue was $3,547 million, up 10.1%. Source
  • R&DS revenue rose 8.8%: R&DS revenue was $2,575 million, up 8.8% reported and 8.6% at constant currency. First-half R&DS revenue was $4,972 million, up 7.5%. Source
  • R&DS growth lower without reimbursed costs: Excluding reimbursed expenses, R&DS revenue grew 6.7% on a reported basis, against 8.8% including them. Source

“R&D Solutions generated record-level net new bookings of over $3.1 billion and reported 7% organic revenue growth.”

Ari Bousbib, chairman and CEO of IQVIA

Products and customers

  • Patient solutions and engagement grew double digit: Management cited double-digit growth in patient solutions and commercial engagement services within Commercial Solutions. Source
  • Analytics, consulting and AI adoption: Management cited high-single-digit organic growth in analytics and consulting, and higher adoption of IQVIA's AI solutions. Source
  • Commercial areas drove organic acceleration: Management said these areas contributed to an acceleration of Commercial Solutions organic revenue growth year over year. Source

Costs and margins

  • Cost of revenues and SG&A higher: Cost of revenues was $2,933 million, against $2,694 million a year earlier. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $574 million, against $509 million. Source
  • Restructuring and related expenses higher: Restructuring and related expenses were $67 million, against $42 million a year earlier. The footnote says they include accelerated expenses related to lease exits. Source
  • Stock-based compensation higher: Stock-based compensation was $95 million, against $60 million. For the first half it was $160 million, against $132 million. Source

“This excellent operational performance combined with favorable forward-looking indicators across both segments point to sustained momentum for the balance of the year and into 2027.”

Ari Bousbib, chairman and CEO of IQVIA

Demand and the order book

  • First-quarter bookings were $2.5 billion: The first-quarter release reported net new bookings of $2.5 billion and a book-to-bill ratio of 1.04x, which the second-quarter release compares against.
  • Backlog unchanged at $34.2 billion: R&DS contracted backlog was $34.2 billion at March 31, 2026, and again at June 30, 2026.
  • Forward demand indicators not restated: The first-quarter release described forward-looking demand indicators as mid-to-high single digit growth. The second-quarter release gives no figure for them.

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow up 26.0%: First-half free cash flow was $851 million, against $718 million a year earlier. Source
  • Net leverage at 3.59x: Net debt was $14,090 million at June 30, 2026, against $13,886 million at March 31, when the ratio was 3.62x. Source
  • Share repurchases of $398 million: The company repurchased $398 million of common stock in the second quarter, after $552 million in the first quarter, for $950 million in the first half. Source
  • Buyback authorization remaining $2.8 billion: Remaining share repurchase authorization was $2,819 million at June 30, 2026, up from $1,217 million at March 31, 2026. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Business acquisition spending lower: Cash paid for businesses, net of cash acquired, was $200 million in the first half, against $315 million a year earlier. Source
  • Property and software spending higher: Spending on property, equipment and software was $198 million in the second quarter, against $151 million, and $325 million in the first half, against $293 million. Source
  • Prior periods recast to two segments: Prior-period segment amounts were recast to the two-segment reporting structure, so the comparisons are on the new basis. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
R&DS net new bookings, second quarter Source$3.15 billion
Book-to-bill ratio, second quarter Source1.22x
Last-twelve-months net new bookings Source$11.3 billion
R&DS contracted backlog Source$34.2 billion
Backlog expected to convert in next twelve months Source$9.2 billion

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management said the foreign exchange impact is now about 80 basis points unfavorable compared with prior guidance, offsetting part of the higher organic and M&A contributions to revenue growth. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the new simplified organizational model was implemented effective January 1, 2026, and the company now reports two segments. Source
  • Ahead: Management said results exceeded the high end of its expectations for revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS. 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.