ALC vs. IQV: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ALC and IQV, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | ALC | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Alcon Inc. | IQVIA Holdings Inc. |
| Country | Switzerland | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 38.31 billion USD | 35.13 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | April 9, 2019 | May 9, 2013 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ALC and IQV by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ALC | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.70% | 14.34% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -14.05% | 25.81% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -25.45% | 17.20% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 0.56% | -10.84% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 1.15% | 8.79% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -22.05% | 5.15% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.10M | 1.42M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.09M | 1.83M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 27.92% | 48.20% |
| Beta | 0.97 | 1.37 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ALC
5.22%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 29.93%
- Q3
- 16.99%
- Median
- 9.28%
- Q1
- 5.10%
- Min
- -12.52%
ALC’s Return on Equity of 5.22% is on par with the norm for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
IQV
19.96%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.96%
- Q3
- 11.51%
- Median
- 6.47%
- Q1
- 3.86%
- Min
- -6.95%
In the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, IQV’s Return on Equity of 19.96% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ALC
11.28%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.41%
- Q3
- 13.71%
- Median
- 10.08%
- Q1
- 5.96%
- Min
- -5.58%
ALC’s Net Profit Margin of 11.28% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
IQV
7.88%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 32.18%
- Q3
- 18.30%
- Median
- 10.19%
- Q1
- 4.20%
- Min
- -2.05%
IQV’s Net Profit Margin of 7.88% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ALC
15.24%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.09%
- Q3
- 18.11%
- Median
- 15.07%
- Q1
- 8.48%
- Min
- -0.28%
ALC’s Operating Profit Margin of 15.24% is around the midpoint for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
IQV
13.85%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 38.39%
- Q3
- 21.40%
- Median
- 13.57%
- Q1
- 8.38%
- Min
- -3.51%
IQV’s Operating Profit Margin of 13.85% is around the midpoint for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ALC | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 5.22% | 19.96% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.69% | 4.50% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.28% | 7.88% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.24% | 13.85% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 54.25% | 34.25% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ALC
2.70
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 5.19
- Q3
- 3.00
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.86
ALC’s Current Ratio of 2.70 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
IQV
0.84
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.46
- Q3
- 2.78
- Median
- 1.91
- Q1
- 1.53
- Min
- 0.43
IQV’s Current Ratio of 0.84 falls into the lower quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ALC
0.24
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.61
- Q3
- 0.76
- Median
- 0.45
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.00
ALC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.24 is typical for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
IQV
2.68
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.35
- Q3
- 0.74
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.18
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.68, IQV operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
ALC
9.60
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 56.35
- Q3
- 25.56
- Median
- 9.60
- Q1
- 3.78
- Min
- -26.49
ALC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.60 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
IQV
3.68
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 45.00
- Q3
- 27.84
- Median
- 7.16
- Q1
- 2.12
- Min
- -14.08
IQV’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.68 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ALC | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.70 | 0.84 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.66 | 0.81 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.24 | 2.68 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 9.60 | 3.68 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ALC
0.35%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.15%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALC’s Dividend Yield of 0.35% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
IQV
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.41%
- Q3
- 0.65%
- Median
- 0.35%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
IQV currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
ALC
58.30%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 160.00%
- Q3
- 66.60%
- Median
- 27.49%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 58.30% is within the typical range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
IQV
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 113.14%
- Q3
- 61.34%
- Median
- 17.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
IQV has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ALC | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.35% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 58.30% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ALC
33.57
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 67.29
- Q3
- 47.01
- Median
- 30.94
- Q1
- 23.91
- Min
- 10.79
ALC’s P/E Ratio of 33.57 is within the middle range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
IQV
28.38
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 75.35
- Q3
- 51.00
- Median
- 32.93
- Q1
- 25.27
- Min
- 1.43
IQV’s P/E Ratio of 28.38 is within the middle range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ALC
3.79
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 9.49
- Q3
- 5.41
- Median
- 2.86
- Q1
- 2.07
- Min
- 0.74
ALC’s P/S Ratio of 3.79 aligns with the market consensus for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
IQV
2.24
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 10.49
- Q3
- 6.43
- Median
- 4.66
- Q1
- 2.88
- Min
- 1.08
In the lower quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, IQV’s P/S Ratio of 2.24 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ALC
2.37
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 10.85
- Q3
- 6.56
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 2.36
- Min
- 0.71
ALC’s P/B Ratio of 2.37 is within the conventional range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
IQV
4.72
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 6.69
- Q3
- 5.00
- Median
- 3.46
- Q1
- 2.38
- Min
- 0.93
IQV’s P/B Ratio of 4.72 is within the conventional range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ALC | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 33.57 | 28.38 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3.79 | 2.24 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.37 | 4.72 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 25.87 | 17.46 |