Core Insights - Artisan Partners' "Artisan Select Equity Fund" reported returns of 6.77%, 6.76%, and 6.80% for its Investor Class, Advisor Class, and Institutional Class respectively in Q2 2025, underperforming the S&P 500 Index which returned 10.94% [1] Company Insights - IQVIA Holdings Inc. is highlighted as a key stock in the Artisan Select Equity Fund's portfolio, operating in the analytical technology services and clinical research sector for life sciences and healthcare [2][3] - The stock of IQVIA Holdings Inc. experienced a one-month return of -5.90% and a 52-week decline of 24.23%, closing at $179.56 per share with a market capitalization of $30.525 billion as of September 26, 2025 [2] Industry Insights - The contract research organization (CRO) industry, where IQVIA is a leader, has seen a significant increase in clinical trial outsourcing, with penetration rising from approximately 30% 15 years ago to over 50% currently, with projections suggesting it could reach 70% or more [3] - IQVIA holds a 22% market share in the CRO industry, followed closely by ICON and PPD (a unit of ThermoFisher), each with a 20% share, indicating a fragmented industry landscape [3]

Group 1 - Illumina's stock has dropped by 11% in a week due to increased competition from China's MGI Tech, which is gaining market share in DNA sequencing [2] - MGI Tech's global market presence remains strong despite a recent decline in international sales due to U.S. sanctions [2] - IQVIA presents stronger revenue growth at 5.3% compared to Illumina's decline of 4.8%, indicating a potentially better investment opportunity [3][6] Group 2 - Illumina offers solutions for genomic analysis and sequencing, serving research and clinical markets globally [4] - IQVIA provides advanced analytics and clinical research services, including cloud applications and project management for the life sciences sector [4] - IQVIA's revenue growth for the last 12 months is 3.6%, surpassing Illumina's -3.3%, and IQVIA's average margin is 13.7% compared to Illumina's 6.7% [6]

Group 1: Broyhill Asset Management Performance - Broyhill Partners appreciated 3.7% net of all fees and expenses in Q2 2025, underperforming the MSCI All Country World Index which returned 11.7% [1] - For the six months ended June 30, the strategy returned 6.6% net of all fees and expenses, compared to 10.3% for the index [1] Group 2: IQVIA Holdings Inc. Overview - IQVIA Holdings Inc. (NYSE:IQV) is an analytical technology services and clinical research provider for the life sciences and healthcare industries [2] - The stock experienced a one-month return of -0.50% and a 52-week loss of 21.44%, closing at $190.20 per share with a market capitalization of $32.334 billion on September 18, 2025 [2] Group 3: Investment Insights on IQVIA Holdings Inc. - Broyhill Asset Management added a new position in IQVIA Holdings Inc. following a market dislocation, recognizing its entrenched revenue stream and competitive advantages [3] - IQVIA is a result of the 2016 merger between Quintiles and IMS Health, focusing on later-stage trials and generating significant profits from its technology and data business [3] - Despite its strengths, IQVIA shares are valued at 11x forward earnings, which is below historical levels [3] Group 4: Market Position and Earnings of IQVIA Holdings Inc. - IQVIA Holdings reported record revenue of $4 billion in Q2 2025, but is not among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with 65 hedge fund portfolios holding the stock at the end of Q2, down from 67 in the previous quarter [4] - While IQVIA is recognized for its potential, certain AI stocks are viewed as offering greater upside potential and less downside risk [4]

Company Overview - IQVIA Holdings Inc. has a market cap of $32.2 billion and is a leading global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions, and clinical research services for the life sciences industry [1] - The company operates through four segments: Technology & Analytics Solutions, Research & Development Solutions, Contract Sales & Medical Solutions, and Contract Sales & Medical Solutions [1] Market Position and Growth Potential - IQVIA is classified as a "large-cap" stock and is positioned for steady growth due to its diverse offerings and strong backlog, with digital health and AI trends providing long-term tailwinds [2] - The company has a consensus rating of "Strong Buy" from 22 analysts, with a mean price target of $213.52, indicating a potential upside of 16.1% from current market prices [6] Stock Performance - Shares of IQVIA have decreased 25.9% from their 52-week high of $248.03, but have surged 15.1% over the past three months, outperforming the Langar Global Healthtech ETF's (LGHT) 1.3% decrease [3] - Year-to-date, IQVIA's stock has declined 6.4%, lagging behind LGHT's marginal rise, and over the past 52 weeks, shares have plunged nearly 21.8%, compared to LGHT's 2.3% drop [4] Recent Financial Results - On July 22, IQVIA shares jumped 17.9% following the release of Q2 results, with adjusted EPS of $2.81 exceeding Wall Street's estimate of $2.76, and revenue of $4.02 billion surpassing expectations of $3.96 billion [5] - The company guided for full-year adjusted EPS between $11.75 and $12.05 and revenue in the range of $16.1 to $16.3 billion [5] Competitive Landscape - Top rival Agilent Technologies, Inc. has seen its shares fall 7.6% year-to-date and 10.1% over the past 52 weeks, which is a greater decline than IQVIA's performance during the same timeframe [6]

Group 1 - The company IQVIA (NYSE: IQV) is rated with a buy recommendation, indicating a positive outlook for generating value for investors [1] - The analysis suggests that despite regulatory changes, such as the U.S. President signing an executive order affecting drugmakers, the company is expected to perform well [1] Group 2 - The analyst has a background in economics and statistics, with experience in analyzing agricultural commodities and managing trading and data analysis teams [1] - The analyst's approach to generating investment recommendations is based on financial statements, regulations, and macroeconomic variables [1]

Group 1 - IQVIA Holdings Inc. has partnered with Flagship Pioneering to enhance the growth of innovative life sciences companies [2][3] - The collaboration will leverage IQVIA's extensive data assets, AI-driven analytics, and expertise throughout the drug development cycle, aiming to improve the success rate of early-stage therapies [3][4] - Both companies anticipate that this partnership will lead to faster and more efficient drug development, ultimately delivering transformative treatments to patients and creating long-term value in the life sciences sector [4] Group 2 - Despite the potential of IQVIA as an investment, there are other AI stocks that are perceived to offer greater upside potential and lower downside risk [5]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for the quarter was $789 million, with non-GAAP operating income of $353 million, exceeding guidance [7] - The company raised its full-year billings guidance by $35 million, aligning with the revenue increase [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - R&D subscriptions and services showed larger upside compared to previous models, indicating strong performance in this segment [20] - Commercial subscriptions remained flat quarter-over-quarter, with Crossix highlighted as a strong performer [72] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The resolution of the lawsuit with IQVIA is expected to unlock significant opportunities in the commercial area, enhancing product offerings and customer satisfaction [11][14] - The company has nine top 20 customers committed to Vault CRM, compared to three for Salesforce, indicating a strong competitive position [51] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on Veeva AI as a transformative element for both Veeva and the industry, with plans to monetize AI through industry-specific agents [7][27] - The resolution with IQVIA allows for greater integration of data into Veeva's products, enhancing the overall commercial suite [71] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving the $6 billion revenue target over the next five years, with no material changes expected in the quality segment [22] - The macro environment remains stable, with customers effectively navigating uncertainty and continuing to build pipelines [121] Other Important Information - The company is working on a platform-first approach for horizontal software, with CRM as the first application to be developed [63] - The integration of AI into the Vault platform is expected to create significant value for the industry over time, although material revenue contributions are not anticipated until 2026 or 2027 [29][30] Q&A Session Summary Question: Resolution of the lawsuit with IQVIA - Management noted that the resolution was due to changes in the industry and a mutual understanding that collaboration would benefit customers [11] Question: Confidence in billings guidance - Management indicated that annual billings are a better indicator of performance, and they are pleased with the increase in guidance [16] Question: Evolution of quality cloud - Management confirmed that quality cloud is receiving elevated focus and is expected to be a significant area of growth [20] Question: AI opportunities - Management discussed the potential for AI to enhance productivity and efficiency across various applications, with a focus on deep industry-specific agents [27][46] Question: Customer reaction to IQVIA resolution - Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many exploring new possibilities for integration [34] Question: R&D subscription growth - Management attributed the growth to broad-based execution and a stable environment [40] Question: Resistance to change in Compass product suite - Management acknowledged some resistance but expressed confidence in overcoming these challenges as customers adapt [116]

Investment Rating - The report assigns a "Buy" rating to Thermo Fisher, while other companies such as Danaher, Samsung Bio, and Lonza remain unrated [2]. Core Insights - The report highlights that the impact of tariffs on the life sciences upstream sector is less than expected, leading to an overall upward revision of performance guidance for 2025 by most companies [4][29]. - Clinical CRO orders have unexpectedly increased, driven by strong biotech client demand, although the sustainability of this trend remains uncertain [4][31]. - The revenue recovery is outpacing profit recovery, with cost control pressures increasing due to external macroeconomic challenges [6][14]. Summary by Sections Performance Analysis - In 1H25, the performance of overseas CXO and life sciences upstream companies remained under pressure, but a sequential improvement was observed in 2Q25, with 7 out of 10 tracked companies showing revenue growth compared to 1Q25 [6][31]. - The median and average revenue growth rates for 2Q25 were +4.3% and +7.1%, respectively, compared to +0.2% and +6.0% in 1Q25, primarily driven by clinical CRO companies [6][8]. Tariff Impact - The impact of tariffs on sales of instruments and equipment for drug development and production was reported to be less than anticipated, with management from major life sciences companies indicating a more favorable outlook [29][30]. - Companies like Thermo Fisher and Danaher have adjusted their performance guidance upwards, reflecting a more optimistic view on tariff impacts [29][30]. Demand Trends - The C(D)MO sector continues to see strong commercial production demand, while life sciences upstream companies benefit from a recovery in consumable demand as clients complete inventory destocking [31][32]. - Clinical CRO demand has been bolstered by unexpected growth from biotech clients, although the sustainability of this demand is still in question [33][34]. Financial Metrics - The average gross margin for heavy asset companies decreased from 50.2% in 2021 to 45.7% in 2024, but showed signs of recovery in 2Q25 [15]. - The report notes that capital expenditures are expected to reverse the declining trend observed in 2023-24, potentially increasing future depreciation pressures [17]. Market Reactions - Following the release of 2Q25 results, stock prices for most overseas CXO and life sciences companies reacted positively, particularly for clinical CROs, which saw significant price increases due to better-than-expected performance [24][25].

Core Viewpoint - The company, Sinovac Biotech, has established a comprehensive strategic partnership with IQVIA to enhance the clinical design, registration, and commercialization of its innovative drugs and biosimilars in Europe and globally [1] Group 1 - The partnership aims to leverage the strengths of both companies to advance the development of Sinovac's products [1] - The collaboration will focus on the clinical design and registration processes, indicating a commitment to regulatory compliance and market readiness [1] - The strategic alliance is expected to facilitate the commercialization of Sinovac's innovative drugs and biosimilars, potentially increasing market access and revenue opportunities [1]

Core Viewpoint - Iqvia Holdings Inc. (IQV.US) has been upgraded from AA to AAA in MSCI ESG ratings as of July 29, 2025 [1] Group 1 - The upgrade reflects an improvement in the company's environmental, social, and governance practices [1]