Key Points
- SVP Patrick Plewman sold 5,662 shares at an average price of $204 on Feb 10, reducing his holding by about 26.9% (remaining 15,381 shares), per the SEC filing.
- Q4 results beat expectations: Quest reported $2.42 EPS vs. $2.35 expected and $2.81B revenue (up 7.1% YoY), and set FY‑2026 guidance of $9.45–$9.65 per share (analysts see ~9.7 EPS).
- Board approved a $1.0 billion share repurchase (≈4.7% of outstanding shares) and raised the quarterly dividend to $0.86 ($3.44 annualized, ~1.7% yield), signaling shareholder‑friendly capital allocation.
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX - Get Free Report) SVP Patrick Plewman sold 5,662 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $204.00, for a total transaction of $1,155,048.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 15,381 shares in the company, valued at $3,137,724. This represents a 26.91% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.
Quest Diagnostics Stock Down 1.1%
Shares of NYSE DGX opened at $207.12 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.04. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 1 year low of $157.20 and a 1 year high of $213.20. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $182.76 and its 200-day simple moving average is $182.13. The firm has a market cap of $23.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.67, a PEG ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.66.
Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The medical research company reported $2.42 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.35 by $0.07. Quest Diagnostics had a return on equity of 15.57% and a net margin of 8.99%.The firm had revenue of $2.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.75 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.23 EPS. Quest Diagnostics's quarterly revenue was up 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. Quest Diagnostics has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.45-9.650 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 9.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Quest Diagnostics announced that its board has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Tuesday, February 10th that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the medical research company to purchase up to 4.7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually a sign that the company's board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.
Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 20th. Investors of record on Monday, April 6th will be paid a $0.86 dividend. This represents a $3.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.7%. This is a boost from Quest Diagnostics's previous quarterly dividend of $0.80. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 6th. Quest Diagnostics's payout ratio is presently 36.57%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
DGX has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Leerink Partners boosted their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $203.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 21st. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $215.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on Quest Diagnostics from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Robert W. Baird set a $219.00 target price on Quest Diagnostics in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $207.00 target price on Quest Diagnostics and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $208.93.
View Our Latest Stock Report on DGX
Key Quest Diagnostics News
Here are the key news stories impacting Quest Diagnostics this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Better-than-expected Q4 results and stronger guidance helped drive a fresh 12‑month high, supporting the view that growth and margins are improving. Read More.
- Positive Sentiment: The board approved a $1.0 billion share repurchase authorization (about 4.7% of shares outstanding), which is shareholder‑friendly and typically supports EPS and the stock price. Read More.
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades/target raises: Mizuho raised its target to $235 (Outperform) and Barclays raised to $225 (Overweight), reflecting bullish analyst views and additional upside to consensus. Read More. Read More.
- Positive Sentiment: Major analysts reiterated constructive ratings — Morgan Stanley reiterated a Buy citing a strong 2026 outlook and margin expansion, and Citigroup published a bullish price‑appreciation forecast. These endorsements support longer‑term demand. Read More. Read More.
- Neutral Sentiment: Analytical pieces question sustainability after a 52‑week high and review fundamentals — useful context for assessing valuation and the potential for continued upside. Read More.
- Neutral Sentiment: The Q4 earnings call transcript is available for investors who want management’s commentary on trends, margin drivers, and the 2026 outlook (useful but not market-moving by itself). Read More.
- Negative Sentiment: An insider sale: SVP Patrick Plewman sold 5,662 shares (~27% reduction of his holding) at about $204, which can spook some investors or be interpreted as tactical selling. Read More.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Quest Diagnostics
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Quest Diagnostics by 114.3% in the fourth quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 150 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the period. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 113.7% in the 4th quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 156 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. MTM Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Sittner & Nelson LLC acquired a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC grew its stake in Quest Diagnostics by 369.7% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 155 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 122 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.06% of the company's stock.
About Quest Diagnostics
(
Get Free Report)
Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) is a leading provider of diagnostic information services that supports clinical decision-making for patients, physicians and healthcare organizations. The company operates a network of clinical laboratories and patient service centers that perform a broad range of laboratory tests and diagnostic assays used in routine care, disease diagnosis, monitoring and screening.
Its services span core clinical laboratory testing, anatomic pathology, molecular and genomic diagnostics, infectious disease testing and toxicology.
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