Analysts Set Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) Price Target at $197.27

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) has earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the eighteen research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $197.2667.

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on DGX. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $180.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on Quest Diagnostics from $200.00 to $215.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Wall Street Zen downgraded Quest Diagnostics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, November 8th. Baird R W cut Quest Diagnostics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, August 25th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their target price on Quest Diagnostics from $195.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd.

Quest Diagnostics Price Performance

DGX opened at $178.67 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $183.65 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $179.83. The firm has a market capitalization of $19.88 billion, a PE ratio of 20.97, a P/E/G ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.62. Quest Diagnostics has a 52 week low of $148.70 and a 52 week high of $197.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.13.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 21st. The medical research company reported $2.60 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.51 by $0.09. Quest Diagnostics had a return on equity of 15.47% and a net margin of 8.91%.The business had revenue of $2.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.73 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.30 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 13.2% on a year-over-year basis. Quest Diagnostics has set its FY 2025 guidance at 9.760-9.840 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Quest Diagnostics will post 9.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Quest Diagnostics Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 28th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 13th will be given a dividend of $0.80 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 13th. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.8%. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio is 37.56%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Quest Diagnostics

In other Quest Diagnostics news, CEO J. E. Davis sold 55,093 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $192.22, for a total transaction of $10,589,976.46. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 120,480 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $23,158,665.60. This represents a 31.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Gary M. Pfeiffer sold 1,482 shares of Quest Diagnostics stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.40, for a total value of $270,316.80. Following the transaction, the director owned 29,431 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,368,214.40. The trade was a 4.79% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 94,461 shares of company stock valued at $17,957,361 in the last three months. 8.16% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Perigon Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,275 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $243,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Independent Advisor Alliance raised its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Independent Advisor Alliance now owns 4,232 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $807,000 after buying an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. True North Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 4.1% during the 3rd quarter. True North Advisors LLC now owns 1,554 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $296,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the last quarter. Ossiam boosted its stake in Quest Diagnostics by 6.1% in the third quarter. Ossiam now owns 1,059 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $202,000 after buying an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Finally, OLD Second National Bank of Aurora grew its position in Quest Diagnostics by 14.9% in the third quarter. OLD Second National Bank of Aurora now owns 517 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $99,000 after acquiring an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. 88.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Quest Diagnostics Company Profile

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated provides diagnostic testing and services in the United States and internationally. The company develops and delivers diagnostic information services, such as routine, non-routine and advanced clinical testing, anatomic pathology testing, and other diagnostic information services.