Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Friday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of 11.250-11.350 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 11.190. The company issued revenue guidance of $12.1 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $12.0 billion.

Quest Diagnostics Stock Performance

Shares of DGX stock traded down $0.81 on Friday, hitting $242.47. 244,613 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 978,881. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $237.53 and its two-hundred day moving average is $216.64. The company has a current ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. Quest Diagnostics has a one year low of $171.18 and a one year high of $248.84. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.76 billion, a PE ratio of 25.72, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.54.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 22nd. The medical research company reported $3.00 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.87 by $0.13. Quest Diagnostics had a return on equity of 16.01% and a net margin of 9.18%. The company had revenue of $3.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.05 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.60 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Quest Diagnostics will post 11.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Quest Diagnostics Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 21st. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 6th were paid a $0.86 dividend. This represents a $3.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, October 6th. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.52%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have commented on DGX shares. Weiss Ratings upgraded Quest Diagnostics from a “buy (a)” rating to a “buy (a+)” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Barclays increased their target price on Quest Diagnostics from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. Truist Financial upped their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, September 21st. Mizuho lifted their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $235.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, July 24th. Finally, UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $250.00 price target on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Monday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Quest Diagnostics presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $244.27.

Insider Buying and Selling at Quest Diagnostics

In related news, SVP Mark E. Delaney sold 1,600 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $235.18, for a total transaction of $376,288.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 10,335 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,430,585.30. The trade was a 13.41% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO J. E. Davis sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $242.72, for a total value of $2,427,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 122,423 shares in the company, valued at approximately $29,714,510.56. The trade was a 7.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 34,277 shares of company stock valued at $8,316,493. Company insiders own 0.88% of the company’s stock.

Key Quest Diagnostics News

Here are the key news stories impacting Quest Diagnostics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations. Third-quarter revenue increased 10% year over year to $3.10 billion, while adjusted diluted EPS reached $3.00, above analysts’ roughly $2.85–$2.87 estimate. Organic requisition volume rose 14.4%, indicating solid demand for diagnostic testing. Quest Diagnostics Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its full-year outlook. Quest now expects 2026 revenue of approximately $12.065 billion to $12.105 billion and adjusted EPS of $11.25 to $11.35, both above prior expectations. The company also expects consumer health revenue growth to exceed 30% this year. DGX Q3 Earnings and 2026 Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Momentum remains favorable. Third-quarter volume growth, margin improvement and the raised outlook support the long-term investment case, although valuation and broader market positioning may limit the immediate upside. Why Quest Diagnostics Is a Top Momentum Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Cybersecurity concerns are pressuring the shares. Quest confirmed unauthorized access to its Quanum Laboratory Services Manager system and said personal and health information stored in the system was compromised. The number of affected patients has not yet been disclosed, creating potential legal, regulatory, remediation and reputational costs. Quest Diagnostics Data Breach Report

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX) is a provider of diagnostic information services. The company performs laboratory testing that helps physicians, hospitals and other healthcare providers diagnose, treat and monitor diseases and health conditions. Its services include routine blood and other specimen testing, pathology, molecular and genetic testing, and specialized diagnostic services.

Quest Diagnostics serves a broad range of customers, including hospitals, physician practices, health plans, employers, government agencies and individual consumers.