Q4 2024 EPS Estimates for Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) Decreased by Analyst

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) – Research analysts at William Blair decreased their Q4 2024 earnings per share estimates for Quest Diagnostics in a research report issued on Tuesday, April 23rd. William Blair analyst A. Brackmann now anticipates that the medical research company will earn $2.18 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $2.30. The consensus estimate for Quest Diagnostics’ current full-year earnings is $8.75 per share. William Blair also issued estimates for Quest Diagnostics’ Q1 2025 earnings at $2.30 EPS, Q2 2025 earnings at $2.47 EPS, Q3 2025 earnings at $2.44 EPS and Q4 2025 earnings at $2.35 EPS.

A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on DGX. Leerink Partnrs reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a research note on Monday, February 26th. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. SVB Leerink initiated coverage on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a research note on Monday, February 26th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $135.00 target price for the company. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Quest Diagnostics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $140.00 to $155.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Quest Diagnostics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Quest Diagnostics has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $146.25.

Quest Diagnostics Stock Performance

Shares of DGX stock opened at $137.55 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $128.69 and a 200 day moving average price of $131.08. The company has a market cap of $15.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.36, a PEG ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.91. Quest Diagnostics has a 12 month low of $119.59 and a 12 month high of $148.62.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, April 23rd. The medical research company reported $2.04 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.86 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $2.37 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.29 billion. Quest Diagnostics had a net margin of 9.11% and a return on equity of 15.52%. The company’s revenue was up 1.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.04 earnings per share.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. NBC Securities Inc. purchased a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd purchased a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC raised its holdings in Quest Diagnostics by 100.0% during the third quarter. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC now owns 218 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. BKM Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Spartan Planning & Wealth Management purchased a new position in Quest Diagnostics in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. 88.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 661 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.14, for a total value of $83,378.54. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 40,206 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,071,584.84. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 661 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.14, for a total transaction of $83,378.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 40,206 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,071,584.84. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 5,611 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.88, for a total transaction of $706,312.68. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 38,478 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,843,610.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 15,150 shares of company stock valued at $1,913,202. Insiders own 0.79% of the company’s stock.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 22nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 8th were issued a $0.75 dividend. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.18%. This is a boost from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.71. The ex-dividend date was Friday, April 5th. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio is presently 37.92%.

About Quest Diagnostics

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.