Insider Selling: Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) SVP Sells $1,488,683.10 in Stock

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) SVP Mark Delaney sold 7,946 shares of Quest Diagnostics stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $187.35, for a total value of $1,488,683.10. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 7,530 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,410,745.50. This trade represents a 51.34% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.

Quest Diagnostics Price Performance

Shares of Quest Diagnostics stock opened at $191.10 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.26 billion, a PE ratio of 22.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 0.58. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $183.46 and its 200-day moving average price is $178.58. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 12 month low of $148.70 and a 12 month high of $197.55.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 21st. The medical research company reported $2.60 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 company had revenue of $2.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.73 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.30 EPS. Quest Diagnostics’s quarterly revenue was up 13.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Quest Diagnostics has set its FY 2025 guidance at 9.760-9.840 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 9.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Quest Diagnostics Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 28th. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 13th will be given a $0.80 dividend. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, January 13th. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 37.56%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Quest Diagnostics

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

DGX has been the subject of several analyst reports. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $195.00 to $205.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Baird R W lowered Quest Diagnostics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, August 25th. Barclays raised their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on Quest Diagnostics from $185.00 to $190.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Quest Diagnostics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $196.31.

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.