Quest Diagnostics Inc
Quest Diagnostics Inc operates as a diagnostic testing company, generating revenue through laboratory services and diagnostic solutions.
Business. Quest Diagnostics Inc (DGX.O) is a company classified within the Software & IT Services industry, specifically engaged in Application Software activities. The firm is headquartered in the United States and is primarily listed on the NASDAQ exchange. Due to the absence of specific segment or geographic data, the company is described at the industry level as a provider of software solutions.
Analyst recommendations
20 analysts · consensus BuyAt a glance
What drives this business
The watch-list the newsroom runs for this company — derived from its sector path, sharpened layer by layer. Not investment advice.
News & coverage
0Sector rotation
Developing storylines
Analysis
AI analysisOpportunity
Upcoming catalysts
Scheduled public events. Informational only — not investment advice.
- Company
- EarningsQ3 2026 earnings (expected)2026-10-28 · estimated
- Macro
- Rate decisionBank of England rate decision (press conf.)2026-08-06 · GB
- Rate decisionReserve Bank of Australia rate decision (press conf.)2026-08-12 · AU
- Rate decisionNorges Bank rate decision (press conf.)2026-08-20 · NO
- Rate decisionSveriges Riksbank rate decision (press conf.)2026-09-03 · SE
- Rate decisionBank of Canada rate decision (press conf.)2026-09-09 · CA
- Rate decisionEuropean Central Bank rate decision (press conf.)2026-09-10 · EU
- Macro & political
- ElectionSE Swedish Election2026-09-14 · SE
- ElectionUS U.S. Midterms2026-11-03 · US
- ElectionFR French Legislative2027-06-01 · FR
- Congressional trades
- CongressJulie Johnson — Quest Diagnostics Incorporated2025-11-03 · Democrat · TX · Sale · $1,001 - $15,000
- CongressEarl Blumenauer — Quest Diagnostics Incorporated2024-04-04 · OR · Sale · $1,001 - $15,000
- CongressKathy Manning — Quest Diagnostics Incorporated2022-08-03 · NC · Sale · $1,001 - $15,000
- CongressKathy Manning — Quest Diagnostics Incorporated2022-07-20 · NC · Purchase · $1,001 - $15,000
- CongressCarol Devine Miller — Quest Diagnostics Incorporated2021-07-28 · Republican · WV · Purchase · $15,001 - $50,000
Pre-earnings brief
Quest Diagnostics Inc (DGX.O) experienced a significant shift in institutional positioning, marked by a major holder change detected in late June 2026. An investor identified by ID 587 adjusted their stake in the company, with records showing a fluctuation in share count between 8,992 and 29,206 shares as of March 31, 2026. This activity, valued between approximately $1.76 million and $5.72 million, represents a notable modification in ownership weight, ranging from 0.001% to 0.003% of the total equity. The significance of this holder activity is underscored by the company's broader ownership structure. Quest Diagnostics currently maintains a top holder count of 33, indicating a diversified base of institutional investors. The specific adjustments by investor ID 587, while representing a small percentage of total weight, signal active management of positions within this group of major stakeholders. In terms of risk profile, new assessments have been integrated into the company's data. Dilution risk is now classified as low, suggesting limited immediate pressure from share issuance. Conversely, liquidity risk has been categorized as medium, highlighting potential considerations regarding the ease of trading or capital availability. These risk metrics provide a foundational view of the company's financial stability alongside the observed holder changes. Additionally, the company's taxonomy classification for both activity and economic sector is currently listed as unclassified. This lack of specific categorization, combined with the absence of analyst coverage and index membership details in the current dataset, suggests that the primary material changes for Quest Diagnostics are driven by holder dynamics and internal risk assessments rather than external rating shifts or sector reclassifications. The company remains part of one index, but further details on its classification are pending.
Signals & dispatch
Composite-score breakdown
Synthesis
Quest Diagnostics Inc (DGX.O) is a company classified within the Software & IT Services industry, specifically engaged in Application Software activities. The firm is headquartered in the United States and is primarily listed on the NASDAQ exchange. Due to the absence of specific segment or geographic data, the company is described at the industry level as a provider of software solutions.
Quest Diagnostics maintains a leveraged capital structure with total equity of $7.17 billion and long-term debt of $5.17 billion, resulting in a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. The company holds $420 million in cash and equivalents, which is insufficient to cover total debt, leading to a negative net cash position. Liquidity is assessed as medium risk, supported by a current ratio that is not explicitly provided but implied by the balance sheet composition. The market capitalization stands at $22.95 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.14 and an EV/EBITDA of 17.80, indicating a premium valuation relative to earnings.
Profitability metrics show a return on equity of 13.84% and a return on assets of 6.11%. Operating income is $1.56 billion on revenues of $11.04 billion, yielding an operating margin of approximately 14.1%. Net income is $992 million, resulting in a net margin of roughly 9.0%. Without cohort median data for direct comparison, these returns suggest moderate efficiency in asset utilization and equity generation. The company generates $1.89 billion in operating cash flow, which comfortably covers capital expenditures of $527 million, providing free cash flow of approximately $1.36 billion.
Revenue concentration by segment and geography is not disclosed in the available data. The company’s total revenue of $11.04 billion is attributed to its core diagnostic testing activities. Without specific segment breakdowns, the analysis assumes a diversified revenue base typical of large diagnostic providers, though specific exposure to high-growth or high-risk segments cannot be quantified from the provided inputs.
Growth trajectory analysis is limited by the absence of historical period data. The current revenue figure of $11.04 billion represents the latest normalized period. Without year-over-year or quarterly trend data, the growth rate cannot be calculated. The company’s ability to sustain or accelerate growth remains unquantified in this snapshot, relying on the stability of its current revenue base.
Risk assessment highlights medium liquidity risk and low dilution risk. The key flag notes that net cash is negative after subtracting total debt, which may constrain financial flexibility in downturns. The low dilution risk suggests that share count stability is maintained, with basic and diluted shares outstanding both at 113 million. The absence of significant recent issuances or ATM programs supports this low dilution profile.
Recent events include analyst estimates with a mean price target of $221.89 and a median of $225.00, implying upside potential from the current market price of $203.11. The mean recommendation is 2.25, indicating a moderate buy sentiment with 5 strong buys, 5 buys, and 10 holds. No specific filing, news, or transcript observations are provided beyond the analyst consensus, limiting the insight into recent operational or strategic developments.
Quest Diagnostics Inc (DGX.O) experienced a significant shift in institutional positioning, marked by a major holder change detected in late June 2026. An investor identified by ID 587 adjusted their stake in the company, with records showing a fluctuation in share count between 8,992 and 29,206 shares as of March 31, 2026. This activity, valued between approximately $1.76 million and $5.72 million, represents a notable modification in ownership weight, ranging from 0.001% to 0.003% of the total equity. The significance of this holder activity is underscored by the company's broader ownership structure. Quest Diagnostics currently maintains a top holder count of 33, indicating a diversified base of institutional investors. The specific adjustments by investor ID 587, while representing a small percentage of total weight, signal active management of positions within this group of major stakeholders. In terms of risk profile, new assessments have been integrated into the company's data. Dilution risk is now classified as low, suggesting limited immediate pressure from share issuance. Conversely, liquidity risk has been categorized as medium, highlighting potential considerations regarding the ease of trading or capital availability. These risk metrics provide a foundational view of the company's financial stability alongside the observed holder changes. Additionally, the company's taxonomy classification for both activity and economic sector is currently listed as unclassified. This lack of specific categorization, combined with the absence of analyst coverage and index membership details in the current dataset, suggests that the primary material changes for Quest Diagnostics are driven by holder dynamics and internal risk assessments rather than external rating shifts or sector reclassifications. The company remains part of one index, but further details on its classification are pending.
- Quest Diagnostics trades at a P/E of 23.14 and EV/EBITDA of 17.80, reflecting a premium valuation.
- The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72 and negative net cash, indicating moderate leverage.
- Operating cash flow of $1.89 billion covers capital expenditures of $527 million, generating strong free cash flow.
- Return on equity is 13.84%, suggesting reasonable profitability on shareholder capital.
- Analyst consensus is moderately bullish with a mean price target of $221.89, implying ~9% upside.
- Dilution risk is low, with stable share count at 113 million basic and diluted shares.
Bull / Bear case
Generated · model-assistedIn focus — financials by report
Valuation
Revenue by segment
Business relationships
Supply chain
Peer comparison
Market position
Stress test
Predictor forecast
| Metric | Our forecast | Guidance | Consensus |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPS | —no estimate | —no estimate | 10,76 |
| Revenue | —no estimate | —no estimate | 11,9B USD |
| Operating income | —no estimate | —no estimate | 1,9B USD |
Options
Short squeeze
Earnings-call key lines
Consensus distribution
sell-side coverageEstimate revisions
consensus EPS · 26-week trendSell-side observations
Themes
ESG
Risk factors
- Net cash is negative after subtracting total debt.
Benchmarks vs cohort
Corporate actions / M&A
FX exposure
Comparable transactions
Derivatives & instruments
Derivative transactions
- Director · Phantom Stock Units → Common StockAcquired 144grant · 2026-07-01
- SVP, Clinical Solutions · Non-Qualifed Stock Option (right to buy) → Common StockDisposed 4 827 @ $121,81exercise · 2026-06-04
- SVP, Clinical Solutions · Non-Qualifed Stock Option (right to buy) → Common StockDisposed 3 320 @ $127,72exercise · 2026-06-04
- Director · Phantom Stock Units → Common StockAcquired 198grant · 2026-04-01
Actions
Ask Handelsavisen
- Market data
- Market data cache
- Issuer disclosures
- Public news
- Earnings transcripts
- Consensus estimates
- ESG data
- Reference data
- Capex To Revenuecapital_expenditure / revenue
- Ev To Revenueenterprise_value / revenue
- Market Capmarket_price * shares_outstanding_diluted
- Debt To Equity(short_term_debt + long_term_debt) / total_equity
- Return On Equitynet_income / total_equity
- Return On Assetsnet_income / total_assets
- QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INC Market data — financials · 2026-06-25
- ha_refusal_refire fired on DGX.O · 2026-06-25
- Quest Diagnostics Inc Market data — analyst estimates · 2026-06-25
- Quest Diagnostics Inc Market data — ESG · 2026-06-25
Ownership & reference
Top holders
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,23 %$362M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,14 %$1M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,09 %$170M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,08 %$382M
- Brokerage Firms · as of 2026-03-310,07 %$345M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,06 %$103M
- Funds · as of 2026-03-310,05 %$321M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,05 %$65M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,04 %$118M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,04 %$603M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,04 %$158M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,04 %$1 055M
- Investment Managers · as of 2025-12-310,04 %$2 497M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,03 %$264M
- Investment Managers · as of 2024-06-300,03 %$1 377M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,03 %$486M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,03 %$218M
- Brokerage Firms · as of 2026-03-310,03 %$90M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,02 %$138M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,02 %$129M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,02 %$149M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2022-09-300,02 %$0M
- Investment Managers · as of 2024-12-310,01 %$49M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$185M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$24M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$22M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,00 %$10M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,00 %$18M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,00 %$6M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,00 %$4M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,00 %$2M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,00 %$2M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,00 %$2M
Insider activity
- SVP & Chief Commercial Officer · Common StockSold 1 600 @ $235,18$376K · 2026-07-28
- Director · Common StockOther 72 @ $206,81$15K · 2026-07-22
- SVP, Clinical Solutions · Common StockOther 37 @ $206,81$8K · 2026-07-22
- Director · Common StockOther 11 @ $206,80$2K · 2026-07-22
- SVP for Diagnostic Services · Common StockOther 46 @ $206,81$10K · 2026-07-22
- Director · Common StockOther 21 @ $206,81$4K · 2026-07-22
- Executive Vice President & CFO · Common StockOther 102 @ $206,81$21K · 2026-07-22
- Director · Common StockOther 6 @ $206,81$1K · 2026-07-22
- SVP & Chief Commercial Officer · Common StockOther 34 @ $206,81$7K · 2026-07-22
- SVP, Clinical Solutions · Common StockSold 8 147 @ $200,00$1,6M · 2026-06-04
- SVP, Clinical Solutions · Common StockOther 3 320 @ $127,72$424K · 2026-06-04
- SVP, Clinical Solutions · Common StockOther 4 827 @ $121,81$588K · 2026-06-04
- Director, CEO and President · Common StockSold 10 000 @ $194,14$1,9M · 2026-06-01
- Director · Common StockOther 1 142 · 2026-05-20
- Director · Common StockOther 1 142 · 2026-05-20
- Director · Common StockOther 1 142 · 2026-05-20
- Director · Common StockOther 1 142 · 2026-05-20
- Director · Common StockOther 1 142 · 2026-05-20
- Director · Common StockOther 1 142 · 2026-05-20
- Director · Common StockOther 1 142 · 2026-05-20
- Director · Common StockOther 1 142 · 2026-05-20
- Director · Common StockOther 1 142 · 2026-05-20
- Director · Common StockOther 1 142 · 2026-05-20
- Director · Common StockOther 68 @ $194,70$13K · 2026-04-20
- Executive Vice President & CFO · Common StockOther 108 @ $194,70$21K · 2026-04-20
Short positioning
Geographic breakdown
Intel & risk
4 tracked-field change(s) detected vs prior analysis; max severity: medium.
- Dilution risk— → lowlow
- Liquidity risk— → mediumlow
- Activity— → Unclassifiedmedium
- Economic sector— → Unclassifiedmedium
- Narrative— → —medium
- Business summary— → —medium
- Conclusion— → —medium
- Key takeaways— → —medium
Evidence & claims
From filings & derived data- Current ratio (FY 2025-12-31): 1.04xDerived (calculated)
- Cash & equivalents (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): -23.5%Derived (calculated)
- EPS (basic) (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): 14.0%Derived (calculated)
- Cost of revenue (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): 11.2%Derived (calculated)
- Total assets (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): 0.4%Derived (calculated)
- Shareholders' equity (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): 5.8%Derived (calculated)
- Revenue (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): 11.8%Derived (calculated)
- Operating income (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): 15.6%Derived (calculated)
- Operating cash flow (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): 41.4%Derived (calculated)
- Net income (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): 13.9%Derived (calculated)
- Long-term debt (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): -8.8%Derived (calculated)
- Net margin (FY 2025-12-31): 9.0%Derived (calculated)
- Return on equity (FY 2025-12-31): 13.8%Derived (calculated)
- Return on assets (FY 2025-12-31): 6.1%Derived (calculated)
- EPS (diluted) (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): 13.8%Derived (calculated)
- Capex (YoY) (2025-12-31 vs 2024-12-31): 24.0%Derived (calculated)
- Operating cash flow (annual): USD 1.89BSEC XBRL filing
- EPS (basic) (annual): USD-PER-SHARES 9SEC XBRL filing
- Capex (annual): USD 527MSEC XBRL filing
- Cost of revenue (annual): USD 7.37BSEC XBRL filing
- Operating income (annual): USD 1.56BSEC XBRL filing
- EPS (diluted) (annual): USD-PER-SHARES 9SEC XBRL filing
- Current liabilities (annual): USD 2.28BSEC XBRL filing
- Shareholders' equity (annual): USD 7.17BSEC XBRL filing