Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) Price Target Raised to $189.00

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) had its target price boosted by Mizuho from $178.00 to $189.00 in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the medical research company’s stock.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Truist Financial upped their price objective on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $172.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $168.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com lowered shares of Quest Diagnostics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Redburn Partners set a $195.00 price target on Quest Diagnostics in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, Piper Sandler reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $180.00 price objective (up from $165.00) on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Quest Diagnostics currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $181.33.

Quest Diagnostics Stock Performance

NYSE:DGX opened at $163.82 on Wednesday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $168.51 and its 200 day moving average is $159.92. The firm has a market cap of $18.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.30, a PEG ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.10. Quest Diagnostics has a 52-week low of $125.42 and a 52-week high of $178.87.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $2.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.19 by $0.04. Quest Diagnostics had a net margin of 8.80% and a return on equity of 15.07%. Research analysts predict that Quest Diagnostics will post 9.7 EPS for the current year.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 21st. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 7th will be issued a $0.80 dividend. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.95%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 7th. This is a positive change from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 41.61%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Quest Diagnostics

In other news, SVP Mark E. Delaney sold 403 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $164.30, for a total transaction of $66,212.90. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 4,624 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $759,723.20. The trade was a 8.02 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Vicky B. Gregg sold 1,250 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.57, for a total value of $205,712.50. Following the transaction, the director now owns 16,867 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,775,802.19. This represents a 6.90 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 55,903 shares of company stock worth $9,460,221. 0.79% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Quest Diagnostics

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of DGX. Radnor Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Quest Diagnostics in the first quarter worth about $213,000. SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 23.5% in the 1st quarter. SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,132 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $361,000 after acquiring an additional 405 shares in the last quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $421,000. Atwater Malick LLC boosted its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 2.7% during the first quarter. Atwater Malick LLC now owns 56,648 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $9,585,000 after purchasing an additional 1,512 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Curat Global LLC purchased a new stake in Quest Diagnostics in the first quarter worth $102,000. Institutional investors own 88.06% of the company’s stock.

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.