Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) EVP Sells $90,794.85 in Stock

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) EVP Catherine T. Doherty sold 535 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.71, for a total value of $90,794.85. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 71,356 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,109,826.76. This trade represents a 0.74 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

Quest Diagnostics Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE DGX traded up $0.30 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $172.44. 727,359 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,035,902. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 1.02. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a twelve month low of $123.66 and a twelve month high of $172.91. The company has a market cap of $19.25 billion, a PE ratio of 22.42, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.91. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $157.21 and its 200-day simple moving average is $155.68.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $2.23 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.19 by $0.04. Quest Diagnostics had a return on equity of 15.07% and a net margin of 8.80%. Research analysts predict that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 9.7 EPS for the current fiscal 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 given a dividend of $0.80 per share. This is a positive change from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 7th. This represents a $3.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.86%. Quest Diagnostics’s payout ratio is 39.01%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 340.4% in the 4th quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 251 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 194 shares during the last quarter. First Financial Corp IN purchased a new position in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $38,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Finally, Global Trust Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $49,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.06% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently commented on DGX. Barclays upped their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $168.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Morgan Stanley upgraded Quest Diagnostics from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their target price for the company from $145.00 to $172.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. UBS Group increased their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $166.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $173.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, Leerink Partnrs raised Quest Diagnostics from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $177.69.

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.