Barclays Boosts Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) Price Target to $154.00

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) had its target price increased by Barclays from $144.00 to $154.00 in a research note released on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the medical research company’s stock.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $152.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, May 30th. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $153.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Citigroup raised shares of Quest Diagnostics from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $145.00 to $165.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. StockNews.com raised shares of Quest Diagnostics from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their price target on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $150.00 to $158.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Monday, July 15th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $154.33.

Quest Diagnostics Stock Performance

DGX opened at $156.23 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. The company has a market cap of $17.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.03, a PEG ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 0.89. The company’s 50 day moving average is $145.66 and its 200 day moving average is $137.66. Quest Diagnostics has a 12-month low of $119.59 and a 12-month high of $156.71.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 23rd. The medical research company reported $2.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.31 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $2.40 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.39 billion. Quest Diagnostics had a net margin of 8.99% and a return on equity of 15.35%. The firm’s revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.30 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Quest Diagnostics will post 8.89 EPS for the current year.

Quest Diagnostics Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 4th will be given a dividend of $0.75 per share. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.92%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 4th. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 40.38%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Quest Diagnostics

In other news, SVP Karthik Kuppusamy sold 1,990 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.26, for a total transaction of $304,987.40. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 11,459 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,756,206.34. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, SVP Mark E. Delaney sold 420 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $143.08, for a total transaction of $60,093.60. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 5,019 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $718,118.52. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Karthik Kuppusamy sold 1,990 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.26, for a total transaction of $304,987.40. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 11,459 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,756,206.34. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.79% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Quest Diagnostics

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. boosted its position in Quest Diagnostics by 1.6% in the 2nd quarter. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 4,697 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $643,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors lifted its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 4,933 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $657,000 after buying an additional 77 shares in the last quarter. New England Capital Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 24.7% during the 1st quarter. New England Capital Financial Advisors LLC now owns 389 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $52,000 after buying an additional 77 shares in the last quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. lifted its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. now owns 1,795 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $246,000 after buying an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Keudell Morrison Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 3.8% during the 1st quarter. Keudell Morrison Wealth Management now owns 2,312 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $308,000 after buying an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. 88.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.