Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) Shares Purchased by UniSuper Management Pty Ltd

UniSuper Management Pty Ltd lifted its holdings in Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) by 16.4% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 14,688 shares of the medical research company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,069 shares during the quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd’s holdings in Quest Diagnostics were worth $2,216,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of DGX. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 60.4% in the fourth quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,433,913 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $367,180,000 after buying an additional 916,898 shares in the last quarter. Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Co purchased a new stake in Quest Diagnostics in the 4th quarter worth $1,807,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its position in Quest Diagnostics by 5.1% during the fourth quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 177,389 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $26,949,000 after acquiring an additional 8,665 shares during the period. Korea Investment CORP increased its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 44.3% during the fourth quarter. Korea Investment CORP now owns 44,329 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $6,687,000 after purchasing an additional 13,600 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Borer Denton & Associates Inc. raised its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 4.4% during the 4th quarter. Borer Denton & Associates Inc. now owns 6,862 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $1,035,000 after purchasing an additional 287 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.06% of the company’s stock.

Quest Diagnostics Price Performance

Shares of DGX stock opened at $167.28 on Monday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $166.64 and its two-hundred day moving average is $159.09. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 12 month low of $125.42 and a 12 month high of $178.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 1.02. The company has a market capitalization of $18.56 billion, a PE ratio of 21.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.92.

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

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 21st. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 7th will be issued a dividend of $0.80 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 7th. This is a boost from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.91%. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio is currently 41.61%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on DGX shares. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Quest Diagnostics from $172.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Bank of America boosted their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $179.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, December 13th. Leerink Partnrs raised Quest Diagnostics from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $185.00 target price (up previously from $175.00) on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, Citigroup cut shares of Quest Diagnostics from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $185.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $178.38.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Quest Diagnostics news, SVP Mark E. Delaney sold 403 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.30, for a total transaction of $66,212.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 4,624 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $759,723.20. This trade represents a 8.02 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Vicky B. Gregg sold 1,250 shares of the business’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 transaction of $205,712.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 16,867 shares in the company, valued at $2,775,802.19. This trade represents a 6.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 14,157 shares of company stock valued at $2,423,755. 0.79% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Quest Diagnostics 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.