Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Market Price (12/18/2025): $179.07 | Market Cap: $20.1 BilSector: Health Care | Industry: Health Care Services
Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Market Price (12/18/2025): $179.07Market Cap: $20.1 BilSector: Health CareIndustry: Health Care Services
Investment Highlights
Why It Matters
Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?
1. Generates cash flow
The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.
2. Riding a trend
Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow
| Attractive yieldTotal YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 6.2%, FCF Yield is 6.5% | Weak multi-year price returns2Y Excs Rtn is -11%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -41% | Key risksDGX key risks include [1] intense competition from technological advancements and the internalization of testing services, Show more. |
| Attractive cash flow generationCFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 17%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 13% | ||
| Low stock price volatilityVol 12M is 23% | ||
| Megatrend and thematic driversMegatrends include Biotechnology & Genomics, Precision Medicine, and Digital Health & Telemedicine. Themes include Advanced Diagnostics, Show more. |
| Attractive yieldTotal YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 6.2%, FCF Yield is 6.5% |
| Attractive cash flow generationCFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 17%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 13% |
| Low stock price volatilityVol 12M is 23% |
| Megatrend and thematic driversMegatrends include Biotechnology & Genomics, Precision Medicine, and Digital Health & Telemedicine. Themes include Advanced Diagnostics, Show more. |
| Weak multi-year price returns2Y Excs Rtn is -11%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -41% |
| Key risksDGX key risks include [1] intense competition from technological advancements and the internalization of testing services, Show more. |
Valuation, Metrics & Events
DGX Stock
Why The Stock Moved
Qualitative Assessment
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Here are key points explaining why Quest Diagnostics (DGX) stock may have moved by -1% during the approximate time period from August 31, 2025, to today:
1. Lowered GAAP EPS Guidance for Full Year 2025.
Quest Diagnostics lowered its GAAP earnings per share (EPS) guidance for the full year 2025 to a range of $8.58 to $8.66 from a prior range of $8.60 to $8.80, which reportedly contributed to shares falling after mixed earnings results were announced.
2. Projected Negative Impact from Hurricane Milton.
The company projected a negative impact on net revenues by approximately $15 million and on EPS by about 8 cents in the fourth quarter of 2024 due to disruption from Hurricane Milton.
Stock Movement Drivers
Return vs. Risk
Price Returns Compared
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total [1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||
| DGX Return | 14% | 48% | -8% | -10% | 12% | 21% | 89% |
| Peers Return | 38% | 16% | -30% | 24% | 21% | 1% | 70% |
| S&P 500 Return | 16% | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 14% | 108% |
Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||
| DGX Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 50% | 42% | 58% | 58% | |
| Peers Win Rate | 60% | 58% | 38% | 50% | 55% | 48% | |
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 73% | |
Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||
| DGX Max Drawdown | -31% | -3% | -29% | -22% | -10% | 0% | |
| Peers Max Drawdown | -37% | -15% | -44% | -8% | -7% | -28% | |
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -31% | -1% | -25% | -1% | -2% | -15% | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: HCA, LH, DVA, SEM, NEO. See DGX Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 12/17/2025 (YTD)
How Low Can It Go
| Event | DGX | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Inflation Shock | ||
| % Loss | -29.6% | -25.4% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 42.1% | 34.1% |
| Time to Breakeven | 887 days | 464 days |
| 2020 Covid Pandemic | ||
| % Loss | -36.6% | -33.9% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 57.7% | 51.3% |
| Time to Breakeven | 24 days | 148 days |
| 2018 Correction | ||
| % Loss | -30.6% | -19.8% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 44.2% | 24.7% |
| Time to Breakeven | 436 days | 120 days |
| 2008 Global Financial Crisis | ||
| % Loss | -31.0% | -56.8% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 44.8% | 131.3% |
| Time to Breakeven | 388 days | 1,480 days |
Compare to HCA, LH, DVA, SEM, NEO
In The Past
Quest Diagnostics's stock fell -29.6% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 12/31/2021. A -29.6% loss requires a 42.1% gain to breakeven.
Preserve Wealth
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Asset Allocation
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Latest Trefis Analyses
| Title | Topic | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DASHBOARDS | |||
| Quest Diagnostics Earnings Notes | |||
| How Low Can Quest Diagnostics Stock Really Go? | Return | ||
| Quest Diagnostics vs Southern: Which Is A Better Investment? | Counter-Intuitive Comparisons | ||
| Quest Diagnostics vs United Therapeutics: Which Is A Better Investment? | Counter-Intuitive Comparisons | ||
| How Does Quest Diagnostics Stock Stack Up Against Its Peers? | Peer Comparison | ||
| Better Bet Than DGX Stock: Pay Less Than Quest Diagnostics To Get More From SCCO, OKE | |||
| Better Bet Than DGX Stock: Pay Less Than Quest Diagnostics To Get More From UTHR, HALO | |||
| DGX Dip Buy Analysis | |||
| DGX YTD Stock Return Of 18% Outperforms NEO by 71% and Underperforms HCA by -11% | Return | ||
| Quest Diagnostics vs. Out Of Favor Health Care Stocks: Which Is A Better Investment? | Investment Theme Comparisons | ||
| ARTICLES | |||
| Will Quest Diagnostics Stock Rebound After A Large 19% Fall In A Month? | January 19th, 2022 |
Trade Ideas
Select past ideas related to DGX. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.
| Date | Ticker | Company | Category | Trade Strategy | 6M Fwd Rtn | 12M Fwd Rtn | 12M Max DD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11142025 | CRL | Charles River Laboratories International | Dip Buy | DB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High MarginBuying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin | 16.3% | 16.3% | -3.7% |
| 11142025 | GDRX | GoodRx | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | -7.1% | -7.1% | -11.8% |
| 11142025 | ASTH | Astrana Health | Dip Buy | DB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow YieldBuying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap | 3.6% | 3.6% | -5.5% |
| 11142025 | SGRY | Surgery Partners | Dip Buy | DB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow YieldBuying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap | 1.6% | 1.6% | -1.4% |
| 11072025 | TFX | Teleflex | Dip Buy | DB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High MarginBuying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin | 14.1% | 14.1% | -5.1% |
| 03312020 | DGX | Quest Diagnostics | Dip Buy | DB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High MarginBuying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin | 43.3% | 63.4% | -8.7% |
| Date | Ticker | Company | Category | Trade Strategy | 6M Fwd Rtn | 12M Fwd Rtn | 12M Max DD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11142025 | CRL | Charles River Laboratories International | Dip Buy | DB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High MarginBuying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin | 16.3% | 16.3% | -3.7% |
| 11142025 | GDRX | GoodRx | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | -7.1% | -7.1% | -11.8% |
| 11142025 | ASTH | Astrana Health | Dip Buy | DB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow YieldBuying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap | 3.6% | 3.6% | -5.5% |
| 11142025 | SGRY | Surgery Partners | Dip Buy | DB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow YieldBuying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap | 1.6% | 1.6% | -1.4% |
| 11072025 | TFX | Teleflex | Dip Buy | DB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High MarginBuying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin | 14.1% | 14.1% | -5.1% |
| 03312020 | DGX | Quest Diagnostics | Dip Buy | DB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High MarginBuying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin | 43.3% | 63.4% | -8.7% |
Research & Analysis
Invest in Strategies
Wealth Management
Peer Comparisons for Quest Diagnostics
| Peers to compare with: |
Financials
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Mkt Price | 148.76 |
| Mkt Cap | 14.3 |
| Rev LTM | 12,084 |
| Op Inc LTM | 1,448 |
| FCF LTM | 1,337 |
| FCF 3Y Avg | 1,042 |
| CFO LTM | 1,844 |
| CFO 3Y Avg | 1,492 |
Growth & Margins
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Rev Chg LTM | 9.2% |
| Rev Chg 3Y Avg | 5.6% |
| Rev Chg Q | 7.9% |
| QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM | 1.9% |
| Op Mgn LTM | 12.0% |
| Op Mgn 3Y Avg | 11.4% |
| QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM | 0.2% |
| CFO/Rev LTM | 13.7% |
| CFO/Rev 3Y Avg | 13.2% |
| FCF/Rev LTM | 9.9% |
| FCF/Rev 3Y Avg | 8.4% |
Valuation
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Mkt Cap | 14.3 |
| P/S | 1.4 |
| P/EBIT | 7.1 |
| P/E | 15.6 |
| P/CFO | 9.9 |
| Total Yield | 6.3% |
| Dividend Yield | 0.8% |
| FCF Yield 3Y Avg | 6.0% |
| D/E | 0.4 |
| Net D/E | 0.4 |
Returns
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| 1M Rtn | 0.0% |
| 3M Rtn | 8.5% |
| 6M Rtn | 1.1% |
| 12M Rtn | -3.9% |
| 3Y Rtn | 21.9% |
| 1M Excs Rtn | -0.7% |
| 3M Excs Rtn | 6.6% |
| 6M Excs Rtn | -11.3% |
| 12M Excs Rtn | -16.1% |
| 3Y Excs Rtn | -45.5% |
Comparison Analyses
Segment Financials
Revenue by Segment
| $ Mil | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Information Services (DIS) | 8,976 | 9,609 | 10,494 | 9,139 | 7,405 |
| Diagnostic Solutions (DS) | 276 | ||||
| All other operating segments | 274 | 294 | 298 | 321 | |
| Total | 9,252 | 9,883 | 10,788 | 9,437 | 7,726 |
| $ Mil | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Information Services (DIS) | 1,547 | 1,704 | 2,646 | 2,201 | 1,298 |
| Diagnostic Solutions (DS) | 34 | ||||
| General corporate activities | -319 | -296 | -294 | -269 | -109 |
| All other operating segments | 20 | 29 | 39 | 42 | |
| Total | 1,262 | 1,428 | 2,381 | 1,971 | 1,231 |
Returns Analyses
Earnings Returns History
Expand for More| Forward Returns | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Date | 1D Returns | 5D Returns | 21D Returns |
| 10/21/2025 | -3.0% | -5.3% | -2.7% |
| 7/22/2025 | 7.1% | 0.8% | 9.8% |
| 4/22/2025 | 6.8% | 9.2% | 10.1% |
| 1/30/2025 | 5.6% | 6.1% | 11.2% |
| 10/22/2024 | 6.9% | 5.8% | 9.4% |
| 7/23/2024 | -4.3% | -3.5% | 2.4% |
| 4/23/2024 | 5.1% | 7.2% | 10.2% |
| 2/1/2024 | -1.0% | -0.8% | -2.9% |
| ... | |||
| SUMMARY STATS | |||
| # Positive | 14 | 13 | 15 |
| # Negative | 10 | 11 | 9 |
| Median Positive | 4.0% | 6.1% | 9.8% |
| Median Negative | -3.4% | -2.6% | -5.3% |
| Max Positive | 7.1% | 18.5% | 20.6% |
| Max Negative | -6.8% | -11.6% | -14.9% |
SEC Filings
Expand for More| Report Date | Filing Date | Filing |
|---|---|---|
| 9302025 | 10212025 | 10-Q 9/30/2025 |
| 6302025 | 7232025 | 10-Q 6/30/2025 |
| 3312025 | 4232025 | 10-Q 3/31/2025 |
| 12312024 | 2202025 | 10-K 12/31/2024 |
| 9302024 | 10232024 | 10-Q 9/30/2024 |
| 6302024 | 7242024 | 10-Q 6/30/2024 |
| 3312024 | 4242024 | 10-Q 3/31/2024 |
| 12312023 | 2222024 | 10-K 12/31/2023 |
| 9302023 | 10252023 | 10-Q 9/30/2023 |
| 6302023 | 7272023 | 10-Q 6/30/2023 |
| 3312023 | 4282023 | 10-Q 3/31/2023 |
| 12312022 | 2212023 | 10-K 12/31/2022 |
| 9302022 | 10212022 | 10-Q 9/30/2022 |
| 6302022 | 7222022 | 10-Q 6/30/2022 |
| 3312022 | 4222022 | 10-Q 3/31/2022 |
| 12312021 | 2282022 | 10-K 12/31/2021 |
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