Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Market Price (12/15/2025): $182.27 | Market Cap: $20.4 BilSector: Health Care | Industry: Health Care Services
Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Market Price (12/15/2025): $182.27Market Cap: $20.4 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 -8.5%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -43% | |
| 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 -8.5%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -43% |
Valuation, Metrics & Events
DGX Stock
Why The Stock Moved
Qualitative Assessment
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Here are five key points that contributed to the approximately 1% stock movement for Quest Diagnostics (DGX) during the period from August 31, 2025, to December 15, 2025: 1. Strong Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results. Quest Diagnostics announced robust third-quarter 2025 financial results on October 21, 2025, surpassing analysts' consensus estimates for both earnings per share (EPS) and revenue. The company subsequently raised its full-year 2025 guidance, indicating positive operational performance and an optimistic outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year. 2. Strategic Collaborations and Expanded Test Offerings. The company engaged in several strategic partnerships during this period, enhancing its service portfolio and market reach. Noteworthy collaborations include an agreement with Guardant Health on September 24, 2025, to broaden access to the Shield™ Blood-based Screening Test, a partnership with WHOOP on September 18, 2025, to integrate clinical lab testing into its app, and a collaboration with Octave Bioscience on December 1, 2025, to expand access to the Octave® Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity Test. These initiatives signal business expansion and potential for future revenue streams.
Show moreStock Movement Drivers
Return vs. Risk
Price Returns Compared
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total [1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||
| DGX Return | 14% | 48% | -8% | -10% | 12% | 23% | 92% |
| Peers Return | 38% | 16% | -30% | 24% | 21% | 3% | 73% |
| S&P 500 Return | 16% | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 16% | 111% |
Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||
| DGX Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 50% | 42% | 58% | 58% | |
| Peers Win Rate | 60% | 58% | 38% | 50% | 55% | 50% | |
| 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 12/12/2025 (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 | 1480 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.
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Asset Allocation
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Latest Trefis Analyses
| Title | Topic | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DASHBOARDS | |||
| Quest Diagnostics Earnings Notes | |||
| Can Quest Diagnostics Stock Hold Up When Markets Turn? | 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 | 15.0% | 15.0% | -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 | -5.1% | -5.1% | -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 | 9.0% | 9.0% | -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 | 2.3% | 2.3% | -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 | 16.0% | 16.0% | -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 | 15.0% | 15.0% | -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 | -5.1% | -5.1% | -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 | 9.0% | 9.0% | -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 | 2.3% | 2.3% | -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 | 16.0% | 16.0% | -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 | 151.95 |
| Mkt Cap | 14.6 |
| 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 | 14.6 |
| 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 | 1.2% |
| 3M Rtn | 10.0% |
| 6M Rtn | 2.8% |
| 12M Rtn | -2.2% |
| 3Y Rtn | 25.1% |
| 1M Excs Rtn | 1.3% |
| 3M Excs Rtn | 7.7% |
| 6M Excs Rtn | -11.4% |
| 12M Excs Rtn | -16.7% |
| 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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