Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) Receives $172.15 Consensus Target Price from Brokerages

Shares of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) have been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fifteen ratings firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, seven have given a buy recommendation and two have given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $172.15.

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $185.00 price target (up previously from $175.00) on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Tuesday, December 10th. Citigroup increased their target price on Quest Diagnostics from $165.00 to $185.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Bank of America lifted their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $179.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, December 13th. Mizuho upped their price objective on Quest Diagnostics from $160.00 to $174.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Quest Diagnostics from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $145.00 to $172.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 17th.

Quest Diagnostics Stock Up 2.3 %

Shares of NYSE DGX opened at $155.36 on Thursday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $155.66 and a 200-day moving average of $153.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.88, a PEG ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83. Quest Diagnostics has a 12 month low of $123.04 and a 12 month high of $165.32.

Quest Diagnostics Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 29th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 14th will be issued a $0.75 dividend. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.93%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, January 14th. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 40.32%.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Karthik Kuppusamy sold 1,775 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $156.92, for a total transaction of $278,533.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 9,734 shares in the company, valued at $1,527,459.28. The trade was a 15.42 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Michael J. Deppe sold 18,755 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $154.05, for a total transaction of $2,889,207.75. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 34,941 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,382,661.05. This trade represents a 34.93 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.79% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Quest Diagnostics

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its position in Quest Diagnostics by 340.4% during the 4th quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 251 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. First Financial Corp IN purchased a new stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the fourth quarter worth $38,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the 2nd quarter worth about $40,000. Global Trust Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Quest Diagnostics in the 4th quarter worth about $49,000. Finally, Sentry Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Quest Diagnostics during the 3rd quarter valued at about $82,000. Institutional investors own 88.06% of the company’s stock.

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.