Is DGX a good stock to buy?
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated · end-of-day data as of Nov 13, 2026
- ConsensusBuy · 17
- P/E vs sector-19.7%
- FCF yield+4.8%
- MAs4 of 4
- MA20×50Golden 9d ago
- MACD0.82
- Sector▲ +15.9%
- Earnings in88d
- P/E25.9x
- RSI69
- Support-5.5%
- Off 52w high-0.9%
- Volume0.7x
- Bollingerupper half
- News0.00
- Trendsideways
- 52w range$171–$262
- ATR+2.3%
- Off ATH-0.9%
- PT$249.63 -3.8%
- P/E vs own+18.6%
- Insiders-$15.63M
Updates with the 15-min delayed price. Not a forecast or investment advice.
Is Quest Diagnostics a good stock to buy?
Quest Diagnostics is strong on 2 of the 5 questions about the business; weak on advantage. The price is high: 25.9 times its earnings, above its 3-year median of 21.1 (Nov 13, 2026). pretickt does not say whether to buy or sell.
- Demand steady
- Advantage easy to copy
- Economics profitable
- Execution delivers
- Fragility sturdy
- Price expensive
DGX sales growth revenue growth
+4%a year, for the last 3 yearsQuest Diagnostics' sales grew 4% a year for 3 years, to $11.04B in fiscal 2025.
DGX analysts' forecast revenue estimates
+10%the sales they expect next fiscal year, on the lastAnalysts expect Quest Diagnostics' sales to grow 10% to $12.08B in fiscal 2026 (13 analysts).
DGX return on capital ROIC
pretickt analysis13%earned before tax on the money invested in itQuest Diagnostics earned 13% before tax on the capital invested in it in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026; Illumina 25%, Mettler-Toledo 21%, IQVIA 11% and Labcorp 11%.
DGX margin on each sale gross margin
33%left after making the productQuest Diagnostics kept 33% of each sale after making the product in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026; its competitors' median is 43%.
DGX margin after costs profit margin
15%of sales left after running the businessQuest Diagnostics' operating margin was 15% in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, against 14% in fiscal 2022.
DGX cash generated free cash flow
$1.38Bcash left after investing, last 12 monthsQuest Diagnostics generated $1.38B of free cash flow in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, more than its reported profit.
DGX earnings vs estimates
8 of 8quarters above the analysts' estimateQuest Diagnostics beat the analysts' profit estimate in each of its last 8 quarters, the latest on Oct 22, 2026.
DGX insider selling
-$44.69Msold, net, by its executives in 12 monthsQuest Diagnostics' executives and directors sold a net $44.69M of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026; none bought.
DGX number of employees
+2%more people in a yearQuest Diagnostics had 57,000 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, 2% more than a year before.
DGX CEO pay
$15.5Mfor fiscal 2025, 76% of it in stock and optionsQuest Diagnostics paid its CEO $15.5M for fiscal 2025, 76% of it in stock and options.
DGX financial health Altman Z-score
3.8Altman Z-score, safe above 3Quest Diagnostics' Altman Z-score is 3.8 (Nov 13, 2026), above 3, where the safe zone starts.
DGX quality checks Piotroski score
7 of 9checks passedQuest Diagnostics passes 7 of the 9 Piotroski checks in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026; it misses on long-term debt and gross margin.
DGX in past recessions
pretickt analysis+3%its sales in the worst oneQuest Diagnostics' sales grew through each of the last 2 US recessions (2008–09 and 2020).
DGX price vs profit P/E ratio
25.9×a year's earningsQuest Diagnostics' P/E ratio is 25.9 (Nov 13, 2026), above its 3-year median of 21.1.
DGX price vs competitors
pretickt analysis25.9×a year's earnings, against its competitorsInvestors pay 25.9 times Quest Diagnostics' earnings (Nov 13, 2026), less than for Mettler-Toledo (37.7), Illumina (35.6), IQVIA (32.2) or Labcorp (30.4).
DGX analysts' target price target
-4%to their average targetAnalysts' average price target for Quest Diagnostics is $250, 4% below the Nov 13, 2026 close of $259.60.
DGX growth priced in fair value
pretickt analysis+7%a year, for ten years, to be worth the priceAt $259.60 a share, Quest Diagnostics' free cash flow must grow about 7% a year for ten years to be worth the price (Nov 13, 2026).
What is Quest Diagnostics' P/E ratio?
Quest Diagnostics' P/E ratio is 25.9 (Nov 13, 2026), above its 3-year median of 21.1. Investors pay 25.9 times Quest Diagnostics' earnings (Nov 13, 2026), less than for Mettler-Toledo (37.7), Illumina (35.6), IQVIA (32.2) or Labcorp (30.4).
Who are Quest Diagnostics' biggest competitors?
pretickt compares Quest Diagnostics with Labcorp, Illumina, Mettler-Toledo and IQVIA. Quest Diagnostics' sales grew 9% in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, faster than IQVIA (+9%), Mettler-Toledo (+7%), Labcorp (+6%) and Illumina (+6%).
Is Quest Diagnostics profitable?
Quest Diagnostics' operating margin was 15% in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, against 14% in fiscal 2022. Quest Diagnostics generated $1.38B of free cash flow in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, more than its reported profit.
Are insiders selling Quest Diagnostics stock?
Quest Diagnostics' executives and directors sold a net $44.69M of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026; none bought.
How many employees does Quest Diagnostics have?
Quest Diagnostics had 57,000 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, 2% more than a year before.
From the companies' statements (FMP), their filings read by pretickt, the analysts and the insiders, as of Nov 13, 2026. Each card says what a fact means for its question, never what to do with the stock: for information only, not investment advice.