Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) Stock Holdings Raised by Brandes Investment Partners LP

Brandes Investment Partners LP raised its stake in Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) by 12.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 10,780 shares of the medical research company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,159 shares during the period. Brandes Investment Partners LP’s holdings in Quest Diagnostics were worth $1,626,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Net Worth Advisory Group boosted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Net Worth Advisory Group now owns 6,495 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $980,000 after buying an additional 62 shares during the period. Brooklyn Investment Group boosted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 5.5% in the 4th quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 1,315 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $198,000 after buying an additional 68 shares during the period. Avestar Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Avestar Capital LLC now owns 6,288 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $976,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the period. Mather Group LLC. boosted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 10.4% in the 4th quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 764 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $115,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the period. Finally, Private Trust Co. NA boosted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 7.7% in the 4th quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 1,053 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $159,000 after buying an additional 75 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 88.06% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Catherine T. Doherty sold 5,370 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.13, for a total transaction of $935,078.10. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 68,068 shares in the company, valued at $11,852,680.84. The trade was a 7.31 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 528 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $172.61, for a total transaction of $91,138.08. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 39,031 shares in the company, valued at $6,737,140.91. This represents a 1.33 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 9,514 shares of company stock worth $1,634,445 in the last ninety days. 0.79% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Quest Diagnostics Stock Up 0.8 %

DGX stock opened at $170.20 on Friday. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 52 week low of $125.42 and a 52 week high of $178.87. The company has a market capitalization of $18.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.92. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $163.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $158.16. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82.

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

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 21st. Investors of record on Monday, April 7th will be issued a $0.80 dividend. This is an increase 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 1.88%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 7th. Quest Diagnostics’s payout ratio is presently 41.61%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $185.00 price target (up from $175.00) on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Tuesday, December 10th. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Quest Diagnostics from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $145.00 to $172.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $172.00 to $182.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $179.00 to $182.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, December 13th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $168.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. 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 data from MarketBeat, Quest Diagnostics has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $178.23.

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.