Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) Stake Reduced by Trillium Asset Management LLC

Trillium Asset Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) by 8.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 35,086 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 3,400 shares during the period. Trillium Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Quest Diagnostics were worth $5,293,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new position in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 340.4% in the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 251 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. First Financial Corp IN purchased a new position in shares of Quest Diagnostics during the fourth quarter valued at $38,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. purchased a new stake in Quest Diagnostics in the 4th quarter worth about $45,000. Finally, Global Trust Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the fourth quarter worth approximately $49,000. 88.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Quest Diagnostics

In other Quest Diagnostics news, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 4,643 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total value of $789,310.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 38,117 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,479,890. The trade was a 10.86 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP Mark E. Delaney sold 403 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $164.30, for a total transaction of $66,212.90. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 4,624 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $759,723.20. The trade was a 8.02 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 14,157 shares of company stock valued at $2,423,755 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.79% of the company’s stock.

Quest Diagnostics Trading Down 2.6 %

Shares of Quest Diagnostics stock opened at $167.94 on Thursday. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 1 year low of $125.42 and a 1 year high of $178.87. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $164.63 and its 200-day simple moving average is $158.48. The company has a market cap of $18.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.84, a PEG ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.92. 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 posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $2.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.19 by $0.04. Quest Diagnostics had a net margin of 8.80% and a return on equity of 15.07%. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 9.7 EPS for the current year.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 21st. Investors of record on Monday, April 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.80 per share. This represents a $3.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.91%. This is a positive change from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 7th. Quest Diagnostics’s payout ratio is currently 41.61%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have commented on the company. Mizuho boosted their target price on Quest Diagnostics from $177.00 to $178.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $168.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Quest Diagnostics from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $145.00 to $172.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. Robert W. Baird set a $189.00 target price on Quest Diagnostics in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Piper Sandler reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $180.00 price objective (up previously from $165.00) on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target 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.