Key facts, as of
As of September 29, 2026, Quest Diagnostics (DGX) trades at $231.97, up 22.8% over the past year. Its 52-week range runs from $171.18 to $248.84; the price is 6.8% below that high. It sits 13.0% above its 200-day average of $205.33, the usual sign of a long-term uptrend. Its 30-day volatility is 26.8% annualized, which we rate medium risk. It has a trailing P/E of 24.6 and a dividend yield of 1.45%.
Cite: Portfolio Terminal, "Quest Diagnostics (DGX) stock analysis", 2026-09-29. https://portfolio-terminal.com/analyse/dgx
Where it trades today
trading 78% of the way up its 52-week range
How the price has moved
What to weigh before acting
What Matters Now
- The read on the stock is often driven by pipeline durability, reimbursement pressure, and whether new launches can offset patent cliffs.
- DGX is valued near its sector range at 24.6x earnings versus 22.0x for peers, so the next move likely needs a real earnings or guidance catalyst.
- Recent realized volatility is running around 26.8%, above the sector norm of 22.0%, so position sizing matters more than usual.
- Relative performance versus UNH, JNJ, PFE matters here because leadership inside healthcare rarely stays static for long.
Portfolio Use Case
- DGX is more useful for investors comparing conviction names inside healthcare than for someone looking for a passive “set and forget” holding.
- The beta profile suggests it can fit a quality or lower-volatility sleeve more naturally than a high-octane tactical basket.
- The stock becomes more useful when paired with an explicit catalyst watchlist, because sector sentiment can shift quickly around policy, rates, or pipeline news.
What Would Change the View
- A reset in earnings expectations or a faster peer catch-up could compress the premium valuation currently embedded in DGX.
- Volatility is already above the sector norm, so even a correct long-term thesis can be painful if the position size is too aggressive.
- The view would need revisiting if peers such as UNH, JNJ, PFE start winning the marginal flow or posting cleaner operating momentum.
Methodology
- Price, market cap, beta, yield, and liquidity fields for DGX come from Yahoo Finance quote and summary data.
- 30-day volatility is calculated from recent daily returns and annualized using a 252-trading-day convention.
- Sector context uses stored benchmark averages for Healthcare so each page compares the ticker against a stable peer baseline rather than against the whole market.
- Peer comparisons use the Portfolio Terminal coverage set and highlight nearby listed alternatives such as UNH, JNJ, PFE.
Sources
- Yahoo Finance quote dataopen →
Live quote, valuation, beta, yield, and volume fields used for DGX. Last refresh: Sep 29, 2026, 10:33 PM.
- Portfolio Terminal methodologyopen →
Explains how analytics, refresh cadence, and portfolio interpretation work across the product.
- Peer set and coverage context
Comparative context for this page is anchored around nearby tracked names such as UNH, JNJ, PFE.
What Quest Diagnostics does
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated provides diagnostic testing and services in the United States. 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. It also provides services under the Quest Diagnostics brand, as well as under the AmeriPath, Dermpath Diagnostics, ExamOne, and Quanum brands to physicians, hospitals, patients and consumers, health plans, government agencies, employers, retailers, pharmaceutical companies and insurers commercial clinical laboratories, and accountable care organizations through a network of laboratories, patient service…
Employees
46,000
Industry
Diagnostics & Research
Headquarters
Secaucus, United States
What analysts expect
DGX carries a buy consensus from 15 analysts, with an average price target of $247.73 versus $231.97 today (+6.8%). Targets are estimates and can move quickly after earnings.
Consensus aggregated by Yahoo Finance. Targets are estimates, not forecasts.
How the business is doing
DGX generated $11.56B in trailing revenue (10.2% year over year), with a 9.2% net margin, and $909.63M of free cash flow, against $5.78B of net debt.
The numbers, year by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Gross profit | Operating income | Net income | EPS | Free cash flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11.04B | $3.67B | $1.56B | $992.00M | $8.87 | $1.36B |
| 2024 | $9.87B | $3.24B | $1.35B | $871.00M | $7.78 | $909.00M |
| 2023 | $9.25B | $3.05B | $1.26B | $854.00M | $7.59 | $864.00M |
| 2022 | $9.88B | $3.43B | $1.43B | $946.00M | $8.10 | $1.31B |
When it reports next
Estimates aggregated by Yahoo Finance. Dates move and estimates change until the report lands.
How it sits in healthcare
Defensive sector including pharmaceuticals, biotech, medical devices, and healthcare services.
The companies it competes with
DGX beside the healthcare names it is usually measured against.
What the chart is saying
Slipped under its 50-day average inside a longer uptrend.
weakening- Price is 2.0% below its 50-day average and 13.0% above its 200-day.
- RSI at 42 is neither stretched nor washed out.
- The nearest ceiling is $248.01 (+6.9%), the nearest floor $227.91 (-1.8%).
A description of the chart, not advice. Indicators describe what the price has done; none of them knows what it does next.
Questions people ask about it
Is DGX a good buy right now?
Quest Diagnostics trades at 24.6x earnings. This is near market average. Current risk level is Medium based on 26.8% volatility.
Does DGX pay dividends?
Yes, Quest Diagnostics offers a dividend yield of 1.45%. That is roughly $3.36 per share a year.
How volatile is DGX?
With 30-day annualized volatility of 26.8% and beta of 0.55, DGX is classified as Medium risk. The stock tends to be more stable than the market average.
What is the analyst price target for DGX?
The average analyst price target for Quest Diagnostics (DGX) is $247.73 based on 15 analyst estimates, about 6.8% above the current price of $231.97. The published range runs from $204.00 to $265.00.
How much revenue does DGX generate?
Quest Diagnostics reported $11.56B in trailing twelve-month revenue. Revenue growth is running at 10.2% year over year. Net margin sits at 9.2%. Figures are aggregated from company filings by Yahoo Finance and refresh on an hourly cadence.
Compare DGX with anything
Five years side by side: what $10,000 became, how far each fell, whether they move together.