Stock Analysis
Quest Diagnostics Inc.DGX
P/E 24.42×· 5Y range 7.58–25.68×· top 3% of history
Sector: Healthcare · Industry: Services-Medical Laboratories
AnalystsBuy23 analystsP/E 24.4× sits at the 97th percentile of its 5.086926762491444-year history.
Cash covers 10% of debt · Q2 2026.
PMP Verdict
Mixed fundamentals, expensive valuation
Strengths
- Quality97
- Financial Health66
Risks
- Valuation52
- Growth26
Mixed fundamentals at a demanding price.
Bull Case
- ✓Piotroski F-Score 7/9 — high earnings quality
- ✓Altman Z 3.2 — safe-zone balance sheet
What's happening with DGX
Profile
Strong earnings quality; growth and profitability lag behind.
How is each axis scored?
- Valuation52/100 · Moderate
- P/E vs own history (97th pct)0/25
- FCF yield (5.2%)20/25
- P/S (2.2x)20/25
- EV/EBIT (19.5x)12/25
- Growth26/100 · Weak
- Revenue CAGR (0.6%)6/25
- Net income CAGR (-16.0%)0/25
- EPS CAGR 5Y (-13.4%)0/25
- Fwd implied growth (22.8%)20/25
- Profitability49/100 · Weak
- ROIC (9.4%)12/25
- ROE (13.4%)12/25
- Net margin (9.2%)13/25
- Operating margin (14.1%)12/25
- Financial Health66/100 · Moderate
- Altman Z (3.20)25/25
- Current ratio (1.59)18/25
- Interest coverage (6.4x)18/25
- Net cash / debt (D/A 34%)5/25
- Quality97/100 · Strong
- Piotroski F (7/9)22/25
- Beneish M (-2.71)25/25
- FCF conversion (127%)25/25
- Margin stability (σ 3.1%)25/25
- Moat62/100 · Moderate
- ROIC >12% years (3/10 yrs)6/25
- Median gross margin (34.8%)13/25
- FCF-positive years (10/10 yrs)25/25
- Worst-year net margin (worst 8.6%)18/25
Risk Flags
- ⚠P/E 24.4× at top 3% of 5-year history
About Quest Diagnostics Inc.
Quest Diagnostics is a leading independent provider of diagnostic testing, information, and services in the US. Show more
The company generates over 97% of its revenue through clinical testing, anatomic pathology, esoteric testing, and substance abuse testing with specimens collected at its national network of roughly 2,400 patient service centers, as well as multiple doctors offices and hospitals. The firm also runs a much smaller diagnostic solutions segment that provides clinical trials testing, risk-assessment services, and information technology solutions.
Headquarters: SECAUCUS, NJ · Employees: 57,000 · Website ↗
Price History
Weekly Candlestick Chart — up to 5Y
Key Metrics
Financial snapshot · Tap any metric for its definition and grade
TTM Snapshot
trailing twelve months · YoYValuation
52CP/E (TTM)24.4xB
Grade B: FairPrice / TTM EPS (own statements) — vs own 5Y history: 7.6x–25.7x · 97th pct
P/FCF19.4xB
Grade B: FairPrice / Free Cash Flow per share (Finnhub). Inverse of FCF yield — negative when FCF is negative
FCF Yield5.2%A
Grade A: ValueTTM (OCF − CapEx) / Market Cap — vs own 5Y history: 3.7%–11.3% · 15th pct
P/S (TTM)2.24xB
Grade B: FairPrice / TTM Revenue (own statements) — vs own 5Y history: 1.4x–2.4x · 97th pct
EV/EBIT19.5xC
Grade C: ExpensiveEnterprise value / TTM EBIT (D&A not in our data) — capital-structure neutral — vs own 5Y history: 7.5x–20.1x · 97th pct
EV/Sales2.7xB
Grade B: FairEnterprise Value / TTM Revenue (Finnhub) — capital-structure neutral sales multiple
Forward P/E19.9xB
Grade B: FairPrice / next-year EPS estimate — shows whether the TTM multiple is rich or just front-loading growth
P/B Ratio3.28xC
Grade C: ExpensivePrice to Book Value. Neg. equity = heavy buybacks
PEG Ratio2.36C
Grade C: ExpensiveFinnhub PEG — their P/E basis ÷ expected EPS growth. Suppressed when their P/E diverges >2× from our TTM P/E (different basis)
Dividend Yield1.39%A
Grade A: PaysTTM dividend yield (Finnhub) — annual dividends / price. None = no dividend; very high yield can signal distress
Payout Ratio34.2%A
Grade A: SafeDividends / Net Income (Finnhub) — share of earnings paid out; >90% or negative = unsustainable
Profitability
49D+ROIC9.4%C
Grade C: AverageNOPAT (EBIT less ~21% tax) / invested capital (equity + debt − cash). Flagship quality metric — durable >15% signals a moat
ROE13.4%C
Grade C: AverageReturn on Equity. Neg. equity = heavy buybacks
ROA6.4%C
Grade C: AverageReturn on Assets (Finnhub) — Net Income / Total Assets; how efficiently assets produce profit
Net Margin9.2%C
Grade C: AverageNet Income / Revenue
Operating Margin14.1%C
Grade C: AverageTTM EBIT / TTM Revenue
Gross Margin33.1%C
Grade C: AverageGross Profit / Revenue
FCF Margin11.7%C
Grade C: AverageFCF / Revenue
True FCF Margin10.9%C
Grade C: AverageTTM (OCF − CapEx − SBC) / TTM Revenue — SBC treated as a real cost
Growth
26ERevenue CAGR0.6%D
Grade D: LowCompound annual revenue growth (up to 5Y depending on data availability)
Net Income CAGR-16.0%D
Grade D: LowCompound annual net income growth (up to 5Y depending on data availability)
EPS CAGR (5Y)-13.4%D
Grade D: LowCompound annual EPS growth over up to 5Y of per-share earnings (own statements). Null when either endpoint EPS ≤ 0
Implied EPS Growth22.8%C
Grade C: MedAnalyst forward EPS (normalized basis) vs our GAAP TTM EPS — different bases, so extreme values usually mark cyclically depressed TTM earnings, not real growth
Dilution (5Y)-15.7%A
Grade A: BuybacksShare count change over 5Y
SBC / Net Income8.3%A
Grade A: LowStock-based comp/Net income. >30% = dilution risk
SBC / Revenue0.8%A
Grade A: LowTTM stock-based comp / TTM Revenue
Financial Health
66BAltman Z-Score3.20A
Grade A: SafeBankruptcy risk. >3 Safe, <1.8 Distress
Current Ratio1.59xC
Grade C: OkCurrent Assets/Liabilities
Quick Ratio1.28xA
Grade A: High(Current Assets − Inventory) / Current Liabilities (Finnhub) — stricter liquidity test, excludes inventory
Interest Coverage6.4xC
Grade C: OkEBIT/Interest. >10 Strong
Debt Repayment4.3yC
Grade C: AverageYears to repay net debt via FCF
Net Debt/EBIT3.5xC
Grade C: MedLeverage. <2x Low, >4x High
Debt/Equity0.81xA
Grade A: LowDebt / Equity: <1 Conservative, >2 Risky. Not meaningful with non-positive equity; shown as unavailable rather than low debt.
Cash / Debt0.10xD
Grade D: ThinCash covers how much of total debt. >1 = could repay all debt from cash
Quality
97A+Piotroski F-Score7/9A
Grade A: StrongFinancial strength 0–9. >7 Strong
Beneish M-Score-2.71A
Grade A: SafeEarnings manipulation risk. < -2.22 Safe
FCF Conversion127.0%A
Grade A: StrongFCF / Net Income
Margin Stability3.1%A
Grade A: StableEBIT margin std deviation. Lower = stable
Capex / Revenue4.8%A
Grade A: Asset-lightTTM CapEx / TTM Revenue — high % = capital-hungry business
Asset Turnover0.70xC
Grade C: AverageRevenue / Total Assets (Finnhub) — how efficiently the asset base generates sales
Insider Transactions
SEC Form 4 · 8 recordsP/S codes are the directional signal; grants, option exercises and tax withholding carry none. Form 4 doesn't flag 10b5-1 plans — scheduled sales may appear within open-market sells.
| Trade date | Insider | Transaction | Shares | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
WENTWORTH TIMOTHY C Filed | WENTWORTH TIMOTHY C | Grant / award | +135 | |
Davis J. E. Filed | Davis J. E. | SellOpen market sale | -10000 | |
PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E Filed | PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E | Option exercise | -22677 | |
PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E Filed | PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E | Gift | -1000 | |
PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E Filed | PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E | SellOpen market sale | -430 |
Show 3 more filingsShow fewer filings
| Trade date | Insider | Transaction | Shares | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E Filed | PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E | SellOpen market sale | -6237 | |
PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E Filed | PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E | SellOpen market sale | -16010 | |
PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E Filed | PREVOZNIK MICHAEL E | Option exercise | +22.7K |
Option exercise (M) rows report a derivative leg, not an open-market sale — a paired negative entry is the option position being consumed.
More metrics — Moat, Per Share, Balance Sheet, MarketHide additional metrics
Moat
62BROIC >12% Years3/10 yrsD
Grade D: WeakShare of completed fiscal years with ROIC > 12% — measures multi-year capital-return durability
Gross Margin (Med.)34.8%C
Grade C: ModerateMedian annual gross margin across available fiscal years — pricing-power durability
FCF-Positive Years10/10 yrsA
Grade A: DurableShare of completed fiscal years with positive free cash flow
Net Margin Floor8.6%A
Grade A: DurableWeakest annual net margin across completed fiscal years — recession/downcycle resilience
Per Share
EPS (TTM)$9.62
Own TTM net income / shares — same earnings basis as P/E
Cash / Share$5.69
Cash & short-term investments per share (Finnhub)
Book Value / Share$68.33
Shareholders' equity per share (Finnhub). Negative = accumulated losses / heavy buybacks
Balance Sheet
Total Debt$6.40B
Total debt obligations (short + long term)
Cash & Equiv.$626.00M
Cash and short-term investments
Net Debt$5.78B
Total Debt minus Cash. Negative = Net Cash position
Total Equity$7.90B
Shareholders' equity (book value)
Asset / Liability1.87xC
Grade C: AdequateTotal Assets / Total Liabilities
Market
Market Cap$25.94B
Current Market Capitalization
Beta0.56B
Grade B: DefensivePrice sensitivity vs the market (Finnhub) — 1.0 moves with market, >1.2 amplifies swings
How grades work: each metric is graded A–D against fixed thresholds (tap a row for the meaning). Card grades map the pillar score to A+–E — a card grade is that pillar's own score, not an average of the rows shown.
Financials as of Jun 2026 · Ratio snapshot Oct 17, 2026
Key Insights: Quest Diagnostics Inc. (DGX)
DGX is down 1.74% at the last close. Quest Diagnostics Inc. meets 7 of 9 Piotroski F-Score criteria, placing its fundamental strength in the top tier of US-listed stocks. Altman Z-Score of 3.20 sits comfortably in the safe zone (≥ 2.99), indicating low bankruptcy risk.
- Beneish M-Score of -2.71 suggests a low likelihood of earnings manipulation.
- Takes ~4.3 years to repay net debt from free cash flow.
See how DGX ranks on the Capex Tracker — top 50 capital spenders compared.
Recent Market Moves
See all DGX moves →| Date | Session | Price | Move | Z-Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 22 | Pre-market | 227.00 | -7.30% | -5.75 |
| Sep 22 | Regular | 236.04 | -3.61% | -2.80 |
| Sep 22 | After-hours | 237.50 | -3.01% | -2.34 |
| Sep 21 | After-hours | 230.00 | -6.67% | -5.29 |
Frequently Asked Questions about DGX
What is the current Quest Diagnostics Inc. (DGX) stock price?
DGX is trading at $235.00 at the last market close, down 1.74% on the session. PreMarketPrice tracks DGX pre-market, intraday and after-hours prices.
Is DGX stock a buy right now?
PreMarketPrice's quantitative model rates Quest Diagnostics Inc.'s financial health at 66/100. This is a data-driven snapshot of fundamentals, not investment advice.
Is DGX stock overvalued?
Quest Diagnostics Inc. trades at a trailing P/E of 24.4 and our valuation score rates it 52/100 (higher = cheaper vs. its own history). See the Valuation History and Key Metrics sections for forward P/E, EV/EBITDA and PEG context.
When does Quest Diagnostics Inc. report earnings?
No confirmed earnings date is currently scheduled for DGX. The Earnings section lists recent reports and updates as dates are announced.
What sector does Quest Diagnostics Inc. operate in?
Quest Diagnostics Inc. operates in the Healthcare sector, within the Services-Medical Laboratories industry. The Related Stocks section lists sector peers for comparison.
What does Quest Diagnostics Inc. do?
Quest Diagnostics is a leading independent provider of diagnostic testing, information, and services in the US.
About Quest Diagnostics Inc. (DGX) Stock
Quest Diagnostics Inc. (DGX) is a US-listed stock operating in the Healthcare sector, specifically the Services-Medical Laboratories industry. As of the latest update, Quest Diagnostics Inc. is trading at $235.00, down 1.74% on the day with a market capitalization of $25.9 billion. The financial health score for DGX is 66/100, which indicates good financial strength based on profitability, leverage, liquidity, and growth metrics. This page provides real-time pre-market pricing, earnings calendar, financial health analysis, and valuation metrics for DGX stock.
DGX Stock Analysis & Key Metrics
On PreMarketPrice, you can track Quest Diagnostics Inc. (DGX) across multiple dimensions:
- Pre-market price & movement: Real-time DGX stock price with percentage change, updated continuously during pre-market and regular trading hours.
- Valuation & P/E history: Historical P/E, P/S, and P/B ratios for DGX with trend analysis and normalized valuation multiples.
- Financial statements: Revenue, net income, assets, liabilities, and equity for Quest Diagnostics Inc. across multiple reporting periods.
- Financial health score: A composite score of 66/100 based on Altman Z-Score, Piotroski F-Score, profitability, and leverage metrics for DGX.
- Sector peers: Compare DGX against 6 other healthcare stocks on key financial metrics.
Is DGX a Good Stock to Buy?
This page provides data-driven analysis to help you evaluate Quest Diagnostics Inc. (DGX) as an investment. The financial health score of 66/100 suggests good financial fundamentals. Valuation metrics show whether the stock is trading above or below its historical average.However, this is not financial advice — always do your own research before investing.
Data on this page is sourced from real-time market feeds, Polygon.io, and Finnhub.Quest Diagnostics Inc. (DGX) trades on NYSE/NASDAQ. Pre-market trading occurs 4:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET. Regular market hours are 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET.