Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC Acquires 2,265 Shares of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX)

Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC lifted its stake in Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) by 31.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,581 shares of the medical research company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,265 shares during the period. Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC’s holdings in Quest Diagnostics were worth $1,308,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in DGX. Arkadios Wealth Advisors lifted its stake in Quest Diagnostics by 1.6% in the first quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 4,933 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $657,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the period. New England Capital Financial Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 24.7% in the 1st quarter. New England Capital Financial Advisors LLC now owns 389 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $52,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. increased its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. now owns 1,795 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $246,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Keudell Morrison Wealth Management raised its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. Keudell Morrison Wealth Management now owns 2,312 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $308,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the period. Finally, Arjuna Capital boosted its stake in Quest Diagnostics by 5.2% during the 1st quarter. Arjuna Capital now owns 1,770 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $236,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. 88.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Quest Diagnostics Price Performance

Shares of DGX opened at $152.99 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a twelve month low of $119.59 and a twelve month high of $159.36. The stock has a market capitalization of $17.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.59, a P/E/G ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a 50 day moving average of $150.61 and a 200-day moving average of $141.09.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The medical research company reported $2.35 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.31 by $0.04. Quest Diagnostics had a net margin of 8.99% and a return on equity of 15.35%. The business had revenue of $2.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.39 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.30 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 8.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Quest Diagnostics Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 21st. Investors of record on Friday, October 4th will be given a $0.75 dividend. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.96%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 4th. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio is currently 40.38%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

DGX has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $144.00 to $154.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Quest Diagnostics from $152.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Citigroup upgraded Quest Diagnostics from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $145.00 to $165.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $153.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, Evercore ISI began coverage on Quest Diagnostics in a report on Wednesday, August 28th. They set an “in-line” rating and a $165.00 price objective on the stock. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Quest Diagnostics has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $154.33.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Quest Diagnostics news, SVP Karthik Kuppusamy sold 1,990 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.26, for a total value of $304,987.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 11,459 shares in the company, valued at $1,756,206.34. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, SVP Mark E. Delaney sold 420 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $143.08, for a total value of $60,093.60. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 5,019 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $718,118.52. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Karthik Kuppusamy sold 1,990 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.26, for a total transaction of $304,987.40. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 11,459 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,756,206.34. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.79% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Quest Diagnostics 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.