Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) to Issue Dividend Increase – $0.86 Per Share

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, February 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 6th will be given a dividend of 0.86 per share by the medical research company on Monday, April 20th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 6th. This is a 7.5% increase from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.80.

Quest Diagnostics has increased its dividend payment by an average of 0.1%annually over the last three years and has increased its dividend every year for the last 14 years. Quest Diagnostics has a payout ratio of 30.4% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect Quest Diagnostics to earn $10.49 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $3.20 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 30.5%.

Quest Diagnostics Trading Up 7.1%

Shares of DGX traded up $13.64 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $204.89. 1,778,196 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,091,669. The business has a fifty day moving average of $181.33 and a 200-day moving average of $181.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.79 billion, a PE ratio of 24.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 0.66. Quest Diagnostics has a 1-year low of $157.20 and a 1-year high of $207.05. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The medical research company reported $2.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.35 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $2.81 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.75 billion. Quest Diagnostics had a net margin of 8.91% and a return on equity of 15.47%. The company’s revenue was up 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.23 EPS. Quest Diagnostics has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.45-9.650 EPS. Analysts expect that Quest Diagnostics will post 9.7 EPS for the current year.

Quest Diagnostics News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Quest Diagnostics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations — adjusted EPS $2.42 vs. consensus ~$2.35 and revenue of $2.81B (+7.1% YoY), showing demand strength across diagnostics. Press Release
• Positive Sentiment: Board increased the quarterly dividend 7.5% to $0.86 and approved a $1.0B increase to the share repurchase authorization — shareholder‑return actions that support the stock’s rally. Dividend & Buyback Release
• Positive Sentiment: Company’s 2026 revenue and profit outlook was described as above Wall Street estimates by some outlets, supporting the view of continued demand for lab testing. Reuters
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup raised its price target to $215 (from $190) but kept a “neutral” rating — this is a modest endorsement of the stock’s upside while not turning bullish on valuation. Benzinga
• Neutral Sentiment: Full Q4 earnings call transcript and analyst commentary are available for deeper details on volume trends and margin drivers — useful for investors who want the management detail behind the headline beat. Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: FY‑2026 reported diluted EPS guidance of $9.45–$9.65 (company also gave adjusted EPS guidance $10.50–$10.70) means reported EPS may be viewed as conservative versus some street estimates, creating a potential near‑term headwind if investors focus on the lower reported range. Press Release (guidance)

Quest Diagnostics Company Profile

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) is a leading provider of diagnostic information services that supports clinical decision-making for patients, physicians and healthcare organizations. The company operates a network of clinical laboratories and patient service centers that perform a broad range of laboratory tests and diagnostic assays used in routine care, disease diagnosis, monitoring and screening.

Its services span core clinical laboratory testing, anatomic pathology, molecular and genomic diagnostics, infectious disease testing and toxicology.