Xponance Inc. Sells 1,615 Shares of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX)

Xponance Inc. trimmed its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) by 9.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 14,957 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 1,615 shares during the quarter. Xponance Inc.’s holdings in Quest Diagnostics were worth $2,062,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of DGX. State of Alaska Department of Revenue lifted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 4.6% during the 3rd quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 28,431 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $3,464,000 after buying an additional 1,250 shares during the period. Naples Global Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 14.1% during the 3rd quarter. Naples Global Advisors LLC now owns 6,081 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $741,000 after buying an additional 751 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Quest Diagnostics during the 3rd quarter valued at $386,000. Ziegler Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 17.2% during the 3rd quarter. Ziegler Capital Management LLC now owns 15,067 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $1,836,000 after buying an additional 2,211 shares during the period. Finally, Montecito Bank & Trust increased its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 14.1% in the 3rd quarter. Montecito Bank & Trust now owns 1,824 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $222,000 after purchasing an additional 225 shares in the last quarter. 88.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Quest Diagnostics Trading Up 1.3 %

Shares of DGX stock opened at $130.09 on Tuesday. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 52-week low of $119.59 and a 52-week high of $148.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a current ratio of 1.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.45 billion, a PE ratio of 17.37, a PEG ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.91. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $128.32 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $130.95.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The medical research company reported $2.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.11 by $0.04. Quest Diagnostics had a return on equity of 15.79% and a net margin of 9.23%. The business had revenue of $2.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.25 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.98 EPS. Quest Diagnostics’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 8.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 22nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 8th were issued a dividend of $0.75 per share. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.31%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, April 5th. This is an increase from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.71. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio is 37.92%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Quest Diagnostics

In other Quest Diagnostics news, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 661 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.14, for a total transaction of $83,378.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 40,206 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,071,584.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Quest Diagnostics news, Director Vicky B. Gregg sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.64, for a total transaction of $316,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 16,329 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,067,904.56. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 661 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.14, for a total transaction of $83,378.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 40,206 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,071,584.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 15,150 shares of company stock valued at $1,913,202 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.79% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DGX has been the subject of several analyst reports. Barclays initiated coverage on Quest Diagnostics in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $145.00 price objective for the company. TheStreet lowered Quest Diagnostics from a “b-” rating to a “c” rating in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Quest Diagnostics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $140.00 to $155.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Leerink Partnrs restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a research note on Monday, February 26th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Quest Diagnostics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Quest Diagnostics currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $144.18.

About Quest Diagnostics

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.