Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) Shares Sold Off Rep. Carol D. Miller

Representative Carol D. Miller (R-West Virginia) recently sold shares of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX). In a filing disclosed on April 11th, the Representative disclosed that they had sold between $1,001 and $15,000 in Quest Diagnostics stock on March 10th. The trade occurred in the Representative’s “MATT MILLER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT ACCOUNT” account.

Representative Carol D. Miller also recently made the following trade(s):

• Purchased $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of Hershey (NYSE:HSY) on 3/10/2025.
• Purchased $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) on 3/10/2025.
• Sold $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) on 3/10/2025.
• Purchased $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) on 3/10/2025.
• Purchased $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) on 3/10/2025.
• Purchased $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of Honeywell International (NASDAQ:HON) on 3/10/2025.
• Sold $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB) on 3/10/2025.
• Purchased $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) on 3/10/2025.
• Sold $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of Target (NYSE:TGT) on 3/10/2025.
• Purchased $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of American Water Works (NYSE:AWK) on 3/10/2025.

Quest Diagnostics Price Performance

Shares of DGX stock opened at $167.22 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $18.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.75, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.78. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $168.67 and a two-hundred day moving average of $160.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 1.02. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 1-year low of $125.42 and a 1-year high of $178.87.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $2.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.19 by $0.04. Quest Diagnostics had a return on equity of 15.07% and a net margin of 8.80%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 9.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 21st. Investors of record on Monday, April 7th will be issued a $0.80 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 7th. This is a boost from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. This represents a $3.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.91%. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio is currently 41.61%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

DGX has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Piper Sandler reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $180.00 target price (up from $165.00) on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $172.00 to $182.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $166.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Leerink Partners raised Quest Diagnostics from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $169.00 to $174.00 in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Quest Diagnostics from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $145.00 to $172.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $181.33.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Fifth Third Bancorp grew its position in Quest Diagnostics by 110.5% in the first quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 9,843 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $1,665,000 after acquiring an additional 5,167 shares during the period. Zhang Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the 1st quarter valued at $216,000. Baker Ellis Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the 1st quarter worth about $206,000. CX Institutional increased its position in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. CX Institutional now owns 9,499 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $1,607,000 after purchasing an additional 366 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Integrated Advisors Network LLC lifted its holdings in Quest Diagnostics by 63.9% during the 1st quarter. Integrated Advisors Network LLC now owns 3,285 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $556,000 after purchasing an additional 1,281 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.06% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Quest Diagnostics

In other Quest Diagnostics news, CEO J. E. Davis sold 39,191 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $168.46, for a total transaction of $6,602,115.86. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 127,623 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,499,370.58. This trade represents a 23.49 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Catherine T. Doherty sold 5,370 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.13, for a total value of $935,078.10. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 68,068 shares in the company, valued at $11,852,680.84. The trade was a 7.31 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 55,903 shares of company stock worth $9,460,221 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.79% of the company’s stock.

About Representative Miller

Carol Miller (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2027.

Miller (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

West Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the U.S. House in the 116th Congress. Incumbent Evan Jenkins (R) did not seek re-election in 2018, leaving the seat open. In the campaign, Miller emphasized her endorsement by President Donald Trump (R). Lara Trump, Senior Advisor to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., said, “Carol is pro-coal, pro-Second Amendment, and pro-Trump through and through, and is prepared to tackle the opioid epidemic that’s affected countless West Virginians.” Miller also supported the construction of a wall on the southern U.S. border and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).

Miller is a former Republican member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing District 16 from 2006 to 2018.

Miller has also worked in real estate and owns a bison farm.

Carol Miller was born in Columbus, Ohio. Miller graduated from Bexley High School in 1968. She earned a B.S. from Columbia College in 1972. Her career experience includes owning and operating Swann Ridge Bison Farm and working as a real estate manager.

Quest Diagnostics Company 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.