Quest Diagnostics stock trades near 52-week high as earnings and outlook support rally

Published on 09/19/2026 at 20:28 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Quest Diagnostics stock closed at USD 246.45 on September 18, 2026 on the NYSE, up more than 40 percent since the start of the year. Recent quarterly revenue growth above 10 percent and margin expansion underpin the valuation for investors.

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Quest Diagnostics Incorporated stock (ISIN US74834L1008) closed at USD 246.45 on the New York Stock Exchange on September 18, 2026, leaving the diagnostics specialist trading close to its 52-week high of USD 248.70 as investors continue to price in strong earnings momentum and an improved outlook.

Earnings growth and margins bolster Quest Diagnostics stock

According to Yahoo Finance data updated on September 18, 2026, Quest Diagnostics generated trailing twelve month revenue of USD 11.56 billion and net income attributable to common shareholders of USD 1.06 billion, corresponding to diluted earnings per share of USD 9.43 and a net margin of about 9.19 percent over the period.Yahoo Finance For the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, Yahoo Finance shows that Quest Diagnostics reported revenue of approximately USD 3.04 billion and earnings of USD 320 million, implying a quarterly profit margin of 10.52 percent and confirming that margins have strengthened compared with the trailing average.Yahoo Finance In that same quarter, earnings per share reached USD 3.12, beating the consensus estimate of USD 2.82 by USD 0.30 and marking revenue growth of 10.2 percent versus the prior-year quarter, according to MarketBeat’s summary of the earnings release on July 23, 2026.MarketBeat

The combination of double-digit revenue growth and margin expansion has driven a marked improvement in the stock’s performance this year. MarketBeat notes that Quest Diagnostics shares were trading at USD 173.47 at the beginning of 2026 and have risen by about 42.2 percent to around USD 246.65 by September 18, 2026, significantly outperforming the broader S&P 500 index over the same period.MarketBeat Yahoo Finance reports a year-to-date total return of 43.88 percent for Quest Diagnostics as of September 18, 2026, compared with 11.76 percent for the S&P 500, underlining that the stock has delivered more than triple the benchmark’s gain so far this year.Yahoo Finance

Analysts refine targets as Quest Diagnostics stock nears fair value

Analyst coverage of Quest Diagnostics remains active. Yahoo Finance’s analyst insights section shows that UBS maintained a Neutral rating on the shares in a note dated September 8, 2026 while raising its price target from USD 232 to USD 245, aligning the target closely with the current trading range.Yahoo Finance MarketBeat aggregates a broader analyst consensus and reports that Quest Diagnostics currently carries a Moderate Buy recommendation based on one strong buy, five buy and seven hold ratings, with an average price target of USD 236.31, a low of USD 200 and a high of USD 260 as of September 18, 2026.MarketBeat

Given that the current share price of around USD 246.45 already sits slightly above the consensus target and near the UBS target, the implied upside from analyst models appears limited in the short term. At the same time, MarketBeat highlights that earnings for Quest Diagnostics are expected to grow from USD 11.15 to USD 11.97 per share in the coming year, corresponding to projected earnings growth of about 7.35 percent.MarketBeat On a trailing basis, the stock trades at roughly 26.18 times earnings and about 2.35 times annual sales, according to the same source, which is below the average price-to-earnings multiple for the healthcare sector but above some diversified peers in diagnostics and healthcare services.MarketBeat

Dividend, cash generation and upcoming earnings date

Quest Diagnostics couples its earnings growth with shareholder returns through dividends and buybacks. Yahoo Finance indicates that the company pays a forward annual dividend of USD 3.44 per share, equivalent to a yield of about 1.39 percent at the current price, with an ex-dividend date scheduled for October 6, 2026 for the next payment.Yahoo Finance MarketBeat adds that Quest Diagnostics has increased its dividend for 14 consecutive years and currently maintains a payout ratio of about 36.52 percent of earnings, a level that leaves room to continue funding growth initiatives while sustaining distributions.MarketBeat

Free cash flow supports this capital allocation approach. Yahoo Finance reports levered free cash flow of approximately USD 909.63 million over the trailing twelve months and total cash of about USD 626 million on the most recent quarterly balance sheet, alongside a total debt-to-equity ratio of 81.07 percent.Yahoo Finance MarketBeat notes that the company’s board authorized a share repurchase program in February 2026 of up to USD 1 billion, equivalent to roughly 4.7 percent of outstanding shares, signalling management’s view that the stock remains attractive over the medium term despite its strong run in 2026.MarketBeat The next earnings release is estimated for October 20, 2026, which will provide investors with an updated view on whether volume growth, unit revenue and margins continue to meet or exceed expectations.MarketBeat

Quest Diagnostics stock valuation and trading metrics

From a trading perspective, Yahoo Finance shows that Quest Diagnostics closed at USD 246.45 on September 18, 2026, down 0.40 percent from the previous close of USD 247.45, with the session’s trading range spanning USD 244.89 to USD 247.62 and total volume of 1,924,740 shares, roughly double its average daily volume of 977,487 shares.Yahoo Finance MarketBeat’s snapshot for the same date gives a closing price of USD 246.65 with an intraday low and high of USD 244.89 and USD 247.63, respectively, and confirms a 52-week trading range between USD 171.18 and USD 248.70.MarketBeat As of the end of that trading day, CompaniesMarketCap reports Quest Diagnostics’ market capitalization at about USD 27.20 billion, reflecting the strong appreciation in the share price throughout 2026.CompaniesMarketCap

Volatility appears relatively subdued compared with many healthcare peers. Yahoo Finance lists a five-year monthly beta of 0.55 for Quest Diagnostics, indicating that the stock tends to move less than the overall market in percentage terms.Yahoo Finance Investor sentiment, however, is not entirely one-sided. MarketBeat reports that short interest recently increased by 3.74 percent, with 3.15 percent of the float sold short and a days-to-cover ratio of 3.86, suggesting some market participants are positioning for a potential pullback after the steep year-to-date advance.MarketBeat

Stock closes near high after strong 2026 run

With Quest Diagnostics stock closing at USD 246.45 on the NYSE on September 18, 2026, the shares currently trade just below the 52-week high of USD 248.70 and around 42 percent above their level at the start of the year, supported by double-digit revenue growth, improving margins and ongoing dividend and buyback support. At this valuation, investors will scrutinize the upcoming October 20, 2026 earnings release to see whether earnings growth near 7 percent can be sustained into 2027 and whether the stock’s premium to its long-term averages remains justified by operating performance.