Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) Shares Sold by Securian Asset Management Inc.

Securian Asset Management Inc. lessened its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) by 1.6% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 5,918 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 98 shares during the period. Securian Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Quest Diagnostics were worth $893,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its position in Quest Diagnostics by 340.4% during the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 251 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 194 shares during the period. First Financial Corp IN acquired a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the fourth quarter worth approximately $38,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. acquired a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the fourth quarter worth approximately $45,000. Finally, Global Trust Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the fourth quarter worth approximately $49,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.06% of the company’s stock.

Quest Diagnostics Trading Up 0.8 %

NYSE:DGX opened at $170.20 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $163.56 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $158.16. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.13, a PEG ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.10. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 1 year low of $125.42 and a 1 year high of $178.87.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $2.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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, sell-side analysts anticipate that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 9.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 21st. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 7th will be issued a $0.80 dividend. This is a positive change from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 7th. This represents a $3.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.88%. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio is 41.61%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DGX has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley raised Quest Diagnostics from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $145.00 to $172.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 17th. UBS Group boosted their target price on Quest Diagnostics from $166.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Bank of America upped their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $179.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, December 13th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $185.00 price target (up previously from $175.00) on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, Mizuho upped their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $177.00 to $178.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $178.23.

Insider Buying and Selling at Quest Diagnostics

In other Quest Diagnostics news, Director Vicky B. Gregg sold 1,250 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $164.57, for a total value of $205,712.50. Following the sale, the director now owns 16,867 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,775,802.19. This represents a 6.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Catherine T. Doherty sold 5,370 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 68,068 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,852,680.84. The trade was a 7.31 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 9,514 shares of company stock valued at $1,634,445. Insiders own 0.79% of the company’s stock.

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.