Alaska Permanent Fund Corp Has $33,000 Stock Holdings in Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX)

Alaska Permanent Fund Corp raised its stake in Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) by 79.3% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 242 shares of the medical research company’s stock after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the quarter. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp’s holdings in Quest Diagnostics were worth $33,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. GAMMA Investing LLC acquired a new position in Quest Diagnostics in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $67,000. Socha Financial Group LLC grew its position in Quest Diagnostics by 13.4% in the fourth quarter. Socha Financial Group LLC now owns 8,985 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $1,239,000 after acquiring an additional 1,062 shares in the last quarter. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC grew its position in Quest Diagnostics by 10.0% in the fourth quarter. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC now owns 10,749 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $1,482,000 after acquiring an additional 981 shares in the last quarter. Duality Advisers LP bought a new stake in Quest Diagnostics in the fourth quarter worth approximately $2,428,000. Finally, MCF Advisors LLC grew its position in Quest Diagnostics by 179.8% in the fourth quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 291 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 187 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.06% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 5,611 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.88, for a total value of $706,312.68. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 38,478 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,843,610.64. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 5,611 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.88, for a total value of $706,312.68. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 38,478 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,843,610.64. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Catherine T. Doherty sold 821 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.14, for a total transaction of $103,560.94. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 70,800 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,930,712. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 15,150 shares of company stock valued at $1,913,202. 0.79% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have commented on DGX shares. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $138.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday. StockNews.com raised shares of Quest Diagnostics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $150.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $145.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, SVB Leerink began coverage on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Monday, February 26th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $135.00 price objective for the company. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Quest Diagnostics has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $146.17.

Quest Diagnostics Price Performance

NYSE:DGX opened at $134.26 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $14.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.07, a PEG ratio of 2.94 and a beta of 0.91. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a one year low of $119.59 and a one year high of $146.85. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $129.09 and a 200 day moving average price of $131.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 1.20.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 23rd. The medical research company reported $2.04 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.86 by $0.18. Quest Diagnostics had a net margin of 9.11% and a return on equity of 15.52%. The firm had revenue of $2.37 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.29 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.04 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 1.7% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 8.78 earnings per share for the current year.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 22nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 8th were paid a $0.75 dividend. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.23%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, April 5th. This is a positive change from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.71. Quest Diagnostics’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 38.22%.

Quest Diagnostics 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.