Quest Diagnostics(US:DGX) ZACKSยท2025-06-27 17:01Core Viewpoint - Quest Diagnostics (DGX) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook on its earnings estimates, which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Movement - The Zacks rating system reflects changes in earnings estimates, which are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements, particularly due to institutional investors' reliance on these estimates for valuation [4][6]. - An increase in earnings estimates typically leads to higher fair value calculations for stocks, prompting institutional investors to buy or sell, thus affecting stock prices [4]. Company Performance and Outlook - The upgrade for Quest Diagnostics signifies an improvement in its underlying business, which is expected to drive the stock price higher as investors respond positively to this trend [5][10]. - Analysts project that Quest Diagnostics will earn $9.70 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2025, with a slight increase of 0.1% in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the past three months [8]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system categorizes stocks based on earnings estimate revisions, with only the top 20% of stocks receiving a "Strong Buy" or "Buy" rating, indicating superior potential for market-beating returns [9][10]. - The Zacks Rank 2 for Quest Diagnostics places it among the top 20% of stocks covered by Zacks, suggesting a favorable outlook for the stock in the near term [10].