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ALC vs. DGX: Alcon vs. Quest Diagnostics Stock Comparison

How do Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) both fall under the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group, but ALC is classified in Health Care Equipment & Supplies while DGX is classified in Health Care Providers & Services.

Company profile comparison for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Profile ItemALCDGX
NameAlcon Inc.Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
Country/RegionSwitzerlandUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Equipment & SuppliesHealth Care Providers & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care SuppliesHealth Care Services
Market Capitalization36.23 billion USD28.21 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateApril 9, 2019December 17, 1996
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ALC
DGX
GSPC
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
MetricALCDGX
Total Return (1Y)1.20%45.88%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)1.17%27.45%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-2.77%14.84%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ALC
DGX
GSPC
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
MetricALCDGX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)29.23%24.06%
Beta (5Y)0.840.54
Max Drawdown (5Y)-37.93%-28.62%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.74M1.00M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ALC and DGX are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
MetricALCDGX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.111.73
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.153.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 15.32% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Alcon (ALC) at 2.94% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for DGX.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.94%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
ALC
2.94%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%

DGX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

15.32%

Max
47.61%
DGX
15.32%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 9.54% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Alcon (ALC) at 5.92%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

5.92%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
ALC
5.92%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%

DGX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.54%

Max
29.35%
DGX
9.54%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Alcon (ALC) at 14.63% and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 15.63% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

14.63%

Max
35.43%
ALC
14.63%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%

DGX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

15.63%

Max
35.43%
DGX
15.63%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
MetricALCDGX
ROE (TTM)2.94%15.32%
ROA (TTM)2.80%6.61%
Net Margin (TTM)5.92%9.54%
Operating Margin (TTM)14.63%15.63%
Gross Margin (TTM)57.22%33.18%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Alcon (ALC) at 4.94% and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 11.78% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Alcon (ALC) at -3.41% and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 13.78% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
MetricALCDGX
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.94%11.78%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.06%3.74%
EPS Growth (YoY)-3.41%13.78%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)42.80%3.16%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Alcon (ALC) at 2.09 and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 1.70 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.09

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
ALC
2.09
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30

DGX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.70

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
DGX
1.70
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Alcon (ALC) at 0.25 and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 0.80 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.25

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
ALC
0.25
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00

DGX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.80

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
DGX
0.80
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
MetricALCDGX
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.091.70
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.250.80
Net Debt / EBITDA1.602.38

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Alcon (ALC) at 0.46% and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 1.33% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.46%

ALC
0.46%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

DGX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.33%

DGX
1.33%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Alcon (ALC) at 26.56% and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 25.10% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

26.56%

ALC
26.56%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

DGX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

25.10%

DGX
25.10%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
MetricALCDGX
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.46%1.33%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)26.56%25.10%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 25.46 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Alcon (ALC) at 56.77 sits in the richer quartile — ALC needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

56.77

Max
80.41
ALC
56.77
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21

DGX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

25.46

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
DGX
25.46
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Alcon (ALC) at 3.34 and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 2.38 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.34

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
ALC
3.34
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03

DGX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.38

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
DGX
2.38
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Alcon (ALC) at 1.68 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 3.68 is valued near its industry’s middle — ALC is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.68

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
ALC
1.68
Min
-1.31

DGX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.68

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
DGX
3.68
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
MetricALCDGX
P/E Ratio (TTM)56.7725.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.342.38
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.683.68
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.51%3.09%