CVS vs. DGX: CVS Health vs. Quest Diagnostics Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do CVS Health (CVS) 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

CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) are both classified in the Health Care Services sub-industry within the broader Health Care Providers & Services industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Profile Item	CVS	DGX
Name	CVS Health Corporation Common Stock	Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Health Care	Health Care
GICS Industry Group	Health Care Equipment & Services	Health Care Equipment & Services
GICS Industry	Health Care Providers & Services	Health Care Providers & Services
GICS Sub-Industry	Health Care Services	Health Care Services
Market Capitalization	107.28 billion USD	28.21 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 21, 1973	December 17, 1996
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CVS

DGX

GSPC

CVS Health (CVS) 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 CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Metric	CVS	DGX
Total Return (1Y)	11.41%	45.88%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	12.73%	27.45%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	1.70%	14.84%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CVS

DGX

GSPC

CVS Health (CVS) 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 CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Metric	CVS	DGX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	34.14%	24.06%
Beta (5Y)	0.60	0.54
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-56.79%	-28.62%
Avg. Volume (3M)	8.60M	1.00M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CVS 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 CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Metric	CVS	DGX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.21	1.73
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.28	3.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 15.32% sits in the top ROE quartile, while CVS Health (CVS) at 14.36% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for DGX.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

14.36%

Max: 47.61%
CVS: 14.36%
Q3: 14.36%
Median: 5.45%
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%

CVS Health (CVS) 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 CVS Health (CVS) at 2.64%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.64%

Max: 29.35%
Q3: 9.33%
CVS: 2.64%
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%

CVS Health (CVS) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 15.63% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of CVS Health (CVS) at 2.72%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.72%

Max: 35.43%
Q3: 14.14%
Median: 6.81%
CVS: 2.72%
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%

CVS Health (CVS) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Metric	CVS	DGX
ROE (TTM)	14.36%	15.32%
ROA (TTM)	3.11%	6.61%
Net Margin (TTM)	2.64%	9.54%
Operating Margin (TTM)	2.72%	15.63%
Gross Margin (TTM)	13.72%	33.18%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both CVS Health (CVS) at 7.85% 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.

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

EPS Growth

Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 13.78% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while CVS Health (CVS) at -62.02% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Metric	CVS	DGX
Revenue Growth (YoY)	7.85%	11.78%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	7.63%	3.74%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-62.02%	13.78%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-24.73%	3.16%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 1.70 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while CVS Health (CVS) at 0.85 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CVS.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.85

Max: 7.59
Q3: 4.00
Median: 1.98
Q1: 1.37
CVS: 0.85
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

CVS Health (CVS) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 0.80 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while CVS Health (CVS) at 0.93 uses more debt funding than most peers.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.93

Max: 1.88
CVS: 0.93
Q3: 0.91
Median: 0.58
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

CVS Health (CVS) 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 CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Metric	CVS	DGX
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.85	1.70
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.93	0.80
Net Debt / EBITDA	3.49	2.38

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both CVS Health (CVS) at 3.27% 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.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.27%

CVS: 3.27%
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%

CVS Health (CVS) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both CVS Health (CVS) at 30.89% 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.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

30.89%

CVS: 30.89%
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%

CVS Health (CVS) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Metric	CVS	DGX
Dividend Yield (TTM)	3.27%	1.33%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	30.89%	25.10%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CVS Health (CVS) at 9.74 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 25.46 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for CVS, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.74

Max: 80.41
Q3: 47.62
Median: 29.93
Q1: 21.19
CVS: 9.74
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

CVS Health (CVS) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

CVS Health (CVS) at 0.26 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 2.38 prices around its industry’s middle — CVS costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.26

Max: 8.80
Q3: 4.32
Median: 2.13
Q1: 1.10
CVS: 0.26
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

CVS Health (CVS) vs. Quest Diagnostics (DGX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

CVS Health (CVS) at 1.33 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 3.68 is valued near its industry’s middle — CVS is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

CVS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.33

Max: 11.68
Q3: 6.12
Median: 3.00
Q1: 1.73
CVS: 1.33
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

CVS Health (CVS) 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 CVS Health (CVS) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX)
Metric	CVS	DGX
P/E Ratio (TTM)	9.74	25.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.26	2.38
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.33	3.68
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	11.02%	3.09%