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DGX vs. GEHC: Quest Diagnostics vs. GE HealthCare Stock Comparison

How do Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC) 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

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

Quest Diagnostics (DGX) has more than two decades of public-market history since December 17, 1996, whereas GE HealthCare (GEHC) listed on December 15, 2022 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
Profile ItemDGXGEHC
NameQuest Diagnostics IncorporatedGE HealthCare Technologies Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Providers & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care ServicesHealth Care Equipment
Market Capitalization28.21 billion USD37.25 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateDecember 17, 1996December 15, 2022
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DGX
GEHC
GSPC
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC), 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 Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
MetricDGXGEHC
Total Return (1Y)45.88%14.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)27.45%7.01%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)14.84%--

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DGX
GEHC
GSPC
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC), 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 Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
MetricDGXGEHC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.06%35.93%
Beta (5Y)0.540.69
Max Drawdown (5Y)-28.62%-37.35%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.00M3.56M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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DGX and GEHC 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 Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
MetricDGXGEHC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.730.28
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.160.41

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 15.32% and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 20.01% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

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%

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

20.01%

Max
47.61%
GEHC
20.01%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 9.54% and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 9.95% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

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%

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.95%

Max
29.35%
GEHC
9.95%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 15.63% and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 15.33% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

15.33%

Max
35.43%
GEHC
15.33%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
MetricDGXGEHC
ROE (TTM)15.32%20.01%
ROA (TTM)6.61%4.99%
Net Margin (TTM)9.54%9.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)15.63%15.33%
Gross Margin (TTM)33.18%39.29%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 11.78% and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 4.84% 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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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 13.78% and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 4.84% 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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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
MetricDGXGEHC
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.78%4.84%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.74%3.99%
EPS Growth (YoY)13.78%4.84%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)3.16%-0.58%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 1.70 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 1.30 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for GEHC.

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

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.30

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
GEHC
1.30
Min
0.30
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 0.80 and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 0.88 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

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

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.88

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
GEHC
0.88
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
MetricDGXGEHC
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.701.30
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.800.88
Net Debt / EBITDA2.382.11

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 1.33% and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 0.17% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

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%

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.17%

GEHC
0.17%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 25.10% and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 2.96% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

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%

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.96%

GEHC
2.96%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
MetricDGXGEHC
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.33%0.17%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)25.10%2.96%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 17.42 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 GEHC, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

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

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

17.42

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
GEHC
17.42
Min
4.21
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): 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 Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 2.38 and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 1.72 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.72

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
GEHC
1.72
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Quest Diagnostics (DGX) at 3.68 and GE HealthCare (GEHC) at 3.21 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

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

GEHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.21

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
GEHC
3.21
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
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Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. GE HealthCare (GEHC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and GE HealthCare (GEHC)
MetricDGXGEHC
P/E Ratio (TTM)25.4617.42
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.381.72
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.683.21
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.09%4.92%