DGX vs. MRNA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at DGX and MRNA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | DGX | MRNA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Quest Diagnostics Incorporated | Moderna, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Providers & Services | Biotechnology |
| Market Capitalization | 20.02 billion USD | 10.46 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | December 17, 1996 | December 7, 2018 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of DGX and MRNA by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | DGX | MRNA |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.74% | 1.05% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 1.79% | 4.63% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 10.08% | -19.99% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 19.03% | -66.92% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 6.95% | -9.03% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 18.68% | -35.33% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.87M | 9.93M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.22M | 10.26M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 23.63% | 56.65% |
| Beta | 0.56 | 2.04 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
DGX
13.70%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 26.03%
- Q3
- 13.74%
- Median
- 8.26%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -3.62%
DGX’s Return on Equity of 13.70% is on par with the norm for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
MRNA
-27.46%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 77.14%
- Q3
- 10.76%
- Median
- -20.08%
- Q1
- -42.71%
- Min
- -119.20%
MRNA has a negative Return on Equity of -27.46%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
DGX
9.03%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.40%
- Q3
- 5.93%
- Median
- 1.96%
- Q1
- 0.93%
- Min
- -6.10%
A Net Profit Margin of 9.03% places DGX in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
MRNA
-94.31%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 59.44%
- Q3
- 16.21%
- Median
- -11.49%
- Q1
- -167.42%
- Min
- -409.07%
MRNA has a negative Net Profit Margin of -94.31%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
DGX
14.02%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.05%
- Q3
- 10.21%
- Median
- 4.22%
- Q1
- 1.98%
- Min
- -4.27%
An Operating Profit Margin of 14.02% places DGX in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
MRNA
-106.34%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 60.62%
- Q3
- 20.76%
- Median
- -12.41%
- Q1
- -181.14%
- Min
- -482.02%
MRNA has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -106.34%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | DGX | MRNA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 13.70% | -27.46% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 5.94% | -21.24% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 9.03% | -94.31% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.02% | -106.34% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 33.23% | 68.32% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
DGX
1.09
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.01
- Q3
- 1.49
- Median
- 1.30
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.17
DGX’s Current Ratio of 1.09 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
MRNA
3.93
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 19.31
- Q3
- 9.38
- Median
- 4.54
- Q1
- 2.45
- Min
- 0.76
MRNA’s Current Ratio of 3.93 aligns with the median group of the Biotechnology industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
DGX
0.78
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.17
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.00
DGX’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.78 is typical for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
MRNA
0.01
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 1.35
- Q3
- 0.64
- Median
- 0.09
- Q1
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
MRNA’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.01 is typical for the Biotechnology industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
DGX
7.42
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 7.15
- Median
- 5.45
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -4.44
DGX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.42 is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
MRNA
--
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 72.37
- Q3
- 1.91
- Median
- -7.81
- Q1
- -63.90
- Min
- -153.80
Interest Coverage Ratio data for MRNA is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | DGX | MRNA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.09 | 3.93 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.86 | 3.59 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.78 | 0.01 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.42 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
DGX
1.71%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 5.38%
- Q3
- 2.22%
- Median
- 0.55%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
DGX’s Dividend Yield of 1.71% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Providers & Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
MRNA
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MRNA currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
DGX
36.00%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 186.69%
- Q3
- 74.82%
- Median
- 26.76%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
DGX’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 36.00% is within the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
MRNA
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MRNA has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | DGX | MRNA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.71% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 36.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
DGX
21.05
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 55.89
- Q3
- 30.85
- Median
- 21.17
- Q1
- 12.63
- Min
- 0.00
DGX’s P/E Ratio of 21.05 is within the middle range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
MRNA
--
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 60.14
- Q3
- 38.17
- Median
- 29.01
- Q1
- 15.12
- Min
- 0.00
P/E Ratio data for MRNA is currently unavailable.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
DGX
1.90
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 1.74
- Median
- 0.67
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
DGX’s P/S Ratio of 1.90 is in the upper echelon for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
MRNA
3.42
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 76.98
- Q3
- 36.53
- Median
- 9.49
- Q1
- 4.49
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Biotechnology industry, MRNA’s P/S Ratio of 3.42 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
DGX
2.77
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.61
- Q3
- 4.32
- Median
- 2.53
- Q1
- 1.14
- Min
- 0.77
DGX’s P/B Ratio of 2.77 is within the conventional range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
MRNA
1.14
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 20.53
- Q3
- 9.76
- Median
- 4.77
- Q1
- 2.49
- Min
- 0.59
MRNA’s P/B Ratio of 1.14 is in the lower quartile for the Biotechnology industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | DGX | MRNA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 21.05 | -- |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 1.90 | 3.42 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.77 | 1.14 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 16.34 | 34.70 |