DGX vs. SHC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at DGX and SHC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | DGX | SHC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Quest Diagnostics Incorporated | Sotera Health Company |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Providers & Services | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 21.13 billion USD | 4.60 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | December 17, 1996 | November 20, 2020 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of DGX and SHC 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 | SHC |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -1.79% | 0.25% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 1.53% | 41.46% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 9.68% | 34.56% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 17.28% | -6.15% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -4.47% | -3.91% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 20.69% | 14.99% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.89M | 1.61M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.94M | 1.63M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 24.64% | 57.34% |
| Beta | 0.64 | 1.83 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
DGX
13.70%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 24.86%
- Q3
- 15.79%
- Median
- 8.56%
- Q1
- 5.75%
- Min
- -1.64%
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.
SHC
5.34%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.96%
- Q3
- 11.51%
- Median
- 6.47%
- Q1
- 3.86%
- Min
- -6.95%
SHC’s Return on Equity of 5.34% is on par with the norm for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
DGX
9.03%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 11.56%
- Q3
- 5.45%
- Median
- 2.83%
- Q1
- 1.13%
- Min
- -1.71%
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.
SHC
2.14%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 32.18%
- Q3
- 18.30%
- Median
- 10.19%
- Q1
- 4.20%
- Min
- -2.05%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, SHC’s Net Profit Margin of 2.14% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
DGX
14.02%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.08%
- Q3
- 9.66%
- Median
- 4.77%
- Q1
- 2.46%
- Min
- -0.83%
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.
SHC
22.06%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 38.39%
- Q3
- 21.40%
- Median
- 13.57%
- Q1
- 8.38%
- Min
- -3.51%
An Operating Profit Margin of 22.06% places SHC in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | DGX | SHC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 13.70% | 5.34% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 5.94% | 0.77% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 9.03% | 2.14% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.02% | 22.06% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 33.23% | 55.53% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
DGX
1.09
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.00
- Q3
- 1.51
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 0.92
- Min
- 0.14
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.
SHC
2.47
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.46
- Q3
- 2.78
- Median
- 1.91
- Q1
- 1.53
- Min
- 0.43
SHC’s Current Ratio of 2.47 aligns with the median group of the Life Sciences Tools & Services 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
- 2.29
- Q3
- 1.24
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.50
- 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.
SHC
4.53
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.35
- Q3
- 0.74
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.18
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 4.53, SHC operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
DGX
7.42
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 7.50
- Median
- 4.52
- Q1
- 2.12
- Min
- -4.44
DGX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.42 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
SHC
1.69
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 45.00
- Q3
- 27.84
- Median
- 7.16
- Q1
- 2.12
- Min
- -14.08
In the lower quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, SHC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 1.69 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | DGX | SHC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.09 | 2.47 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.86 | 2.13 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.78 | 4.53 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.42 | 1.69 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
DGX
1.67%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 5.93%
- Q3
- 2.59%
- Median
- 1.35%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
DGX’s Dividend Yield of 1.67% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Providers & Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
SHC
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.41%
- Q3
- 0.65%
- Median
- 0.35%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
SHC 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
- 185.33%
- Q3
- 74.82%
- Median
- 36.00%
- 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.
SHC
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 113.14%
- Q3
- 61.34%
- Median
- 17.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
SHC 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 | SHC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.67% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 36.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
DGX
21.61
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 40.02
- Q3
- 29.75
- Median
- 21.09
- Q1
- 14.18
- Min
- 7.05
DGX’s P/E Ratio of 21.61 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.
SHC
191.43
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 75.35
- Q3
- 51.00
- Median
- 32.93
- Q1
- 25.27
- Min
- 1.43
At 191.43, SHC’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
DGX
1.95
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.15
- Q3
- 1.87
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.09
DGX’s P/S Ratio of 1.95 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.
SHC
4.09
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 10.49
- Q3
- 6.43
- Median
- 4.66
- Q1
- 2.88
- Min
- 1.08
SHC’s P/S Ratio of 4.09 aligns with the market consensus for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
DGX
2.77
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.33
- Q3
- 4.45
- Median
- 2.52
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 0.66
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.
SHC
6.17
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 6.69
- Q3
- 5.00
- Median
- 3.46
- Q1
- 2.38
- Min
- 0.93
SHC’s P/B Ratio of 6.17 is in the upper tier for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | DGX | SHC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 21.61 | 191.43 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 1.95 | 4.09 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.77 | 6.17 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 16.77 | 37.43 |