Advertisement
DGX vs LH
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Quest Diagnostics (DGX) vs. Labcorp Holdings (LH) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Quest Diagnostics (DGX) reported robust Q1 2026 results with revenues up 9.2% year-over-year to $2.90 billion and adjusted EPS (earnings per share) of $2.50, beating estimates and prompting raised full-year guidance.
- Labcorp Holdings (LH) is set to release Q1 2026 earnings on April 30, with consensus estimates projecting $3.50 billion in revenue (up 4.7%) and EPS of $4.09.
- DGX has outperformed YTD with a 14.33% return compared to LH's 5.27%, reflecting stronger recent momentum.
- Both stocks trade at similar market caps around $22 billion, with P/E ratios (price-to-earnings) of 21.75 for DGX and 25.18 for LH.
- Recent catalysts include DGX's growth in advanced diagnostics and LH's FDA-approved companion diagnostic for ovarian cancer.
- DGX exhibits lower volatility with a beta of 0.65 versus LH's 0.99, appealing to stability-focused investors.
Introduction
Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and Labcorp Holdings (LH) are leading providers of diagnostic laboratory services, dominating the U.S. clinical testing market. This stock comparison is particularly relevant for healthcare sector investors and traders seeking exposure to diagnostic innovations amid evolving demand for advanced testing in areas like oncology and chronic disease management. With similar market positions and recent earnings activity, analyzing their performance, growth drivers, and market sentiment helps evaluate relative opportunities in a competitive landscape. Traders monitoring short-term momentum or long-term stability will find insights into positioning amid broader healthcare trends.
DGX Overview and Recent Performance
Quest Diagnostics (DGX) empowers healthcare decisions through diagnostic information services, including routine clinical testing, anatomic pathology, and advanced diagnostics for cancer and neurology. In recent market activity, DGX shares have shown resilience, trading around $196 with a year-to-date gain of 14.33%. The company's Q1 2026 results highlighted strong organic revenue growth of 9.0%, driven by heightened volumes in advanced diagnostics and consumer health testing. This performance beat consensus estimates, leading to upward revisions in full-year guidance and boosting investor sentiment. Factors like strategic partnerships and momentum in high-margin segments have supported positive price behavior, positioning DGX favorably within the diagnostics sector.
LH Overview and Recent Performance
Labcorp Holdings (LH) delivers comprehensive laboratory services across diagnostics and biopharma segments, encompassing routine tests, esoteric assays, and support for drug development. Shares have traded steadily near $263 in recent weeks, with a year-to-date return of 5.27%. Anticipation builds for upcoming Q1 2026 earnings, expected to show revenue growth amid stable demand for core testing. A key development includes the launch of an FDA-approved companion diagnostic for ovarian cancer treatment eligibility, enhancing its oncology offerings. Sentiment remains balanced, influenced by consistent biopharma services revenue and broader healthcare utilization trends, though shares reflect moderated momentum compared to peers.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots page showcases the top 25 AI-powered trading bots out of over 350 available, curated for optimal performance in current market conditions. These bots employ diverse strategies across stocks, ETFs, and crypto, with timeframes ranging from 5-minute scalps to 60-minute swings, adapting to low, medium, or high volatility environments. Key metrics displayed include win rates, profit factors, and trade counts—often reflecting hundreds of executed trades per bot. Whether pattern recognition for short-term trades or trend-following for longer holds, they cater to various risk appetites and asset focuses. Traders can explore these high-performing options to enhance strategies amid volatile markets. Visit the Trending AI Robots page for real-time insights and copy-trading opportunities.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Both DGX and LH thrive in the diagnostics sector, providing essential lab testing but with nuanced differences. DGX emphasizes physician-ordered and advanced clinical diagnostics, while LH balances diagnostics with biopharma lab services for pharmaceutical clients, offering diversified revenue streams. Growth drivers diverge: DGX benefits from robust organic expansion in high-value testing, contrasting LH's steadier core volumes supplemented by contract research. Recent momentum favors DGX's post-earnings uplift versus LH's anticipation phase. Risk profiles show DGX's lower beta indicating reduced market sensitivity, against LH's higher exposure. Sector-wise, both capitalize on healthcare demand, but DGX's margin expansion edges sentiment amid recent outperformance.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI analysis currently leans toward DGX due to its trend consistency, recent earnings beat, raised guidance, and superior year-to-date relative performance. Factors like organic growth momentum and stability position it probabilistically stronger in the near term, though LH's upcoming results and oncology advancements warrant monitoring for potential shifts.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is DGX is a Buy and LH is a Buy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
DGX’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileLH’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- DGX’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- LH’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
DGX’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while LH’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- DGX’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 5 bearish.
- LH’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
DGX (@Medical Specialties) experienced а -4.25% price change this week, while LH (@Medical Specialties) price change was -4.00% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Medical Specialties industry was +0.70%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +2.77%, and the average quarterly price growth was -3.13%.
Reported Earning Dates
DGX is expected to report earnings on Jul 23, 2026.
LH is expected to report earnings on Jul 30, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Medical Specialties (+0.70% weekly)Medical specialties are companies that make equipment used by the health care industry. Equipment manufactured and distributed by these companies include dialysis machines, blood analysis equipment, surgical equipment, dental instruments, and diagnostic tools, among other items. Large companies typically aim to produce and distribute high-quality products across a broad market spectrum. Smaller firms are more likely to specialize in a particular market segment. Due to the industry’s close association with medical treatments, they typically have low sensitivity to macroeconomic fluctuations. Within this industry, Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic Plc and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. are some of the companies with multi-billion market capitalizations in the U.S. stock markets.
| DGX | LH | DGX / LH | |
| Capitalization | 21.4B | 20.9B | 102% |
| EBITDA | 2.22B | 2.06B | 108% |
| Gain YTD | 12.553 | 1.949 | 644% |
| P/E Ratio | 21.39 | 22.54 | 95% |
| Revenue | 11.3B | 14.1B | 80% |
| Total Cash | 393M | 981M | 40% |
| Total Debt | 6.41B | 7.24B | 88% |
DGX | LH | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 67 | 55 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 4 Undervalued | 1 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 29 | 75 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 60 | 68 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 35 | 56 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 57 | 76 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 75 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
LH's Valuation (1) in the Servicestothe Health Industry industry is in the same range as DGX (4). This means that LH’s stock grew similarly to DGX’s over the last 12 months.
DGX's Profit vs Risk Rating (29) in the Servicestothe Health Industry industry is somewhat better than the same rating for LH (75). This means that DGX’s stock grew somewhat faster than LH’s over the last 12 months.
DGX's SMR Rating (60) in the Servicestothe Health Industry industry is in the same range as LH (68). This means that DGX’s stock grew similarly to LH’s over the last 12 months.
DGX's Price Growth Rating (35) in the Servicestothe Health Industry industry is in the same range as LH (56). This means that DGX’s stock grew similarly to LH’s over the last 12 months.
DGX's P/E Growth Rating (57) in the Servicestothe Health Industry industry is in the same range as LH (76). This means that DGX’s stock grew similarly to LH’s over the last 12 months.
| DGX | LH | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | N/A | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 57% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 45% | 2 days ago 60% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 65% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 43% | 2 days ago 52% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 57% | 2 days ago 50% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 19 days ago 63% | 19 days ago 56% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 45% | 2 days ago 53% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 48% | 2 days ago 40% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 49% | 2 days ago 53% |
Advertisement
LH and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, LH has been closely correlated with DGX. These tickers have moved in lockstep 72% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if LH jumps, then DGX could also see price increases.