Quest Diagnostics stock gains as Truist lifts price target on growth outlook

Quest Diagnostics stock (ISIN US74834L1008) is trading around USD 246 on the NYSE as of September 21, 2026, while Truist Securities has raised its price target to USD 260 per share, maintaining a Hold rating on the diagnostics provider on September 21, 2026.

Truist lifts price target to USD 260

According to Dow Jones Newswires via TradingView on September 21, 2026, Truist Securities increased its price target for Quest Diagnostics from USD 250 to USD 260 per share and maintained a Hold recommendation.

The new USD 260 target represents an upside of roughly 5.4 percent versus a share level of about USD 246, indicating that Truist sees limited but positive potential from current pricing while acknowledging that much of the recent improvement in fundamentals is already reflected in the valuation.

Growth guidance and operating momentum

As MarketBeat reported on September 21, 2026, Quest Diagnostics has recently highlighted that revenue increased about 12 percent and earnings more than 10 percent in fiscal year 2025, while guidance for 2026 calls for nearly 8 percent revenue growth and more than 13 percent earnings growth.

These figures make 2025 a historical comparison year: revenue growth of approximately 12 percent and earnings growth above 10 percent in fiscal year 2025 form the backdrop against which the company now targets around 8 percent revenue expansion and at least 13 percent earnings growth in 2026, signaling a focus on profitability and margin improvement rather than purely chasing top-line acceleration.

In addition, MarketBeat noted that Quest Diagnostics expects to test 250 million people in 2026, including an estimated 110 million to 120 million unique individuals, illustrating the scale of its consumer and clinical testing operations.

Zacks highlights strong recent share performance

Beyond the Truist target increase, analyst commentary also points to recent share price strength. According to Yahoo Finance summarizing Zacks on September 21, 2026, Quest Diagnostics, included in the Zacks Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio, delivered a return of 26.4 percent over the past 12 weeks, compared with 24.2 percent for Automatic Data Processing over the same period.

That 26.4 percent three-month gain suggests that investors have already rewarded the company for its combination of defensive dividend characteristics and growing earnings base, making the Truist price target increase to USD 260 a confirmation rather than a new catalyst for the share price.

Scientific study underscores medical relevance

Operationally, Quest Diagnostics continues to play a central role in diagnostic science. As PR Newswire via Morningstar reported on September 21, 2026, a new study by Quest Diagnostics and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that nearly one in three patients with suspected Lyme disease who had antibodies against the bacterium causing Lyme also had antibodies against at least one additional tick-borne pathogen.

For investors, the study illustrates how Quest Diagnostics is positioned at the center of complex infectious-disease diagnostics, which can support demand for advanced testing panels and potentially underpin the company’s long-term volume targets such as the plan to test 250 million people in 2026.

Stock price and trading context

Per recent market data snapshots on September 21, 2026, Quest Diagnostics shares trade around USD 246 on the NYSE, with intraday moves reported near USD 246.85 and USD 246.48, implying a modest daily percentage change close to flat in comparison with the prior close and leaving the shares near, but not at, the upper end of their recent trading range.

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