Quest Diagnostics vs Chemed: why the prices moved differently

Weekly · monthly · quarterly news summaries, side by side in time

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (DGX)

Q3 202624 Jun – 8 Oct 2026

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Quest's strong Q3 met Medicare fee-cut risk

New tests and partnerships drive growth New York approved Quest's Haystack MRD cancer test in all 50 states, Attunio Health named Quest its national lab partner, and Q2 revenue rose 10.2% to $3.04B with raised 2026 guidance.
These new approvals and partnerships directly boosted Quest's business and investor confidence.
Medicare fee cuts threaten revenue CMS proposed cutting Medicare lab fees by up to 15% starting in 2027, which would directly hit Quest's roughly 11% of revenue from Medicare, creating a major overhang.
This regulatory risk could significantly reduce future profits and weighed on the stock.
New products and joint venture boost outlook Quest announced a $119 Apple Health app lab panel, plans an FDA-cleared Alzheimer's blood test, and expects its Corewell joint venture to add about $250M in 2026 revenue, with earnings estimates up 11.2% to $11.15 per share.
These initiatives expand Quest's offerings and revenue streams, supporting future growth.
Analysts split on valuation and margins Analysts raised their fair value estimate to $239.38, but UBS stayed Neutral on margin concerns, reflecting a balance between growth optimism and profitability worries.
This shows the market's mixed view on Quest's prospects, balancing positive growth with margin risks.

September 202619 Aug – 8 Oct 2026

▲3▼1

Medicare lab fee cuts hit Quest; new consumer and Alzheimer's tests offer growth

Medicare proposes up to 15% lab fee cuts CMS says Medicare overpays labs by 16% and proposes cutting lab fees up to 15% from 2027, saving taxpayers $1B a year. Quest gets about 11% of revenue from Medicare, so lower rates directly reduce its testing revenue and profit.
This is the main new force pushing DGX down this period.
Quest to sell lab tests through Apple Health app Quest will sell a $119 lab panel with over 50 biomarkers directly through Apple's Health app, with blood draws at its roughly 2,000 centers. This opens a new consumer sales channel, adding demand for tests outside doctor referrals.
A new growth channel that can lift future testing volume and revenue.
FDA clears Alzheimer's blood test Quest can offer The FDA cleared Roche and Lilly's Alzheimer's blood test, and Quest plans to offer it through its network. It is a simpler, cheaper alternative to PET scans, so it can bring more patients into Quest's labs for testing.
New test availability can increase demand for Quest's diagnostic services.
Corewell joint venture and rising profit estimates Quest's Corewell Health lab joint venture is expected to add about $250 million to 2026 revenue, and analysts raised their 2026 earnings estimate 11.2% to $11.15 a share. Physician and hospital testing volumes are growing, supporting the stock.
Shows underlying business growth and higher expected profits, a positive counterweight to the Medicare cut.

Latest19 Aug – 8 Oct 2026

▲3▼1

Medicare lab fee cuts hit Quest; new consumer and Alzheimer's tests offer growth

Medicare proposes up to 15% lab fee cuts CMS says Medicare overpays labs by 16% and proposes cutting lab fees up to 15% from 2027, saving taxpayers $1B a year. Quest gets about 11% of revenue from Medicare, so lower rates directly reduce its testing revenue and profit.
This is the main new force pushing DGX down this period.
Quest to sell lab tests through Apple Health app Quest will sell a $119 lab panel with over 50 biomarkers directly through Apple's Health app, with blood draws at its roughly 2,000 centers. This opens a new consumer sales channel, adding demand for tests outside doctor referrals.
A new growth channel that can lift future testing volume and revenue.
FDA clears Alzheimer's blood test Quest can offer The FDA cleared Roche and Lilly's Alzheimer's blood test, and Quest plans to offer it through its network. It is a simpler, cheaper alternative to PET scans, so it can bring more patients into Quest's labs for testing.
New test availability can increase demand for Quest's diagnostic services.
Corewell joint venture and rising profit estimates Quest's Corewell Health lab joint venture is expected to add about $250 million to 2026 revenue, and analysts raised their 2026 earnings estimate 11.2% to $11.15 a share. Physician and hospital testing volumes are growing, supporting the stock.
Shows underlying business growth and higher expected profits, a positive counterweight to the Medicare cut.

July 202624 Jun – 5 Aug 2026

▲4

Quest raises 2026 outlook on strong Q2 and new test approval

New York approval opens Haystack MRD to all 50 states New York State approved Quest's Haystack MRD liquid biopsy test, making it available in all 50 states. This regulatory win expands the market for a high-value cancer test, supporting future revenue growth and lifting DGX shares.
This is a new regulatory milestone that directly expands Quest's addressable market for a premium test.
Attunio Health picks Quest as national lab backbone Attunio Health selected Quest as its national lab partner for precision psychiatry, with at-home blood collection via Getlabs. This adds new test volume from a growing mental health platform, a modest but positive demand driver for DGX.
A new partnership that adds incremental testing volume and shows Quest winning new business.
Q2 beat and raised 2026 guidance boost outlook Quest reported Q2 revenue up 10.2% to $3.04B and adjusted EPS of $3.12, beating estimates, and raised full-year 2026 revenue and EPS guidance. Strong organic growth and a tax benefit drove the increase, signaling momentum.
The guidance raise and earnings beat are the core fundamental drivers of the stock's recent move.
Analysts raise fair value and price targets after Q2 Analysts lifted Quest's fair value estimate to $239.38 from $223.44, with price targets mostly $245–$265. The upgrades reflect the earnings beat and higher guidance, though UBS stayed Neutral on margin concerns, a mild counterweight.
Analyst upgrades following the earnings beat reinforce the positive sentiment and help explain the stock's rise.

24 Jun – 5 Aug 2026

▲4

Quest raises 2026 outlook on strong Q2 and new test approval

New York approval opens Haystack MRD to all 50 states New York State approved Quest's Haystack MRD liquid biopsy test, making it available in all 50 states. This regulatory win expands the market for a high-value cancer test, supporting future revenue growth and lifting DGX shares.
This is a new regulatory milestone that directly expands Quest's addressable market for a premium test.
Attunio Health picks Quest as national lab backbone Attunio Health selected Quest as its national lab partner for precision psychiatry, with at-home blood collection via Getlabs. This adds new test volume from a growing mental health platform, a modest but positive demand driver for DGX.
A new partnership that adds incremental testing volume and shows Quest winning new business.
Q2 beat and raised 2026 guidance boost outlook Quest reported Q2 revenue up 10.2% to $3.04B and adjusted EPS of $3.12, beating estimates, and raised full-year 2026 revenue and EPS guidance. Strong organic growth and a tax benefit drove the increase, signaling momentum.
The guidance raise and earnings beat are the core fundamental drivers of the stock's recent move.
Analysts raise fair value and price targets after Q2 Analysts lifted Quest's fair value estimate to $239.38 from $223.44, with price targets mostly $245–$265. The upgrades reflect the earnings beat and higher guidance, though UBS stayed Neutral on margin concerns, a mild counterweight.
Analyst upgrades following the earnings beat reinforce the positive sentiment and help explain the stock's rise.

Chemed Corp (CHE)

Q3 202624 Jul – 27 Aug 2026

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Chemed's strong Q2 and raised guidance outweigh a bearish call

Q2 profit jumps and full-year guidance raised Chemed's second-quarter profit rose to $67.7 million ($5.13 per share) from $52.5 million, with revenue up 8.8% to $673 million. Management raised 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $25.00-$25.75 and lifted the revenue growth outlook, signaling the business is performing better than expected.
This is the core new event that directly lifts earnings expectations and the stock.
Vitas hospice drives growth; Roto Rooter lags The Vitas hospice unit beat expectations with 9% more admissions and lower labor costs, boosting revenue and margins. Roto Rooter's plumbing segment was weaker, with fewer leads and a drop in water restoration revenue, but management is reducing its reliance on paid leads.
Explains the operational engine behind the earnings beat and the one soft spot investors should watch.
Dividend raised 17% and buybacks continue Chemed raised its quarterly dividend by 17% to 70 cents per share and is repurchasing shares aggressively, funded by over $173 million in quarterly operating cash flow. Returning more cash to shareholders supports the stock price and signals confidence in future profits.
Shows a concrete new capital return action that supports the shares.
Bearish call flags slow long-term growth A StockStory report named Chemed a healthcare stock to avoid, citing just 4% annual revenue growth and 2.8% EPS growth over five years, plus diminishing returns on capital. This is a counterweight to the upbeat earnings and could cap gains if investors focus on the slow long-term track record.
Provides the main negative view that balances the positive earnings news.

August 202624 Jul – 27 Aug 2026

▲3▼1

Chemed's strong Q2 and raised guidance outweigh a bearish call

Q2 profit jumps and full-year guidance raised Chemed's second-quarter profit rose to $67.7 million ($5.13 per share) from $52.5 million, with revenue up 8.8% to $673 million. Management raised 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $25.00-$25.75 and lifted the revenue growth outlook, signaling the business is performing better than expected.
This is the core new event that directly lifts earnings expectations and the stock.
Vitas hospice drives growth; Roto Rooter lags The Vitas hospice unit beat expectations with 9% more admissions and lower labor costs, boosting revenue and margins. Roto Rooter's plumbing segment was weaker, with fewer leads and a drop in water restoration revenue, but management is reducing its reliance on paid leads.
Explains the operational engine behind the earnings beat and the one soft spot investors should watch.
Dividend raised 17% and buybacks continue Chemed raised its quarterly dividend by 17% to 70 cents per share and is repurchasing shares aggressively, funded by over $173 million in quarterly operating cash flow. Returning more cash to shareholders supports the stock price and signals confidence in future profits.
Shows a concrete new capital return action that supports the shares.
Bearish call flags slow long-term growth A StockStory report named Chemed a healthcare stock to avoid, citing just 4% annual revenue growth and 2.8% EPS growth over five years, plus diminishing returns on capital. This is a counterweight to the upbeat earnings and could cap gains if investors focus on the slow long-term track record.
Provides the main negative view that balances the positive earnings news.

Latest24 Jul – 27 Aug 2026

▲3▼1

Chemed's strong Q2 and raised guidance outweigh a bearish call

Q2 profit jumps and full-year guidance raised Chemed's second-quarter profit rose to $67.7 million ($5.13 per share) from $52.5 million, with revenue up 8.8% to $673 million. Management raised 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $25.00-$25.75 and lifted the revenue growth outlook, signaling the business is performing better than expected.
This is the core new event that directly lifts earnings expectations and the stock.
Vitas hospice drives growth; Roto Rooter lags The Vitas hospice unit beat expectations with 9% more admissions and lower labor costs, boosting revenue and margins. Roto Rooter's plumbing segment was weaker, with fewer leads and a drop in water restoration revenue, but management is reducing its reliance on paid leads.
Explains the operational engine behind the earnings beat and the one soft spot investors should watch.
Dividend raised 17% and buybacks continue Chemed raised its quarterly dividend by 17% to 70 cents per share and is repurchasing shares aggressively, funded by over $173 million in quarterly operating cash flow. Returning more cash to shareholders supports the stock price and signals confidence in future profits.
Shows a concrete new capital return action that supports the shares.
Bearish call flags slow long-term growth A StockStory report named Chemed a healthcare stock to avoid, citing just 4% annual revenue growth and 2.8% EPS growth over five years, plus diminishing returns on capital. This is a counterweight to the upbeat earnings and could cap gains if investors focus on the slow long-term track record.
Provides the main negative view that balances the positive earnings news.