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Has Quest Diagnostics (DGX) Outpaced Other Medical Stocks This Year?

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For those looking to find strong Medical stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Is Quest Diagnostics (DGX - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Medical peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Quest Diagnostics is one of 1112 companies in the Medical group. The Medical group currently sits at #10 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.

The Zacks Rank is a proven model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. Quest Diagnostics is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for DGX's full-year earnings has moved 16.1% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

Our latest available data shows that DGX has returned about 40.2% since the start of the calendar year. Meanwhile, the Medical sector has returned an average of -6.1% on a year-to-date basis. As we can see, Quest Diagnostics is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

Another stock in the Medical sector, LabCorp (LH - Free Report) , has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 48.3%.

In LabCorp's case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 15.1% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Looking more specifically, Quest Diagnostics belongs to the Medical - Outpatient and Home Healthcare industry, which includes 21 individual stocks and currently sits at #170 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have lost about 39.4% so far this year, so DGX is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.

On the other hand, LabCorp belongs to the Medical - Dental Supplies industry. This 21-stock industry is currently ranked #116. The industry has moved +15.6% year to date.

Investors interested in the Medical sector may want to keep a close eye on Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp as they attempt to continue their solid performance.


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