AES Corp vs Quest Diagnostics Inc — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.73 (market cap $10.49B), while Quest Diagnostics Inc trades at $237.13 (market cap $26.21B). The key difference: Quest Diagnostics Inc is far larger — about 2.5× AES Corp's market cap, and AES Corp pays the higher dividend (4.79%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | DGX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.49B | $26.21B |
Sector | Utilities | Health |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $238.50 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $173.49 |
Enterprise Value | $40.75B | $31.97B |
Dividend Yield | 4.79% | 1.45% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AES trades at $14.73, unchanged on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a pending acquisition by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT at $15 per share. The company reported revenue of $12.23B in 2025, with a net income margin of 7.43%, and has beaten earnings estimates in two of the last three quarters. Valuation ratios appear attractive with a P/E of 5.51 and P/S of 0.81, while cash flow from operations improved to $4.31B in 2025.
The outlook is dominated by the acquisition, offering a capped upside to $15. Strong profitability metrics like a 45.05% ROE and a 4.8% dividend yield provide support, but risks include shareholder litigation and regulatory scrutiny over the deal. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 42.86% buy ratings, reflecting uncertainty until transaction closure.
Quest Diagnostics (DGX) trades at $237.63, down slightly by 0.3% today, but maintains strong momentum with three consecutive quarterly earnings beats and a raised 2026 outlook. The stock shows bullish technical signals with moving averages supporting upward trends, while fundamentals reveal solid revenue growth to $11.04 billion in 2025 and improving profit margins. Recent news highlights surging testing demand and AI implementation driving operational efficiency.
DGX presents a favorable investment case with analyst consensus price target of $249.50 offering 5% upside potential. Strong testing demand, strategic partnerships, and earnings momentum support growth, though elevated debt levels and margin pressures from lower-margin deals pose moderate risks. The stock's current valuation at 25.21 P/E appears reasonable given growth prospects.
Trailing returns across standard periods
AES is a global power company operating across 14 countries and 4 continents. Its current generation portfolio as of year-end 2021 consists of over 31 gigawatts of generation, with the generation mix composed of renewables (43%), gas (32%), coal (23%), and oil (2%). The company has 3.5 gigawatts of generation under construction. AES has majority ownership and operates six electric utilities distributing power to 2.6 million customers.
Read more on AES →Quest Diagnostics is a leading independent provider of diagnostic testing, information, and services in the U.S. The company generates over 95% of its revenue through clinical testing, anatomic pathology, esoteric testing, and substance abuse testing with specimens collected at its national network of roughly 2,300 patient service centers, as well as multiple doctors offices and hospitals. The firm also runs a much smaller diagnostic solutions segment that provides clinical trials testing, risk assessment services, and information technology solutions.
Read more on DGX →