Quest Diagnostics Inc vs National Beverage Corp. — how do they compare? Quest Diagnostics Inc trades at $237.51 (market cap $26.21B), while National Beverage Corp. trades at $30.9 (market cap $2.89B). The key difference: Quest Diagnostics Inc is far larger — about 9.1× National Beverage Corp.'s market cap, and Quest Diagnostics Inc pays a 1.45% dividend while National Beverage Corp. pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| DGX | FIZZ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $26.21B | $2.89B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $238.50 | $46.75 |
52-Week Low | $173.49 | $30.53 |
Enterprise Value | $31.97B | $2.60B |
Dividend Yield | 1.45% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Quest Diagnostics (DGX) trades at $237.99, up 0.15% on the day, near its 52-week high. The stock shows strong momentum with consecutive earnings beats in 2026, including Q2 EPS of $3.12 versus $2.82 expected. Revenue growth accelerated to $11.04 billion in 2025, with net income margin at 9.19%. Technical indicators signal a bullish trend, while analyst consensus is a $249.50 price target. Recent news highlights AI integration and raised 2026 outlook amid robust testing demand.
The outlook for DGX is positive, driven by earnings momentum, strategic partnerships, and healthcare demand. Investment opportunity lies in sustained growth and dividend yield, but risks include margin pressure from lower-margin deals and high debt levels. Valuation at a P/E of 25.21 requires continued execution to justify upside.
FIZZ trades at $30.95, down 0.29% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages and a neutral stance from oscillators. Revenue has been stable around $1.2B annually, with net income margins improving to 15.56% in 2025. Recent earnings have missed expectations in three of the last four quarters, while the company declared a special dividend of $3.25 per share payable in July 2026.
The outlook is mixed; strong profitability and a reasonable P/E of 15.73 offer value, but stagnant growth and bearish analyst consensus pose risks. The stock's performance hinges on reversing earnings misses and addressing competitive pressures in the beverage market.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →National Beverage Corp is one of the top 10 non-alcoholic beverage companies in the U.S. Its portfolio skews toward functional drinks (that is those purporting to offer health benefits) and is anchored by the popular LaCroix sparkling water trademark. Other offerings include Rip It energy drinks, Everfresh juices, and soda brands like Shasta and Faygo. The firm controls most of its production and distribution apparatus, with very little outsourcing. In terms of go-to-market, it uses warehouse distribution for big-box retailers, direct-store-delivery for convenience stores and other small outlets, and food-service distributors for the food-service channel (schools, hospitals, restaurants). It is controlled by chairman and CEO Nick Caporella, who owns over 73% of the common stock.
Read more on FIZZ →