Quest Diagnostics Inc vs Tidewater Inc — how do they compare? Quest Diagnostics Inc trades at $237.51 (market cap $26.21B), while Tidewater Inc trades at $91.74 (market cap $4.54B). The key difference: Quest Diagnostics Inc is far larger — about 5.8× Tidewater Inc's market cap, and Quest Diagnostics Inc pays a 1.45% dividend while Tidewater Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| DGX | TDW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $26.21B | $4.54B |
Sector | Health | Utilities |
52-Week High | $238.50 | $91.20 |
52-Week Low | $173.49 | $47.29 |
Enterprise Value | $31.97B | $4.58B |
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.
Tidewater (TDW) trades at $91.61, up 2.21% with strong technical momentum and bullish moving average signals. The company reported Q2 2026 earnings of $0.43 per share, beating estimates, with revenue of $342.3 million. Despite recent earnings misses, operational cash flow remains robust at $379 million for 2025, though 2026 projections show declining revenue and margins. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 26.9% buy ratings amid elevated RSI levels suggesting potential overbought conditions.
The stock faces headwinds from declining profitability trends and earnings volatility, but strong institutional ownership and positive technical indicators support near-term upside. Key risks include execution challenges and macroeconomic pressures on the offshore services sector. Investors should weigh solid cash generation against margin compression for balanced positioning.
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 →Tidewater is the leading global provider of offshore support vessels (OSVs) to the energy industry. With the world's largest fleet of platform supply vessels (PSVs) and anchor handling tugs (AHTS), it provides critical logistics and marine support for offshore oil, gas, and renewable energy projects. Following a period of massive strategic consolidation, Tidewater is now focused on maximizing day rates and free cash flow in a supply-constrained market, positioning itself as a primary beneficiary of the multi-year offshore upcycle.
Read more on TDW →