LH vs. DGX
LH (Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings) and DGX (Quest Diagnostics Incorporated) are both stocks. Both operate in the Diagnostics & Research industry within the Healthcare sector. Over the past 10 years, LH returned 9.55%/yr vs 11.74%/yr for DGX. A 0.55 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
LH vs. DGX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LH achieves a 10.86% return, which is significantly lower than DGX's 21.05% return. Over the past 10 years, LH has underperformed DGX with an annualized return of 9.55%, while DGX has yielded a comparatively higher 11.74% annualized return.
LH
- 1D
- -0.05%
- 1M
- 3.95%
- 6M
- 11.08%
- YTD
- 10.86%
- 1Y
- 12.01%
- 3Y*
- 10.47%
- 5Y*
- 4.10%
- 10Y*
- 9.55%
DGX
- 1D
- -0.04%
- 1M
- 2.53%
- 6M
- 19.39%
- YTD
- 21.05%
- 1Y
- 25.52%
- 3Y*
- 16.12%
- 5Y*
- 11.16%
- 10Y*
- 11.74%
LH vs. DGX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LH Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings | 10.86% | 10.62% | 2.22% | 13.82% | -24.41% | 54.37% | 20.32% | 33.88% | -20.78% | 24.25% |
DGX Quest Diagnostics Incorporated | 21.05% | 17.20% | 11.77% | -10.05% | -7.80% | 47.86% | 14.11% | 31.13% | -13.84% | 9.16% |
Correlation
The correlation between LH and DGX is 0.77, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.77 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.69 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.71 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 26, 1996 | 0.55 |
Over the past year, LH and DGX have become more correlated (0.77) than their long-term average of 0.55, meaning their price movements have been converging.
Fundamentals
LH:
$22.69B
DGX:
$22.95B
LH:
$11.31
DGX:
$9.12
LH:
24.47
DGX:
22.75
LH:
1.63
DGX:
2.07
LH:
2.63
DGX:
3.15
LH:
$14.14B
DGX:
$11.28B
LH:
$4.01B
DGX:
$3.75B
LH:
$1.90B
DGX:
$1.98B
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Return for Risk
LH vs. DGX — Risk / Return Rank
LH
DGX
LH vs. DGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LH) and Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (DGX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| LH | DGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.58 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.92 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.21 | -0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.79 | 2.22 | -1.43 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.58 | 4.74 | -3.16 |
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Drawdowns
LH vs. DGX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LH drawdown since its inception was -96.15%, which is greater than DGX's maximum drawdown of -49.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LH and DGX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LH | DGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -96.15% | -49.46% | -46.69% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.22% | -11.55% | -3.67% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.36% | -16.57% | -0.79% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.61% | -28.62% | -5.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.58% | -36.60% | -9.98% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.14% | -3.62% | -0.52% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -29.55% | -11.87% | -17.68% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.61% | 5.40% | +2.21% |
Volatility
LH vs. DGX - Volatility Comparison
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LH) has a higher volatility of 6.32% compared to Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (DGX) at 5.85%. This indicates that LH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DGX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LH | DGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.32% | 5.85% | +0.47% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.17% | 16.89% | -0.72% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.32% | 23.33% | -0.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.48% | 21.93% | +1.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.67% | 23.80% | +2.87% |
Dividends
LH vs. DGX - Dividend Comparison
LH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.04%, less than DGX's 1.60% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DGX Quest Diagnostics Incorporated | 1.60% | 1.82% | 1.96% | 2.02% | 1.66% | 1.40% | 1.85% | 1.99% | 2.34% | 1.83% | 1.72% | 2.07% |
LH Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings | 1.04% | 1.15% | 1.26% | 1.18% | 0.92% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
LH vs. DGX - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings and Quest Diagnostics Incorporated. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
LH vs. DGX - Profitability Comparison
LH - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings reported a gross profit of 1.01B and revenue of 3.54B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 28.7%.
DGX - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated reported a gross profit of 942.00M and revenue of 2.90B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 32.5%.
LH - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings reported an operating income of 380.80M and revenue of 3.54B, resulting in an operating margin of 10.8%.
DGX - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated reported an operating income of 399.00M and revenue of 2.90B, resulting in an operating margin of 13.8%.
LH - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings reported a net income of 277.80M and revenue of 3.54B, resulting in a net margin of 7.9%.
DGX - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated reported a net income of 252.00M and revenue of 2.90B, resulting in a net margin of 8.7%.
Frequently Asked Questions
LH and DGX have a correlation of 0.77, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
LH has higher volatility (6.32%) compared to DGX (5.85%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LH dropped -96.15% vs DGX's -49.46%.
DGX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.10 vs 0.52), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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