Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) reported earnings on July 18. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Quest Diagnostics met expectations on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue dropped. Non-GAAP earnings per share contracted. GAAP earnings per share contracted.

Margins dropped across the board.

Revenue details
Quest Diagnostics reported revenue of $1.82 billion. The 19 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ looked for sales of $1.84 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were the same as the prior-year quarter's.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
EPS came in at $1.06. The 22 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $1.09 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $1.06 for Q2 were 9.4% lower than the prior-year quarter's $1.17 per share. GAAP EPS of $1.07 for Q2 were 3.6% lower than the prior-year quarter's $1.11 per share.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 39.8%, 220 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 15.9%, 250 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 9.1%, 20 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $1.85 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.20.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $7.31 billion. The average EPS estimate is $4.35.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 556 members out of 592 rating the stock outperform, and 36 members rating it underperform. Among 195 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 184 give Quest Diagnostics a green thumbs-up, and 11 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Quest Diagnostics is hold, with an average price target of $60.44.

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