The end of an earnings season can be a great time to discover new stocks and assess how companies are handling the current business environment. Let’s take a look at how Labcorp (NYSE:LH) and the rest of the testing & diagnostics services stocks fared in Q2.
The testing and diagnostics services industry plays a crucial role in disease detection, monitoring, and prevention, serving hospitals, clinics, and individual consumers. This sector benefits from stable demand, driven by an aging population, increased prevalence of chronic diseases, and growing awareness of preventive healthcare. Recurring revenue streams come from routine screenings, lab tests, and diagnostic imaging, with reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and out-of-pocket payments. However, the industry faces challenges such as pricing pressures, regulatory compliance, and the need for continuous investment in new testing technologies. Looking ahead, industry tailwinds include the expansion of personalized medicine, increased adoption of at-home and rapid diagnostic tests, and advancements in AI-driven diagnostics that enhance accuracy and efficiency. However, headwinds such as reimbursement uncertainties, competition from decentralized testing solutions, and regulatory scrutiny over test validity and cost-effectiveness may impact profitability. Adapting to evolving healthcare models and integrating automation will be key for sustaining growth and maintaining operational efficiency.
The 5 testing & diagnostics services stocks we track reported a strong Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.6%.
Luckily, testing & diagnostics services stocks have performed well with share prices up 14.1% on average since the latest earnings results.
Labcorp (NYSE:LH)
With over 600 million tests performed annually and involvement in 90% of FDA-approved drugs in 2023, Labcorp (NYSE:LH) provides laboratory testing services and drug development solutions to doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and patients worldwide.
Labcorp reported revenues of $3.53 billion, up 9.5% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1%. Overall, it was a satisfactory quarter for the company with a narrow beat of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates but a slight miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.
"Labcorp had a very strong second quarter, delivering double-digit topline growth, while expanding margins across both segments," said Adam Schechter, chairman and CEO of Labcorp.
Interestingly, the stock is up 10% since reporting and currently trades at $275.77.
Is now the time to buy Labcorp? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Best Q2: Guardant Health (NASDAQ:GH)
Pioneering the field of "liquid biopsy" with technology that can identify cancer-specific genetic mutations from a simple blood draw, Guardant Health (NASDAQ:GH) develops blood tests that detect and monitor cancer by analyzing tumor DNA in the bloodstream, helping doctors make treatment decisions without invasive biopsies.
Guardant Health reported revenues of $232.1 million, up 30.9% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 10%. The business had an exceptional quarter with full-year revenue guidance exceeding analysts’ expectations and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Guardant Health delivered the biggest analyst estimates beat, fastest revenue growth, and highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 28.7% since reporting. It currently trades at $58.20.
Is now the time to buy Guardant Health? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Weakest Q2: NeoGenomics (NASDAQ:NEO)
Operating a network of CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified laboratories across the United States and United Kingdom, NeoGenomics (NASDAQ:NEO) provides specialized cancer diagnostic testing services, including genetic analysis, molecular testing, and pathology consultation for oncologists and healthcare providers.
NeoGenomics reported revenues of $181.3 million, up 10.2% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 0.9%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates and full-year EBITDA guidance missing analysts’ expectations significantly.
NeoGenomics delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and weakest full-year guidance update in the group. As expected, the stock is down 4.4% since the results and currently trades at $6.19.
Read our full analysis of NeoGenomics’s results here.
Quest (NYSE:DGX)
Processing approximately one-third of the adult U.S. population's lab tests annually, Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) provides laboratory testing and diagnostic information services to patients, physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare providers across the United States.
Quest reported revenues of $2.76 billion, up 15.2% year on year. This print topped analysts’ expectations by 1.4%. It was a strong quarter as it also recorded a solid beat of analysts’ sales volume estimates and full-year revenue guidance slightly topping analysts’ expectations.
The stock is up 9.8% since reporting and currently trades at $182.83.
Read our full, actionable report on Quest here, it’s free.
RadNet (NASDAQ:RDNT)
With over 350 imaging facilities across seven states and a growing artificial intelligence division, RadNet (NASDAQ:RDNT) operates a network of outpatient diagnostic imaging centers across the United States, offering services like MRI, CT scans, PET scans, mammography, and X-rays.
RadNet reported revenues of $498.2 million, up 8.4% year on year. This number surpassed analysts’ expectations by 1.6%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter as it also produced a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ same-store sales estimates.
RadNet had the slowest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is up 26.5% since reporting and currently trades at $67.50.
Read our full, actionable report on RadNet here, it’s free.
Market Update
Thanks to the Fed’s series of rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has cooled significantly from its post-pandemic highs, drawing closer to the 2% goal. This disinflation has occurred without severely impacting economic growth, suggesting the success of a soft landing. The stock market thrived in 2024, spurred by recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November), and a notable surge followed Donald Trump’s presidential election win in November, propelling indices to historic highs. Nonetheless, the outlook for 2025 remains clouded by potential trade policy changes and corporate tax discussions, which could impact business confidence and growth. The path forward holds both optimism and caution as new policies take shape.
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