Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Labcorp (NYSE:LH – Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Saturday morning.
Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Labcorp in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Robert W. Baird set a $334.00 target price on Labcorp in a research report on Friday. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and set a $300.00 target price on shares of Labcorp in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Labcorp from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Finally, Piper Sandler boosted their target price on Labcorp from $270.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $308.00.
Labcorp Price Performance
Labcorp (NYSE:LH – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The medical research company reported $4.25 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.09 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $3.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.51 billion. Labcorp had a return on equity of 16.29% and a net margin of 6.66%.The business’s revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $3.84 earnings per share. Labcorp has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.700-18.350 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Labcorp will post 18 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Labcorp Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 11th. Investors of record on Friday, May 29th will be issued a $0.72 dividend. This represents a $2.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 29th. Labcorp’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.53%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, EVP Der Vaart Sandra D. Van sold 548 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $284.91, for a total value of $156,130.68. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 2,579 shares in the company, valued at approximately $734,782.89. This represents a 17.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Brian J. Caveney sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $286.31, for a total value of $429,465.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 30,107 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,619,935.17. This represents a 4.75% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 16,113 shares of company stock worth $4,547,450. Company insiders own 0.84% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Labcorp
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Labcorp in the third quarter valued at about $28,000. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. bought a new stake in Labcorp in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in Labcorp in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Motco bought a new stake in Labcorp in the third quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Labcorp in the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. Institutional investors own 95.94% of the company’s stock.
Labcorp News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Labcorp this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat Street estimates — EPS of $4.25 vs. $4.09 est. and revenue of $3.54B vs. $3.51B, with revenue up ~5.8% year‑over‑year. Management pointed to broad segment growth driving the beat. Labcorp Announces 2026 First Quarter Results; Raises Full Year 2026 Guidance
- Positive Sentiment: Raised FY2026 guidance — EPS guidance range set to $17.70–$18.35 and revenue guidance roughly $14.7B–$14.8B, reflecting steady diagnostics demand that management says supports continued growth. Labcorp raises full-year forecasts on steady diagnostics demand
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst reaction was initially favorable — outlets noted pre‑market gains after the beat and the raised view, signaling positive near‑term sentiment from some desks. LH Stock Up in Pre-Market on Q1 Earnings & Revenue Beat, 2026 View Up
- Neutral Sentiment: Full earnings materials and call transcript are available for deeper review (slides, PR, and call transcript). Useful for investors who want line‑by‑line detail on margins, segment trends and cadence. Labcorp Holdings Inc. 2026 Q1 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation Labcorp Holdings Inc. (LH) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
- Neutral Sentiment: Longer‑term valuation context: coverage pieces highlight LH as a value/quality name given its margin profile and ROE, which may attract income/value investors. Here’s Why Labcorp Holdings (LH) is a Strong Value Stock
- Negative Sentiment: Market reaction turned muted/negative intraday — reasons include guidance that is only modestly above consensus (company range roughly in line with Street forecasts), possible profit‑taking after the beat, and limited incremental upside in margin guidance. This helps explain why the stock is down despite the beat. Compared to Estimates, Labcorp (LH) Q1 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics
About Labcorp
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, commonly known as Labcorp (NYSE: LH), is a global life sciences company that provides comprehensive clinical laboratory and drug development services. The company operates a broad network of laboratories, patient service centers and specialty testing sites to deliver diagnostic information and testing solutions that support patient care, clinical decision-making and population health initiatives.
Labcorp’s core businesses encompass clinical laboratory testing and pharmaceutical development services.
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