Operating Cash Flow
Quest Diagnostics Operating Cash Flow decreased by 40.2% to $278.00M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 11.5%, from $314.00M to $278.00M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Operating Cash Flow shows a downward trend with a -4.1% CAGR. This decline may warrant attention — for this metric, higher values are generally preferred.
Analysis
How to read this metric
An increase indicates strong operational efficiency and cash generation, while a decrease may signal operational challenges or issues with working capital management.
Detailed definition
This metric represents the total cash generated or consumed by a company's core business operations during a specific pe...
Peer comparison
Standard across all industries; peers in the medical device and diagnostics sector typically maintain high conversion ratios of net income to operating cash flow.
net_cash_from_operatingHistorical Data
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $460.00M | $561.00M | $481.00M | $480.00M | $402.00M | $502.00M | $334.00M | $94.00M | $444.00M | $207.00M | $527.00M | $154.00M | $360.00M | $356.00M | $464.00M | $314.00M | $544.00M | $563.00M | $465.00M | $278.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | +22.0% | -14.3% | -0.2% | -16.3% | +24.9% | -33.5% | -71.9% | +372.3% | -53.4% | +154.6% | -70.8% | +133.8% | -1.1% | +30.3% | -32.3% | +73.2% | +3.5% | -17.4% | -40.2% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -12.6% | -10.5% | -30.6% | -80.4% | +10.4% | -58.8% | +57.8% | +63.8% | -18.9% | +72.0% | -12.0% | +103.9% | +51.1% | +58.1% | +0.2% | -11.5% |
Operating Cash Flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Quest Diagnostics's operating cash flow?
- Quest Diagnostics (DGX) reported operating cash flow of $278.00M in Q1 2026.
- How has Quest Diagnostics's operating cash flow changed year-over-year?
- Quest Diagnostics's operating cash flow decreased by 11.5% year-over-year, from $314.00M to $278.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for Quest Diagnostics's operating cash flow?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Quest Diagnostics's operating cash flow has grown at a -4.1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $2.23B to $1.89B.
- What does operating cash flow mean?
- The amount of cash a company generates from its regular business activities.