On July 23, 2019 Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019 (Press release, Quest Diagnostics, JUL 23, 2019, View Source [SID1234537660]).
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
"Our volume growth accelerated in the second quarter due to our expanded network access, and we continued to build momentum through the first half of 2019," said Steve Rusckowski, Chairman, CEO and President. "This strong volume growth combined with our strategy to drive operational excellence helped offset the significant reimbursement pressures we are experiencing this year. We are excited by our new Preferred Lab Network status within UnitedHealthcare, which represents a multi-year opportunity that will build over time."
For further details impacting the year-over-year comparisons related to operating income, operating income as a percentage of net revenues, income from continuing operations attributable to Quest Diagnostics, and diluted EPS from continuing operations, see note 2 of the financial tables attached below.
Beginning in 2019, the company has changed how it presents adjusted income measures to additionally exclude amortization expense for all periods presented. We believe this presentation provides investors with additional insight to evaluate our performance period over period and relative to competitors, as well as to analyze the underlying trends in our business.
The outlook for reported diluted EPS from continuing operations was updated to greater than $5.29 from the previous outlook of greater than $5.16 due to the impact of special items in the second quarter. For a reconciliation of adjusted diluted EPS to reported diluted EPS from continuing operations, see note 5 to the financial tables attached below.
Note on Non-GAAP Financial Measures
As used in this press release the term "reported" refers to measures under the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"). The term "adjusted" refers to non-GAAP operating performance measures that exclude special items such as restructuring and integration charges, amortization expense, excess tax benefit ("ETB") associated with stock-based compensation and other items.
Non-GAAP adjusted measures are presented because management believes those measures are useful adjuncts to GAAP results. Non-GAAP adjusted measures should not be considered as an alternative to the corresponding measures determined under GAAP. Management may use these non-GAAP measures to evaluate our performance period over period and relative to competitors, to analyze the underlying trends in our business, to establish operational budgets and forecasts and for incentive compensation purposes. We believe that these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors and analysts to evaluate our performance period over period and relative to competitors, as well as to analyze the underlying trends in our business and to assess our performance. The additional tables attached below include reconciliations of non-GAAP adjusted measures to GAAP measures.
Conference Call Information
Quest Diagnostics will hold its quarterly conference call to discuss financial results beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time today. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 888-455-0391 within the U.S. and Canada, or 773-756-0467 internationally, passcode: Investor; or via live webcast on the company’s website at www.QuestDiagnostics.com/investor. The company suggests participants dial in approximately 10 minutes before the call.
A replay of the call may be accessed online at www.QuestDiagnostics.com/investor or by phone at 800-871-1320 for domestic callers or 402-280-1688 for international callers. No passcode is required. Telephone replays will be available from approximately 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time on July 23, 2019 until midnight Eastern Time on August 6, 2019. Anyone listening to the call is encouraged to read the company’s periodic reports, on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion of risk factors and historical results of operations and financial condition in those reports.