[Form 4] Quest Diagnostics Inc. Insider Trading Activity
Patrick Plewman, SVP for Diagnostic Services at Quest Diagnostics Inc. (DGX), exercised non-qualified stock options and sold shares under a Rule 10b5-1 plan on 08/06/2025. The filing shows an exercise of 3,560 options at an exercise price of $86.63 and subsequent sales of 3,560 shares at $175 and an additional 1,975 shares at $175. Following these transactions the reporting person beneficially owned 19,219 shares and the reported option grant counts are 0. The filing notes the exercise and sales were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 sales plan, that the option vested in three annual installments beginning Feb 18, 2020, and that the beneficial ownership total includes exempt purchases under the company stock purchase plan since the last Form 4.
- Transactions executed pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan, indicating pre-planned, compliant insider trading
- Clear disclosure of quantities and prices: exercise at $86.63 and sales at $175 are explicitly reported
- Vesting history provided for the option grant, improving transparency
- Insider beneficial ownership decreased by 5,535 shares following the reported sales
- Reported derivative position from this grant is now zero, reducing future reported alignment from these options
Insights
TL;DR: Routine, pre-planned option exercise and sale under a Rule 10b5-1 plan; transparent disclosure but reduces insider stake.
The Form 4 documents a planned exercise of 3,560 non-qualified options at $86.63 and the sale of those shares plus an additional 1,975 shares at $175, executed pursuant to an established 10b5-1 plan. From a governance standpoint, use of a 10b5-1 plan and clear reporting supports compliance and transparency. The transactions materially reduce the reporting person’s direct holdings by 5,535 shares; while routine, such sales modestly lower insider alignment with shareholders. The filing includes vesting history for the option grant and notes exempt purchases under the employee purchase plan.
TL;DR: Insider exercised options and sold shares at stated prices under a pre-arranged plan; this is likely neutral for DGX investors.
The Form 4 shows an exercise of options and contemporaneous sales executed on 08/06/2025 under a 10b5-1 plan. The derivative position tied to this grant is reported as 0 following the transactions. The transaction sizes are modest in absolute share counts and were pre-planned, indicating limited market-impact significance. Reporting is complete and provides vesting dates for the grant, supporting clarity around timing and authorization of the trades.