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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies) | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2024
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Basis of Presentation | The interim unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments which in the opinion of management are necessary for a fair statement of results of operations, comprehensive income, financial condition, cash flows and stockholders' equity for the periods presented. Except as otherwise disclosed, all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. Operating results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. These interim unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The year-end balance sheet data was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2023 but does not include all the disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”).
Use Of Estimates | The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Earnings Per Share | The Company's unvested restricted stock units that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends are participating securities and, therefore, are included in the earnings allocation in computing earnings per share using the two-class method. Basic earnings per common share is calculated by dividing net income attributable to Quest Diagnostics, adjusted for earnings allocated to participating securities, by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per common share is calculated by dividing net income attributable to Quest Diagnostics, adjusted for earnings allocated to participating securities, by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding after giving effect to all potentially dilutive common shares outstanding during the period. Potentially dilutive common shares include the dilutive effect of outstanding stock options and performance share units granted under the Company's Amended and Restated Employee Long-Term Incentive Plan (“ELTIP”) and its Amended and Restated Non-Employee Director Long-Term Incentive Plan (“DLTIP”), as well as the dilutive effect of accelerated share repurchase agreements ("ASRs"), if applicable. Earnings allocable to participating securities include the portion of dividends declared as well as the portion of undistributed earnings during the period allocable to participating securities.
New Accounting Standards to be Adopted | In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued a new accounting standard which will require companies to disclose significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker ("CODM"). The pronouncement is effective for annual filings for the year ended December 31, 2024 and for interim periods within the year ended December 31, 2025. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on its results of operations, financial position or cash flows. In December 2023, the FASB issued a new accounting standard which will require companies to make additional income tax disclosures. The pronouncement is effective for annual filings for the year ended December 31, 2025. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on its results of operations, financial position or cash flows. In March 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued a rule which will require companies to make certain climate-related disclosures in periodic filings. The rule includes certain disclosures in the footnotes of the financial statements: •capitalized costs, expenditures expensed, and losses incurred as a result of severe weather events and other natural conditions, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, drought, wildfires, extreme temperatures, and sea level rise; •capitalized costs, expenditures expensed, and losses related to carbon offsets and renewable energy credits or certificates if they are used as a material component of a registrant’s plans to achieve its disclosed climate-related targets or goals; and •whether estimates and assumptions used to produce the financial statements were materially impacted by risks and uncertainties associated with severe weather events and other natural conditions or any disclosed climate-related targets or transition plans. The footnote disclosures are effective for annual filings for the year ended December 31, 2025. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of the rule.
Derivative Financial Instruments | The Company uses derivative financial instruments, from time to time, to manage its exposure to market risks for changes in interest rates and foreign currencies. This strategy includes the use of interest rate swap agreements, forward-starting interest rate swap agreements, interest rate lock agreements and foreign currency forward contracts to manage its exposure to movements in interest and currency rates. The Company has established policies and procedures for risk assessment and the approval, reporting and monitoring of derivative financial instrument activities. These policies prohibit holding or issuing derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes. The Company does not enter into derivative financial instruments that contain credit-risk-related contingent features or requirements to post collateral. Interest Rate Risk The Company is exposed to interest rate risk on its cash and cash equivalents and its debt obligations. Interest income earned on cash and cash equivalents may fluctuate as interest rates change; however, due to their relatively short maturities, the Company does not hedge these assets or their investment cash flows and the impact of interest rate risk is not material. The Company's debt obligations consist of fixed-rate and, from time to time, variable-rate debt instruments. The Company's primary objective is to achieve the lowest overall cost of funding while managing the variability in cash outflows within an acceptable range. In order to achieve this objective, the Company has historically entered into interest rate swap agreements. Interest rate swaps involve the periodic exchange of payments without the exchange of underlying principal or notional amounts. Net settlements between the counterparties are recognized as an adjustment to interest expense, net.

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