Quest Diagnostics (DGX) will raise its quarterly dividend by 6.0 percent to $0.53 per share in the first quarter of 2019. This marks the 9th consecutive year of dividend increases by the clinical lab results database provider.

The increased dividend is payable on January 30, 2019 to shareholders of record of Quest Diagnostics common stock on January 15, 2019. Earlier this year DGX already hiked its dividend by five cents to 50 cents per share quarterly.

A new annualized dividend rate of $2.12 per share yields 2.2% at a stock price of $88.21.

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated is a provider of diagnostic information services. Quest Diagnostics ows the world's largest database of clinical lab results and the company's diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. DGX's services are provided under the Quest Diagnostics brand, but it also provides services under other brands, including AmeriPath, Dermpath Diagnostics, Focus Diagnostics, Athena Diagnostics, ExamOne, Quanum and Care360.