Quest LaboratoriesNSE:QUESTLAB -1.56%44 Gross Margin % is 16.94% as of Mar. 2026, which is 29% below its 10-year median of 23.70. GuruFocus rates NSE:QUESTLAB with a GF Score™ of 44/100. The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review. Among 938 Drug Manufacturers companies, Quest Laboratories ranks worse than 92.54% on this metric.
The historical rank and industry rank for Quest Laboratories's Gross Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
NSE:QUESTLAB'
s Gross Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 16.94 Med: 23.7 Max: 34.92
Current: 16.94
During the past 6 years, the highestGross Margin % of Quest Laboratories was 34.92%. The lowest was 16.94%. And the median was 23.70%.
NSE:QUESTLAB's Gross Margin % is ranked worse than 92.54% of 938
companies
in the Drug Manufacturers industry
Industry Median: 48.44
vs NSE:QUESTLAB: 16.94
Quest Laboratories had a gross margin of 16.94% for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 => No sustainable competitive advantage
The 5-Year average Growth Rate of Gross Margin for Quest Laboratories was 1.40% per year.
Warren Buffett believes that firms with excellent long term economics tend to have consistently higher margins.
Durable competitive advantage creates a high Gross Margin % because of the freedom to price in excess of cost. Companies can be categorized by their Gross Margin %
1. Greater than 40% = Durable competitive advantage
2. Less than 40% = Competition eroding margins
3. Less than 20% = no sustainable competitive advantage
Consistency of Gross Margin is key
Quest Laboratories had a gross margin of 16.94% for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 => No sustainable competitive advantage
Be Aware
If a company loses its competitive advantages, usually its gross margin declines well before its sales declines. Watching Gross Margin % and Operating Margin % closely helps avoid value trap situations.
Quest Laboratories Gross Margin % Related Terms
Quest Laboratories Gross Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Quest Laboratories's Gross Margin % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
NSE:QUESTLAB vs LLY, JNJ, ABBV: Gross Margin % Comparison
For the Drug Manufacturers - General subindustry, Quest Laboratories's Gross Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Gross Margin % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Quest Laboratories Gross Margin % vs Drug Manufacturers Industry
For the Drug Manufacturers industry and Healthcare sector, Quest Laboratories's Gross Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Quest Laboratories's Gross Margin % falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
A positive Gross Profit is only the first step for a company to make a net profit. The gross profit needs to be big enough to also cover related labor, equipment, rental, marketing/advertising, research and development and a lot of other costs in selling the products.
Quest Laboratories (NSE:QUESTLAB) has a Gross Margin % of 16.94% as of Mar. 2026. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Quest Laboratories and its competitors. This is 29% below median its historical median of 23.70. Over the past decade, Quest Laboratories' Gross Margin % has ranged from 16.94 to 34.92. According to the industry distribution chart, Quest Laboratories ranks #868 out of 938 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry, placing it in the top 92.5%.
Is Quest Laboratories' Gross Margin % too high?
Quest Laboratories' current Gross Margin % of 16.94% is 29% below median its 10-year median of 23.70. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 16.94 to a high of 34.92. The Drug Manufacturers industry median Gross Margin % is 48.44. Quest Laboratories' value of 16.94% is 65% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Quest Laboratories ranks #868 out of 938 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Quest Laboratories has a GF Score™ of 44/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Quest Laboratories' Gross Margin % compare to LLY and JNJ?
According to the Drug Manufacturers industry distribution chart, Quest Laboratories ranks #868 out of 938 companies for Gross Margin %. This places Quest Laboratories in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Gross Margin % is 48.44. Quest Laboratories' value of 16.94% is 65% below this benchmark. Historically, Quest Laboratories' own Gross Margin % has ranged from 16.94 to 34.92 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 23.70 vs. the industry median of 48.44, Quest Laboratories has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Gross Margin % for a Drug Manufacturers company?
The median Gross Margin % among Drug Manufacturers companies is 48.44, based on 938 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Gross Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Gross Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Quest Laboratories's current Gross Margin % of 16.94% is 65% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Gross Margin % mean?
A high Gross Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Quest Laboratories and its competitors. For the Drug Manufacturers industry, the median Gross Margin % is 48.44 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Quest Laboratories's current Gross Margin % is 16.94%, which is 29% below median its own 10-year median of 23.70. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Quest Laboratories stock overvalued right now?
Quest Laboratories (NSE:QUESTLAB) has a current Gross Margin % of 16.94%. The current Gross Margin % is 16.94%, which is 29% below median its 10-year median of 23.70 and 65% below the Drug Manufacturers industry median of 48.44. Quest Laboratories' overall GF Score™ is 44/100 with 8 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Gross Margin % calculated?
Gross Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Quest Laboratories (NSE:QUESTLAB), the current Gross Margin % is 16.94% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Quest Laboratories Ltd is engaged in the business of manufacturing pharmaceutical formulations across a broad spectrum, including antibiotics, antimalarials, antispasmodics, anti-inflammatories, antiemetics, respiratory medications, diabetes treatments, antidepressants, and more. It produces various products, comprising ethical drugs, generic drugs, and over-the-counter drugs, and is also available in various forms such as tablets, liquid orals, oral dry powders, oral powders (ORS), ointments, and external liquids, among others. The company operates in a single segment of Drugs and Chemicals.
44GF Score
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