QuidelOrtho Faces Price Target Cut Amid Mixed Guidance
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 22 2025
0mins
Should l Buy QDEL?
QuidelOrtho Corp's shares fell 17.41% as it crossed below the 5-day SMA, reflecting investor concerns following UBS's price target reduction.
UBS has lowered its price target for QuidelOrtho from $35 to $30 while maintaining a ‘Neutral’ rating, reflecting a cautious market outlook that may dampen investor confidence in the stock. The company anticipates revenue between $2.7 billion and $2.9 billion for fiscal 2026, aligning with Wall Street's estimate of $2.77 billion, but adjusted earnings per share are projected at $2.00 to $2.42, falling short of the estimated $2.51, indicating pressure on profitability. Additionally, the expected free cash flow of $120 million to $160 million in fiscal 2026 is significantly below the estimated $441 million, suggesting challenges in cost management and revenue growth that could impact future investment and expansion plans.
The mixed guidance and lowered price target have raised concerns among investors, leading to a significant drop in QuidelOrtho's stock price. The company's ability to manage costs and achieve revenue growth will be critical in restoring investor confidence and supporting its long-term growth strategy.
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Analyst Views on QDEL
Wall Street analysts forecast QDEL stock price to rise
4 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 19.300
Low
35.00
Averages
35.00
High
35.00
Current: 19.300
Low
35.00
Averages
35.00
High
35.00
About QDEL
QuidelOrtho Corporation provides in vitro diagnostics, developing and manufacturing intelligent solutions. The Company specializes in immunoassay and molecular testing, clinical chemistry and transfusion medicine. Its business units include labs, molecular diagnostics, point of care and transfusion medicine. Under the labs business unit, its product categories include virology & bioassays, specialty products, VITROS platform and immunodiagnostics. Under the molecular diagnostics business unit, its product categories include Lyra, Solana and Savanna. Under the point of care business unit, its product categories include rapid immunoassay and cardiometabolic immunoassay. Under the transfusion medicine business unit, its product categories include immunohematology and donor screening. It provides diagnostic testing solutions under various brand names, including AdenoPlus, BIOVUE, FreshCells, InflammaDry, Lyra, MeterPro, MicroVue, Ortho, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics and Ortho Optix.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Rice Hall James Increases Stake in QuidelOrtho
- Share Increase: Rice Hall James & Associates acquired 574,877 shares of QuidelOrtho in Q4 2026, reflecting confidence in the company's future prospects despite a 43.4% decline in stock price over the past year.
- Investment Value: This acquisition raised QuidelOrtho's stake to 1.3% of the fund's 13F reportable assets, indicating recognition of its potential value, which may attract further investor interest.
- Market Performance: As of February 13, 2026, QuidelOrtho's market capitalization stood at $1.6 billion with a current price of $23.58, trailing the S&P 500 by 55.2 percentage points, highlighting competitive pressures in the market.
- Strategic Adjustments: QuidelOrtho is undergoing strategic adjustments, including strengthening its product pipeline and improving spending returns, with analysts expecting these efforts to yield modest revenue and operating profit growth in the coming years.
See More
Rice Hall James Increases Stake in QuidelOrtho
- Increased Holdings: Rice Hall James purchased 574,877 shares of QuidelOrtho in Q4, raising its total stake to 833,791 shares valued at $23.8 million, reflecting a positive outlook on the company's future prospects.
- Investment Value Growth: The position's value increased by $16.2 million at quarter-end, indicating a rise in stock price and additional share purchases, suggesting the fund's optimistic view on QuidelOrtho's potential value.
- Industry Position: As a leader in in vitro diagnostics, QuidelOrtho has struggled with consistent revenue growth and profitability in recent years, but its strategic adjustments and strengthened product pipeline may improve financial performance, attracting value investors.
- Market Expectations: Analysts expect QuidelOrtho to achieve modest revenue and operating profit growth in the coming years, although the Motley Fool analyst team did not include it in their list of top investment stocks, indicating a divergence in market perceptions of its potential.
See More
QuidelOrtho Director Acquires Shares Amid Ongoing Challenges
- Share Acquisition Details: QuidelOrtho Director Matthew Strobeck purchased 10,000 common shares on February 13, 2026, for approximately $239,586, reflecting his confidence in the company despite ongoing financial difficulties.
- Ownership Proportion Analysis: This acquisition represented 13.78% of Strobeck's total reported holdings and 56.26% of his direct stake, indicating a significant increase in his direct investment that may influence future decisions and corporate governance.
- Post-Transaction Holdings Structure: After the transaction, Strobeck holds 27,775 shares directly and 54,775 shares indirectly through UGMA accounts and Birchview Fund, LLC, totaling approximately 82,550 shares in beneficial ownership, demonstrating his long-term commitment to the company.
- Company Financial Condition: QuidelOrtho has faced three consecutive years of revenue decline, with a 1.89% year-over-year drop reported for FY 2025, alongside executive turnover challenges, indicating a decreasing attractiveness in the market and necessitating cautious evaluation from investors regarding future performance.
See More
QuidelOrtho Director Acquires 10,000 Shares Amid Ongoing Challenges
- Share Acquisition: QuidelOrtho director Matthew Strobeck purchased 10,000 common shares on February 13, 2026, at an average price of approximately $23.96 per share, totaling around $240,000, indicating confidence in the company's future despite ongoing financial difficulties.
- Unchanged Indirect Holdings: Following this acquisition, Strobeck's indirect holdings through UGMA accounts and Birchview Fund, LLC remain unchanged at 54,775 shares, demonstrating his continued support for the company's long-term growth amidst a backdrop of declining stock prices over the past five years.
- Poor Financial Performance: QuidelOrtho reported a 1.89% year-over-year revenue decline in its Q4 FY 2025 earnings, marking the third consecutive year of revenue decline, which highlights the company's struggle to regain profitability after significant executive turnover and layoffs.
- Executive Transition Pressure: Current CFO Joseph M. Busky announced his retirement effective in June, necessitating QuidelOrtho to find a successor before then, which could impact the company's strategic direction and market confidence, especially given the multiple challenges the company is currently facing.
See More
QuidelOrtho Releases Podcast on Cardiac Diagnosis Innovations
- Cardiac Diagnosis Innovation: QuidelOrtho's latest podcast discusses how high-sensitivity troponin (hs troponin) is transforming early cardiac diagnosis and enhancing emergency department efficiency, indicating the company's leading position in medical technology.
- Expert Insights: In the podcast, Global Medical Affairs Manager Dr. Lindy Carlstrom shares application cases of hs troponin, emphasizing its significance in acute care, further solidifying QuidelOrtho's professional image in cardiac testing.
- Industry Impact: By improving early diagnosis capabilities for heart conditions, hs troponin is expected to reduce misdiagnosis rates and treatment delays, thereby enhancing patient outcomes and showcasing QuidelOrtho's positive contribution to public health.
- Market Outlook: With the increasing demand for efficient diagnostic tools, QuidelOrtho's innovative products may capture a larger market share in future competition, driving the company's sustained growth.
See More
QuidelOrtho Releases New Episode of Science Bytes Podcast
- Revolutionizing Cardiac Diagnosis: QuidelOrtho's high-sensitivity troponin (hs troponin) detects cardiac injury earlier than traditional assays, enabling quicker diagnoses and reducing emergency department wait times, thereby enhancing patient flow.
- Precision You Can Trust: With tight reproducibility at low troponin levels, hs troponin helps clinicians effectively distinguish true myocardial injury from analytical noise, ensuring diagnostic accuracy.
- Safer, Efficient Testing Pathways: Shortened testing intervals (0/1-hour or 0/2-hour protocols) support rapid rule-out of heart attacks, significantly improving patient throughput and enhancing emergency care services.
- Equitable Care Assurance: Sex-specific cutoffs and higher accuracy ensure consistent diagnoses across diverse patient groups, with emerging research exploring new applications in cardio-oncology, perioperative care, and long-term risk prediction.
See More
Rice Hall James Increases Stake in QuidelOrtho
- Share Increase: Rice Hall James & Associates acquired 574,877 shares of QuidelOrtho in Q4 2026, reflecting confidence in the company's future prospects despite a 43.4% decline in stock price over the past year.
- Investment Value: This acquisition raised QuidelOrtho's stake to 1.3% of the fund's 13F reportable assets, indicating recognition of its potential value, which may attract further investor interest.
- Market Performance: As of February 13, 2026, QuidelOrtho's market capitalization stood at $1.6 billion with a current price of $23.58, trailing the S&P 500 by 55.2 percentage points, highlighting competitive pressures in the market.
- Strategic Adjustments: QuidelOrtho is undergoing strategic adjustments, including strengthening its product pipeline and improving spending returns, with analysts expecting these efforts to yield modest revenue and operating profit growth in the coming years.
See More
Rice Hall James Increases Stake in QuidelOrtho
- Increased Holdings: Rice Hall James purchased 574,877 shares of QuidelOrtho in Q4, raising its total stake to 833,791 shares valued at $23.8 million, reflecting a positive outlook on the company's future prospects.
- Investment Value Growth: The position's value increased by $16.2 million at quarter-end, indicating a rise in stock price and additional share purchases, suggesting the fund's optimistic view on QuidelOrtho's potential value.
- Industry Position: As a leader in in vitro diagnostics, QuidelOrtho has struggled with consistent revenue growth and profitability in recent years, but its strategic adjustments and strengthened product pipeline may improve financial performance, attracting value investors.
- Market Expectations: Analysts expect QuidelOrtho to achieve modest revenue and operating profit growth in the coming years, although the Motley Fool analyst team did not include it in their list of top investment stocks, indicating a divergence in market perceptions of its potential.
See More
QuidelOrtho Director Acquires Shares Amid Ongoing Challenges
- Share Acquisition Details: QuidelOrtho Director Matthew Strobeck purchased 10,000 common shares on February 13, 2026, for approximately $239,586, reflecting his confidence in the company despite ongoing financial difficulties.
- Ownership Proportion Analysis: This acquisition represented 13.78% of Strobeck's total reported holdings and 56.26% of his direct stake, indicating a significant increase in his direct investment that may influence future decisions and corporate governance.
- Post-Transaction Holdings Structure: After the transaction, Strobeck holds 27,775 shares directly and 54,775 shares indirectly through UGMA accounts and Birchview Fund, LLC, totaling approximately 82,550 shares in beneficial ownership, demonstrating his long-term commitment to the company.
- Company Financial Condition: QuidelOrtho has faced three consecutive years of revenue decline, with a 1.89% year-over-year drop reported for FY 2025, alongside executive turnover challenges, indicating a decreasing attractiveness in the market and necessitating cautious evaluation from investors regarding future performance.
See More
QuidelOrtho Director Acquires 10,000 Shares Amid Ongoing Challenges
- Share Acquisition: QuidelOrtho director Matthew Strobeck purchased 10,000 common shares on February 13, 2026, at an average price of approximately $23.96 per share, totaling around $240,000, indicating confidence in the company's future despite ongoing financial difficulties.
- Unchanged Indirect Holdings: Following this acquisition, Strobeck's indirect holdings through UGMA accounts and Birchview Fund, LLC remain unchanged at 54,775 shares, demonstrating his continued support for the company's long-term growth amidst a backdrop of declining stock prices over the past five years.
- Poor Financial Performance: QuidelOrtho reported a 1.89% year-over-year revenue decline in its Q4 FY 2025 earnings, marking the third consecutive year of revenue decline, which highlights the company's struggle to regain profitability after significant executive turnover and layoffs.
- Executive Transition Pressure: Current CFO Joseph M. Busky announced his retirement effective in June, necessitating QuidelOrtho to find a successor before then, which could impact the company's strategic direction and market confidence, especially given the multiple challenges the company is currently facing.
See More
QuidelOrtho Releases Podcast on Cardiac Diagnosis Innovations
- Cardiac Diagnosis Innovation: QuidelOrtho's latest podcast discusses how high-sensitivity troponin (hs troponin) is transforming early cardiac diagnosis and enhancing emergency department efficiency, indicating the company's leading position in medical technology.
- Expert Insights: In the podcast, Global Medical Affairs Manager Dr. Lindy Carlstrom shares application cases of hs troponin, emphasizing its significance in acute care, further solidifying QuidelOrtho's professional image in cardiac testing.
- Industry Impact: By improving early diagnosis capabilities for heart conditions, hs troponin is expected to reduce misdiagnosis rates and treatment delays, thereby enhancing patient outcomes and showcasing QuidelOrtho's positive contribution to public health.
- Market Outlook: With the increasing demand for efficient diagnostic tools, QuidelOrtho's innovative products may capture a larger market share in future competition, driving the company's sustained growth.
See More
QuidelOrtho Releases New Episode of Science Bytes Podcast
- Revolutionizing Cardiac Diagnosis: QuidelOrtho's high-sensitivity troponin (hs troponin) detects cardiac injury earlier than traditional assays, enabling quicker diagnoses and reducing emergency department wait times, thereby enhancing patient flow.
- Precision You Can Trust: With tight reproducibility at low troponin levels, hs troponin helps clinicians effectively distinguish true myocardial injury from analytical noise, ensuring diagnostic accuracy.
- Safer, Efficient Testing Pathways: Shortened testing intervals (0/1-hour or 0/2-hour protocols) support rapid rule-out of heart attacks, significantly improving patient throughput and enhancing emergency care services.
- Equitable Care Assurance: Sex-specific cutoffs and higher accuracy ensure consistent diagnoses across diverse patient groups, with emerging research exploring new applications in cardio-oncology, perioperative care, and long-term risk prediction.
See More
