Sterling Capital Management LLC Increases Holdings in Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A)

Sterling Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A - Free Report) by 51.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 17,097 shares of the medical research company's stock after acquiring an additional 5,841 shares during the period. Sterling Capital Management LLC's holdings in Agilent Technologies were worth $2,297,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of A. CKW Financial Group grew its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 114.9% during the 4th quarter. CKW Financial Group now owns 187 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. grew its position in shares of Agilent Technologies by 161.1% in the 4th quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 188 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Redwood Park Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Agilent Technologies in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. bought a new position in shares of Agilent Technologies during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Hanson & Doremus Investment Management boosted its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 66.5% in the fourth quarter. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management now owns 263 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.42% of the company's stock.

Agilent Technologies Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE A traded down $0.32 during trading on Friday, hitting $102.38. The stock had a trading volume of 1,769,911 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,856,940. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 2.20 and a quick ratio of 1.66. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $119.55 and a two-hundred day moving average of $132.49. Agilent Technologies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $96.43 and a 12 month high of $155.35. The company has a market capitalization of $29.19 billion, a PE ratio of 23.54, a PEG ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 1.19.

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 26th. The medical research company reported $1.31 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.67 billion. Agilent Technologies had a net margin of 19.27% and a return on equity of 25.56%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Agilent Technologies, Inc. will post 5.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Agilent Technologies Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 23rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 1st will be given a dividend of $0.248 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 1st. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.97%. Agilent Technologies's payout ratio is currently 22.76%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Agilent Technologies news, Director Daniel K. Podolsky sold 1,819 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $116.46, for a total transaction of $211,840.74. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 35,737 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,161,931.02. This represents a 4.84 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Padraig Mcdonnell sold 1,911 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total transaction of $286,650.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 39,652 shares in the company, valued at $5,947,800. The trade was a 4.60 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 5,638 shares of company stock worth $731,229. Insiders own 0.26% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of Agilent Technologies to $135.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, April 10th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Agilent Technologies from $155.00 to $135.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday. Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $138.00 to $115.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. StockNews.com upgraded Agilent Technologies from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 24th. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on Agilent Technologies from $161.00 to $159.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 27th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $144.58.

Agilent Technologies Company Profile

Agilent Technologies, Inc provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Life Sciences and Applied Markets, Diagnostics and Genomics, and Agilent CrossLab. The Life Sciences and Applied Markets segment offers liquid chromatography systems and components; liquid chromatography mass spectrometry systems; gas chromatography systems and components; gas chromatography mass spectrometry systems; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instruments; atomic absorption instruments; microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometry instruments; inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry instruments; raman spectroscopy; cell analysis plate based assays; flow cytometer; real-time cell analyzer; cell imaging systems; microplate reader; laboratory software; information management and analytics; laboratory automation and robotic systems; dissolution testing; and vacuum pumps, and measurement technologies.