Sanford C. Bernstein Boosts Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) Price Target to $180.00

Key Points

• Sanford C. Bernstein raised Agilent Technologies’ price target to $180 from $155 while maintaining an “outperform” rating, implying 13.82% upside from the prior close.
• Agilent reported quarterly revenue of $1.88 billion and EPS of $1.62, exceeding analyst estimates, with revenue up 8.1% year over year. The company also raised its fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to $6.18–$6.21.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive, with MarketBeat reporting a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $163.59; institutional investors own approximately 87.41% of the stock.

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A - Get Free Report) had its target price increased by Sanford C. Bernstein from $155.00 to $180.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an "outperform" rating on the medical research company's stock. Sanford C. Bernstein's price target points to a potential upside of 13.82% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other analysts have also weighed in on A. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $160.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Wall Street Zen raised Agilent Technologies from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Sunday, August 2nd. Bank of America raised Agilent Technologies from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and decreased their target price for the company from $150.00 to $145.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 28th. Piper Sandler initiated coverage on Agilent Technologies in a report on Thursday, June 11th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $150.00 target price on the stock. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $147.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $163.59.

Agilent Technologies Stock Performance

A stock traded up $3.06 on Thursday, reaching $158.15. The company's stock had a trading volume of 867,442 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,226,093. Agilent Technologies has a 52 week low of $108.35 and a 52 week high of $163.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a current ratio of 2.10 and a quick ratio of 1.62. The company has a market capitalization of $44.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 1.25. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $139.16 and a two-hundred day moving average of $126.65.

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 26th. The medical research company reported $1.62 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.13. Agilent Technologies had a return on equity of 24.33% and a net margin of 19.55%.The firm had revenue of $1.88 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.84 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.37 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 8.1% on a year-over-year basis. Agilent Technologies has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 1.710-1.740 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 6.180-6.210 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Agilent Technologies will post 6.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Agilent Technologies

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Agilent Technologies by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 599,581 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $82,712,000 after buying an additional 24,687 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia acquired a new position in Agilent Technologies in the second quarter worth approximately $58,539,000. Dudley & Shanley Inc. raised its position in Agilent Technologies by 25.9% during the second quarter. Dudley & Shanley Inc. now owns 69,500 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $9,232,000 after acquiring an additional 14,300 shares in the last quarter. BIP Wealth LLC bought a new position in Agilent Technologies during the second quarter valued at approximately $834,000. Finally, Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. lifted its stake in Agilent Technologies by 39.6% in the fourth quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 33,918 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $4,615,000 after acquiring an additional 9,615 shares during the last quarter. 87.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Agilent Technologies News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Agilent Technologies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations. Agilent reported revenue of $1.88 billion, up 8.1% year over year and above the $1.84 billion consensus estimate. Adjusted earnings were $1.62 per share, versus expectations of $1.49, while reported net income rose to $362 million from $336 million a year earlier. Agilent Reports Third-Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Profitability and cash generation improved. Operating profit increased 23.3% to $444 million, and operating cash flow climbed 43.4% to $519 million. The results suggest expanding margins and stronger execution, supporting the positive market reaction. Agilent Technologies: Q3 Growth, Expanding Margins, And Raised Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Agilent raised its fiscal 2026 forecast. The company now expects full-year adjusted EPS of $6.18-$6.21, above the approximately $6.06 consensus, and revenue of about $7.5 billion, also ahead of expectations. Fourth-quarter EPS guidance of $1.71-$1.74 is at or above estimates. Management cited improving demand for medical, laboratory and drug-development equipment. Agilent raises annual profit forecast on improving lab tools demand
• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada raised its price target. RBC lifted its target from $155 to $185 and reaffirmed an “outperform” rating, providing additional analyst support following the earnings beat. Benzinga
• Neutral Sentiment: At roughly $158 per share, Agilent is trading near its 52-week high and at a reported P/E ratio above 31, indicating that investors are already assigning a premium to the company’s improving growth outlook.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies is a global provider of scientific instrumentation, consumables, software and services for laboratories across the life sciences, diagnostics and applied chemical markets. The company's product portfolio includes analytical instruments such as liquid and gas chromatographs, mass spectrometers, spectroscopy systems, and laboratory automation solutions, together with reagents, supplies and informatics tools that support measurement, testing and data analysis workflows. Agilent also offers instrument maintenance, qualification and laboratory services designed to help customers improve productivity and comply with regulatory requirements.

Founded as a corporate spin-off from Hewlett‑Packard in 1999, Agilent has evolved through a combination of strategic restructuring and acquisitions to concentrate on life sciences, diagnostics and applied laboratories.

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