Cetera Investment Advisers Has $4.24 Million Holdings in Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A)

Key Points

• Cetera Investment Advisers has increased its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 8.1%, acquiring an additional 2,723 shares in the 1st quarter, bringing its total to 36,267 shares worth approximately $4.24 million.
• Agilent Technologies reported a net income margin of 17.59% for its latest quarter, with earnings per share of $1.31, exceeding analysts' expectations of $1.26.
• The company recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.248 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend yield of 0.9% and a payout ratio of 24.44%.

Cetera Investment Advisers grew its position in shares of Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A - Free Report) by 8.1% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 36,267 shares of the medical research company's stock after purchasing an additional 2,723 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers' holdings in Agilent Technologies were worth $4,243,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA raised its position in Agilent Technologies by 2.5% during the first quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 5,341,870 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $624,888,000 after acquiring an additional 128,131 shares in the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG lifted its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 4,436,700 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $596,026,000 after purchasing an additional 38,348 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp grew its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 12.3% during the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 4,192,790 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $563,259,000 after acquiring an additional 457,713 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 9.6% in the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 3,231,981 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $434,184,000 after acquiring an additional 283,445 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Impax Asset Management Group plc boosted its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 3.6% during the first quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 2,931,794 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $342,961,000 after buying an additional 102,365 shares during the last quarter.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on A. Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on Agilent Technologies from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an "in-line" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 8th. Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on Agilent Technologies from $159.00 to $140.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of Agilent Technologies from $135.00 to $116.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Barclays increased their price objective on Agilent Technologies from $115.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, June 24th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Agilent Technologies from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, June 28th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Agilent Technologies presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $139.77.

Insider Activity at Agilent Technologies

In other news, CEO Padraig Mcdonnell sold 1,508 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.44, for a total value of $177,099.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 37,448 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,397,893.12. This represents a 3.87% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Agilent Technologies Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of NYSE A traded down $1.57 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $113.32. The stock had a trading volume of 1,058,664 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,837,174. Agilent Technologies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $96.43 and a fifty-two week high of $153.84. The firm has a market cap of $32.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.49 and a beta of 1.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 2.09 and a quick ratio of 1.60. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $117.28 and its 200 day simple moving average is $120.20.

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 28th. The medical research company reported $1.31 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.26 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $1.67 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.63 billion. Agilent Technologies had a return on equity of 25.92% and a net margin of 17.59%. The business's revenue was up 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.22 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Agilent Technologies, Inc. will post 5.58 EPS for the current year.

Agilent Technologies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 23rd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 1st were paid a dividend of $0.248 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, July 1st. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. Agilent Technologies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 24.44%.

About Agilent Technologies

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.