Agilent Technologies, Inc. provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets worldwide. 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; vacuum pumps, and measurement technologies. The Diagnostics and Genomics segment provides arrays for DNA mutation detection, genotyping, gene copy number determination, identification of gene rearrangements, DNA methylation profiling, gene expression profiling, next generation sequencing, target enrichment and genetic data management, and interpretation support software; and produces synthesized oligonucleotide. It also offers immunohistochemistry in situ hybridization, and hematoxylin and eosin staining and special staining; consumables, and software for quality control analysis of nucleic acid samples; and reagents for use in turbidimetry and flow cytometry, as well as develops liquid-based pharmacodiagnostics. The Agilent CrossLab segment provides GC and LC columns, sample preparation products, custom chemistries, and laboratory instrument supplies; and startup, operational, training, compliance support, software as a service, asset management, and consultation services. The company markets its products through direct sales, distributors, resellers, manufacturer's representatives, and electronic commerce. Agilent Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several analysts recently commented on A shares. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $155.00 to $161.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $170.00 to $140.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 14th. Truist Financial cut Agilent Technologies from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 19th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Agilent Technologies from $160.00 to $130.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 25th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Agilent Technologies from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 3rd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $152.75.
Agilent Technologies Stock Performance
Agilent Technologies stock opened at $128.88 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a current ratio of 2.01. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $122.76 and a two-hundred day moving average of $127.65. The company has a market capitalization of $38.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.06, a PEG ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 1.06. Agilent Technologies has a fifty-two week low of $112.52 and a fifty-two week high of $179.57.
Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A - Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 24th. The medical research company reported $1.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.11 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.61 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.62 billion. Agilent Technologies had a return on equity of 27.42% and a net margin of 19.35%. Agilent Technologies's revenue was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.97 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Agilent Technologies will post 4.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Agilent Technologies Announces Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 27th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 5th were given a dividend of $0.21 per share. This represents a $0.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.65%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 1st. Agilent Technologies's payout ratio is 20.24%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, VP Padraig Mcdonnell sold 1,000 shares of Agilent Technologies stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.62, for a total value of $118,620.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 17,826 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,114,520.12. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, VP Jacob Thaysen sold 5,879 shares of Agilent Technologies stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $127.43, for a total value of $749,160.97. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 88,737 shares of the company's stock, valued at $11,307,755.91. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Padraig Mcdonnell sold 1,000 shares of Agilent Technologies stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.62, for a total value of $118,620.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 17,826 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,114,520.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here.
