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Valued at a market cap of $34.2 billion, Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A) provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets. The Santa Clara, California-based company provides laboratories with instruments, software, services, consumables, and expertise, ranging from chromatography and mass spectrometry to genomics, diagnostics, cell analysis, and digital lab optimization.
Companies valued at $10 billion or more are typically classified as “large-cap stocks,” and Agilent Technologies fits the label perfectly, with its market cap exceeding this threshold, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the diagnostics & research industry. The company’s key strengths lie in its strong R&D capabilities, global market presence, and diversified product portfolio. With a presence in over 100 countries, it combines scientific innovation with digital lab optimization to deliver high accuracy, efficiency, and reliability, making it a trusted partner for laboratories worldwide.
This healthcare company has slipped 21.7% from its 52-week high of $153.84, reached on Jan. 31. Shares of A have declined 1.1% over the past three months, underperforming the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s ($DOWI) 2.3% uptick during the same time frame.
In the longer term, Agilent Technologies has fallen 9.4% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind DOWI’s 10.3% rise over the same time frame. Moreover, on a YTD basis, shares of A are down 10.3%, compared to DOWI’s marginal return.
To confirm its bearish trend, A has been trading below its 200-day moving average since mid-February. However, it has remained above its 50-day moving average since mid-May, with slight fluctuations.
On May 28, Agilent Technologies delivered better-than-expected Q2 performance, promoting its share price to rise 2.2% in the following trading session. The company’s revenue grew 6% year-over-year to $1.7 billion and topped the consensus estimates by 2.5%. This robust top-line growth was supported by stronger revenue from its life sciences and diagnostics markets, along with higher sales in its CrossLab group. Moreover, its adjusted EPS of $1.31 improved 7.4% from the year-ago quarter and exceeded analyst expectations by 4%. This solid Q2 performance can be largely attributed to A’s effective Ignite Transformation initiative.
Looking ahead to fiscal 2025, A expects revenue in the range of $6.7 billion to $6.8 billion, representing a 3.4% to 4.6% growth, and projects adjusted EPS to be between $5.54 and $5.61.
Agilent Technologies has outpaced its rival, Danaher Corporation (DHR), which declined 23.4% over the past 52 weeks and 11.7% on a YTD basis.
Despite A’s recent underperformance, analysts remain moderately optimistic about its prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy” from the 16 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $137.50 suggests a 14.1% premium to its current price levels.
On the date of publication, Neharika Jain did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
