Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) Upgraded by Sanford C. Bernstein to “Strong-Buy” Rating

Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded shares of Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) to a strong-buy rating in a report issued on Thursday morning,Zacks.com reports.

A has been the topic of several other research reports. TD Cowen increased their price objective on shares of Agilent Technologies from $147.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 28th. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Agilent Technologies from $145.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Agilent Technologies from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $165.00 to $160.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 28th. Finally, HSBC dropped their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $180.00 to $165.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $160.88.

Agilent Technologies Stock Up 0.6%

Agilent Technologies stock opened at $136.29 on Thursday. Agilent Technologies has a one year low of $108.35 and a one year high of $160.27. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $122.86 and a 200 day moving average of $126.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 1.62 and a current ratio of 2.10. The stock has a market cap of $38.49 billion, a PE ratio of 27.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 1.26.

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, May 27th. The medical research company reported $1.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.41 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $1.83 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.80 billion. Agilent Technologies had a return on equity of 24.33% and a net margin of 19.55%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.31 earnings per share. Agilent Technologies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.000-6.100 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 1.480-1.500 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Agilent Technologies will post 6 EPS for the current year.

Agilent Technologies Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 22nd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 30th will be given a dividend of $0.255 per share. This represents a $1.02 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 30th. Agilent Technologies’s payout ratio is presently 20.48%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Agilent Technologies

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bridgefront Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Agilent Technologies during the 3rd quarter valued at $1,323,000. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in Agilent Technologies by 4.8% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 9,380,521 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $1,203,990,000 after buying an additional 433,342 shares in the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its stake in Agilent Technologies by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 599,581 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $82,712,000 after buying an additional 24,687 shares in the last quarter. Champlain Investment Partners LLC raised its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 33.3% during the third quarter. Champlain Investment Partners LLC now owns 895,770 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $114,972,000 after acquiring an additional 223,750 shares during the period. Finally, Neo Ivy Capital Management bought a new stake in Agilent Technologies during the third quarter valued at about $1,203,000.

Key Headlines Impacting Agilent Technologies

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

• Positive Sentiment: Agilent completed its acquisition of Biocare Medical, strengthening its diagnostics and clinical pathology offerings and potentially improving long-term growth prospects. Agilent finalizes Biocare Medical takeover
• Positive Sentiment: Sanford C. Bernstein initiated coverage with an outperform rating and a $155 price target, which may bolster investor confidence in additional share price upside. Benzinga coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary highlights Agilent’s post-earnings resilience, reflecting steady investor interest after the company beat expectations and raised/confirmed guidance. Why Is Agilent (A) Up 0.1% Since Last Earnings Report?
• Neutral Sentiment: Piper Sandler initiated coverage at Neutral with a $150 target, which is supportive but less bullish than Bernstein’s call. Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A) Initiated at Neutral With $150 Price Target by Piper Sandler
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles about dividend reliability and broader adoption of Agilent software suggest steady fundamentals, but they are less likely to drive a major near-term stock move. Is Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) Still A Reliable Dividend Story? Shanghai ICRD Adopts Agilent Software
• Neutral Sentiment: Agilent’s stock has been trading with modest strength following the earnings release, but the move appears tied more to execution and sentiment than to any single dramatic catalyst. Agilent (A) stock trades up, here is why

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.