Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A) Receives $140.15 Consensus PT from Analysts

Shares of Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fourteen analysts that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and seven have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $140.15.

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Agilent Technologies from $155.00 to $135.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 17th. Barclays decreased their target price on Agilent Technologies from $138.00 to $115.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 10th. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $150.00 to $130.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 29th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $135.00 to $116.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Agilent Technologies from $160.00 to $155.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 29th.

Agilent Technologies Trading Up 3.4%

Shares of A opened at $120.72 on Friday. Agilent Technologies has a 12-month low of $96.43 and a 12-month high of $153.84. The company has a quick ratio of 1.60, a current ratio of 2.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The firm has a market capitalization of $34.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.81, a P/E/G ratio of 3.52 and a beta of 1.23. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $108.33 and its 200 day moving average price is $125.73.

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 28th. The medical research company reported $1.31 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.26 by $0.05. Agilent Technologies had a net margin of 17.59% and a return on equity of 25.92%. The firm had revenue of $1.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.63 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.22 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Agilent Technologies will post 5.58 earnings per share for the current year.

Agilent Technologies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 23rd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 1st will be given a dividend of $0.248 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, July 1st. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.82%. Agilent Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.44%.

Insider Transactions at Agilent Technologies

In related news, Director Daniel K. Podolsky sold 1,819 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.46, for a total value of $211,840.74. Following the sale, the director now owns 35,737 shares in the company, valued at $4,161,931.02. This represents a 4.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, VP Rodney Gonsalves sold 1,908 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.98, for a total value of $232,737.84. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 21,786 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,657,456.28. This trade represents a 8.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in A. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Agilent Technologies by 161.1% in the 4th quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 188 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Redwood Park Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Agilent Technologies in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. purchased a new position in Agilent Technologies in the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Agilent Technologies by 286.2% during the 1st quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 251 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 186 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sunbelt Securities Inc. lifted its stake in Agilent Technologies by 640.0% during the fourth quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 222 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares during the last quarter.

Agilent Technologies Company Profile

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.