Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) Updates Q1 Earnings Guidance

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) issued an update on its first quarter earnings guidance on Monday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $1.20-1.23 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.34. The company issued revenue guidance of $1.555-1.605 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $1.67 billion. Agilent Technologies also updated its FY24 guidance to $5.44-5.55 EPS.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Credit Suisse Group cut their target price on Agilent Technologies from $160.00 to $150.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 16th. Sanford C. Bernstein started coverage on Agilent Technologies in a research report on Thursday, September 28th. They set a market perform rating and a $123.00 price objective on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on Agilent Technologies from $155.00 to $150.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 16th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on Agilent Technologies from $144.00 to $140.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 16th. Finally, Barclays cut their target price on shares of Agilent Technologies from $110.00 to $105.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Agilent Technologies presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $143.94.

Agilent Technologies Price Performance

Shares of A stock traded up $0.83 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $113.98. 2,949,629 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,824,097. The firm has a market cap of $33.35 billion, a PE ratio of 29.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 2.29 and a quick ratio of 1.68. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $109.96 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $117.80. Agilent Technologies has a 1-year low of $96.80 and a 1-year high of $160.26.

Agilent Technologies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 24th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, January 2nd will be given a $0.236 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 29th. This is a positive change from Agilent Technologies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. This represents a $0.94 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.83%. Agilent Technologies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 24.61%.

Insider Activity at Agilent Technologies

In related news, VP Rodney Gonsalves sold 3,500 shares of Agilent Technologies stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.78, for a total transaction of $415,730.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 24,219 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,876,732.82. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.31% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Agilent Technologies

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Money Concepts Capital Corp acquired a new position in Agilent Technologies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Ancora Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Agilent Technologies during the fourth quarter valued at about $34,000. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Agilent Technologies during the fourth quarter valued at about $57,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Agilent Technologies by 94.6% in the 4th quarter. Altshuler Shaham Ltd now owns 395 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $59,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares during the period. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Agilent Technologies in the 1st quarter valued at about $60,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.42% of the company’s stock.

About Agilent Technologies

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.