Agilent Technologies is a premier player in the laboratory analytical instruments sector.
The company distinguishes itself as a life sciences and diagnostics innovator, specializing in providing advanced laboratory instruments and services. Agilent is celebrated for its unwavering commitment to quality and its exceptional capabilities in research and development.
Updated: January 14, 2026, 16:00 EST
Of course. Here is a comprehensive analysis of whether stock A is worth buying.
Technical Analysis The stock is showing strong upward momentum, significantly outperforming the market over the past quarter. Currently trading near the higher end of its 52-week range, it demonstrates sustained buying pressure. However, its high beta indicates it is more volatile than the market, so investors should be prepared for potential swings.
Fundamental Analysis Agilent's fundamentals are robust, with solid revenue growth and impressive margin expansion in its latest quarter. The company exhibits strong financial health, with a conservative debt level and ample liquidity. While profitability metrics like return on equity are decent, there is some room for improvement in operational efficiency and working capital management.
Valuation & Risk The stock trades at a premium valuation based on traditional metrics like P/E, but its low PEG ratio suggests this may be justified by strong future earnings growth. The primary risk is volatility; the stock is prone to larger swings than the market, as evidenced by its substantial maximum drawdown in the past year.
Buy Recommendation Based on the analysis, a buy recommendation is supported. The combination of strong price momentum, healthy fundamental growth, and a valuation that implies future earnings potential makes a compelling case. Investors comfortable with its higher volatility profile may find it an attractive growth opportunity. This is not investment advice, for recommendation only.
Based on the provided analysis, here is a 12-month outlook for Stock A:
12-Month Outlook for Stock A
The outlook for the next 12 months is positive, driven by strong fundamental revenue growth and solid price momentum, which are expected to be the key catalysts for continued appreciation. The primary risk remains the stock's high volatility, as indicated by its high beta, which could lead to significant price swings, especially during broader market downturns. While an analyst target price is not provided, the stock's low PEG ratio suggests the current premium valuation could be justified if the company continues to meet its earnings growth expectations, implying further upside potential from the current price of $146.32.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about A's 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $145.92, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, A has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
Of course. Here is the technical analysis of A's price performance.
Overall Assessment Stock A has demonstrated strong positive momentum over the recent quarter, significantly outperforming the market despite its higher volatility profile.
Short-term Performance The stock shows accelerating positive momentum, with a solid 4.43% gain over three months that outpaces the market by 1.06%. This builds upon a healthy 2.41% one-month return, indicating sustained buying pressure rather than a short-term spike.
Current Position Trading at $146.32, the stock is positioned in the upper half of its 52-week range ($96.43 - $160.27), approximately 70% of the way to its high. While not at an extreme overbought level, investors should be mindful of the stock's high beta (1.29), which suggests it remains susceptible to larger swings than the broader market, especially given its history of a significant 35% drawdown within the past year.
| Period | A Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | +4.5% | +1.3% |
| 3m | +6.8% | +5.7% |
| 6m | +20.3% | +10.6% |
| 1y | +2.6% | +16.5% |
| ytd | +5.8% | +1.1% |
Revenue & Profitability Agilent demonstrated strong quarterly performance with revenue increasing 7.1% to $1.86 billion in Q4 2025 from $1.74 billion in Q3. Profitability improved significantly, with the net income margin expanding from 19.3% to 23.3%. This margin expansion was driven by robust operating leverage, as operating income grew faster than revenue.
Financial Health The company maintains a strong balance sheet with a conservative debt ratio of 26.4% and a healthy interest coverage ratio of 16.4x. While the cash flow to debt ratio of 0.16 appears modest, the robust current ratio of 1.96 and quick ratio of 1.52 indicate ample liquidity to meet short-term obligations.
Operational Efficiency Agilent's operational efficiency shows room for improvement, with a return on equity of 6.4% and asset turnover of 0.15 indicating moderate capital utilization. The 118-day cash conversion cycle suggests working capital management could be optimized, though the company maintains solid fixed asset turnover of 0.92.
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Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardBased on the provided metrics, A appears moderately valued despite some mixed signals. The stock trades at elevated multiples with a TTM PE of 32.2, a high PB of 6.14, and a PS of 6.04, suggesting a premium valuation. However, the more attractive forward PE of 23.9 and a PEG ratio well below 1.0 at 0.80 indicate strong growth expectations that may justify the current price levels.
A direct peer comparison is not possible as industry average data is unavailable. The analysis is therefore based entirely on absolute valuation metrics, which point to a company priced for significant future growth given the low PEG ratio. In the absence of industry benchmarks, it is difficult to ascertain whether these multiples represent a sector norm or a company-specific premium.
Volatility Risk: The stock exhibits moderately high volatility risk, with a Beta of 1.291 indicating it typically moves more than the broader market. This elevated sensitivity is substantiated by a significant 1-year maximum drawdown of -34.93%, exceeding typical market declines and demonstrating substantial price erosion potential during downturns.
Other Risks: While the stock benefits from an absence of short interest, which reduces the risk of a short squeeze, the persistence of high volatility could still challenge liquidity. Lower-than-average trading volumes may exacerbate price swings, making execution more difficult and potentially increasing bid-ask spreads for investors.
Bullish. The stock shows strong technical momentum with accelerating returns, supported by solid fundamental performance including 7.1% revenue growth and expanding profit margins. While the premium valuation requires growth to materialize, the low PEG ratio of 0.80 suggests it's reasonably priced for future expansion. Suitable for growth-oriented investors comfortable with higher volatility.
Based on the valuation metrics provided, the stock appears fairly valued.
The PE ratio of 32.2 is elevated, but the more important metrics are the forward PE of 23.9 and the PEG ratio of 0.80. A PEG ratio significantly below 1.0 is a classic indicator that a stock may be undervalued relative to its growth prospects. This suggests the market is pricing in strong future earnings growth, which is supported by the fundamental analysis showing revenue growth and significant margin expansion.
Key valuation metrics are the PEG ratio (0.80), Forward PE (23.9), and PS ratio (6.04). The primary reason for the fair valuation is the compelling growth story. The low PEG ratio indicates that the stock's price is reasonable when its earnings growth rate is considered, effectively balancing the high absolute PE and PS ratios.
Based on the provided information, here are the key risks of holding Agilent (A), ordered by importance:
1. Market Risk: The moderately high Beta of 1.29 indicates the stock is highly susceptible to broad market downturns, a risk substantiated by its significant -34.93% maximum drawdown over the past year. 2. Liquidity & Trading Risk: Lower-than-average trading volumes, combined with its inherent high volatility, could exacerbate price swings and lead to wider bid-ask spreads, making execution more difficult. 3. Operational Risk: The companyโs operational efficiency shows room for improvement, with a low asset turnover of 0.15 and a 118-day cash conversion cycle indicating potential inefficiencies in capital and working capital management.
Of course. Based on the provided analyst notes and general market principles, here is a professional forecast for Agilent's stock (A) through 2026.
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Here is a strategic outlook for Agilent Technologies (A) stock performance through 2026.
1. Target Price Range: * Base Case (2026): $175 - $195. This assumes steady execution on its current growth trajectory, margin maintenance, and a stable market multiple. * Bull Case (2026): $210 - $230. This scenario is contingent on accelerated revenue growth from new product cycles or strategic acquisitions, combined with further margin expansion.
2. Key Growth Drivers: * Continued Pharma & Biotech Demand: Agilent's instruments and services are critical for drug discovery, development, and quality control, a market with resilient long-term demand. * Operational Efficiency Gains: The demonstrated margin expansion indicates improved operating leverage; further efficiency gains could significantly boost earnings. * Market Share Gains: Potential to capitalize on its strong financial health to invest in R&D and commercial expansion, taking share in fragmented end-markets like diagnostics and chemicals.
3. Main Assumptions: * Revenue growth continues in the mid-single digits annually. * The company maintains or slightly improves its current net income margin (~23%). * There is no major deterioration in the macroeconomic environment affecting capital expenditure in its core end-markets. * The current valuation multiple remains relatively stable.
4. Uncertainty & Risks: * This forecast is highly sensitive to broader market conditions, given the stock's noted high volatility (beta). * The primary risk is a downturn in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, which would impact instrument purchasing. * Execution missteps or increased competition could pressure both growth and margins.
*Disclaimer: This forecast is based on the provided analysis and professional judgment. It is not a guarantee of future performance. Investors should conduct their own research.*