On Thursday, Citi raised its price target for Agilent Technologies Inc (NYSE:A) to $165 from $150, while retaining a Buy rating on the stock. This adjustment follows Agilent's third-quarter fiscal year 2024 performance, which surpassed the company's own projections.
Agilent's organic revenue decline was better than expected at 4.4%, compared to the forecasted range of 6.9% to 4.5%. Additionally, the company reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.32, which was above both the guidance of $1.25 to $1.28 and the consensus estimate of $1.26.
The Life Sciences and Applied Markets Group (LSAG) segment of Agilent delivered a robust performance, particularly with consumables and mass spectrometry (MSD), although instrument sales remained subdued. The company also saw an improvement in activities related to small molecules, noting a 4% decline but with a better situation in Europe. Agilent's management highlighted increased laboratory activity in China, which is expected to contribute to recurring revenue.
Following these results, Agilent's management has updated the full fiscal year 2024 revenue guidance, increasing it by approximately $25 million at the midpoint, and has raised the EPS forecast by about $0.03. Despite a decline in LSAG instrument sales, business-to-business (B2B) orders were greater than one times, and the company has a positive outlook on its sales funnel activity, although deal closings are taking longer than usual.
Looking ahead to fiscal year 2025, the management of Agilent has not committed to specific numbers but anticipates growth to pick up pace throughout the year, expecting a gradual increase rather than an abrupt rebound. Citi's revision of the price target to $165 reflects an updated valuation model based on the recent results and guidance, as well as higher peer multiples.
In other recent news, Agilent Technologies Inc. has reported surpassing third quarter estimates and has revised its full-year outlook upwards. The company posted adjusted earnings of $1.32 per share for the quarter, exceeding analyst estimates of $1.26. Revenue was reported at $1.58 billion, slightly above the forecasted $1.56 billion, despite a 5.6% YoY decrease.
Looking forward, Agilent anticipates Q4 revenue to fall between $1.641 billion and $1.691 billion, with adjusted EPS predicted to range from $1.38 to $1.42. The company has also raised its full-year 2024 outlook, now forecasting revenue of $6.45 billion to $6.5 billion and adjusted EPS of $5.21 to $5.25, surpassing previous Wall Street expectations.
Recent developments indicate a decline in the company's Life Sciences and Applied Markets Group revenue by 8% YoY to $782 million in Q3. Conversely, the Agilent CrossLab Group reported 4% revenue growth to $411 million.
InvestingPro Insights
Following Citi's optimistic revision of Agilent Technologies' price target, InvestingPro data and insights provide additional context for investors. With a Market Cap of $40.84B and a Price to Earnings (P/E) ratio of 32.91, Agilent is trading at a premium compared to some of its peers. Despite the revenue decline of 6.38% over the last twelve months as of Q2 2024, Agilent maintains a strong Gross Profit Margin of 50.63%, indicating efficient cost management and a solid business model.
InvestingPro Tips suggest that Agilent's management has been actively involved in share buybacks, which can be a signal of confidence in the company's value. Additionally, the company has been able to maintain dividend payments for 13 consecutive years, showcasing a commitment to providing shareholder value. For those interested in stability, Agilent's stock generally trades with low price volatility, which may appeal to conservative investors.
For those seeking deeper analysis, there are over 10 additional InvestingPro Tips available, offering insights into Agilent's financial health and market performance. With the next earnings date on August 21, 2024, investors will be watching closely to see if the company can continue to meet or exceed expectations.
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