Agilent Technologies, Inc.

New York Stock Exchange
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Is Agilent Technologies Stock Underperforming the S&P 500?

🔬 Agilent Technologies provides application-focused solutions across life sciences, diagnostics, and chemical markets with a $33 billion market cap.

📊 The company specializes in automating scientific workflows by integrating analytical tools like chromatography with AI-driven informatics.

⚠️ Stock price has slipped 28.3% from its 52-week high of $160.27, which was reached on Nov. 25, 2025.

📉 Shares declined 20% over the past three months and 15.6% year-to-date, underperforming the S&P 500's smaller drops during those periods.

📉 Over the past 52 weeks, A fell 5.8% while the S&P 500 rose 20.9%, indicating a trailing bearish trend.

📉 Technical indicators show trading below the 200-day moving average since early February and below the 50-day moving average since mid-January.

📉 Stock plunged 3% on Feb. 25 following Q1 earnings, even though net revenue increased 7% year-over-year to $1.8 billion.

💰 Adjusted EPS of $1.36 rose 3.8% quarter-over-quarter but missed analyst expectations by a penny.

🏆 Agilent's rival Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO) also declined but fell less over the past 52 weeks at -5.4%.

💡 Analysts maintain a "Strong Buy" consensus rating with a mean price target of $165.47 suggesting a 42.5% upside potential.

Bullish Signals
  • Despite recent underperformance, analysts maintain a consensus rating of 'Strong Buy' from 17 analysts covering the stock.
  • The mean price target of $165.47 suggests a potential 42.5% upside premium to current price levels, indicating strong bullish sentiment.
  • On Feb. 25, A delivered Q1 results where net revenue increased 7% year-over-year to $1.8 billion, meeting consensus estimates.
  • Adjusted EPS of $1.36 rose 3.8% from the year-ago quarter, demonstrating profitable growth even if earnings slightly missed expectations by a penny.
Risk Factors
  • The stock has underperformed its rival Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO), which is also experiencing a decline but Agilent Technologies lags behind with a larger drop over the past 52 weeks and year-to-date.
  • Shares have slipped 28.3% from its 52-week high of $160.27, reaching significantly lower levels than previous peaks.
  • Over the past three months, shares have declined 20%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index's modest 1.5% drop negatively for Agilent's performance.
  • Year-to-date returns show a decline of 15.6%, compared to SPX's marginal fall, indicating relative weakness in the current market environment.
  • Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has fallen 5.8%, significantly trailing behind the S&P 500 Index's 20.9% uptick over the same timeframe.
  • The stock has traded below its 200-day moving average since early February and below its 50-day moving average since mid-January, confirming a bearish trend.
  • On Feb. 25, following Q1 results, shares plunged 3% in the subsequent trading session, indicating negative market reaction to recent earnings.
  • Although net revenue increased 7% year-over-year to $1.8 billion and adjusted EPS rose 3.8%, adjusted EPS missed analyst expectations by a penny, suggesting underlying growth concerns.
Full Analysis
Santa Clara-based Agilent Technologies Inc. (A) operates as a large-cap stock with a market capitalization exceeding $10 billion, providing application-focused solutions within the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical sectors. The company specializes in automating complex scientific workflows by integrating high-precision analytical tools, such as gas and liquid chromatography, with advanced AI-driven informatics to enhance laboratory throughput. Despite its industry dominance, Agilent has underperformed the broader market recently; shares have slipped 28.3% from their 52-week high of $160.27 reached on November 25, 2025, and have declined 20% over the past three months compared to the S&P 500 Index's 1.5% drop during that same period. Performance metrics further highlight this underperformance, as Agilent shares are down 15.6% year-to-date against the SPX's marginal fall and have fallen 5.8% over the past 52 weeks while the index rose 20.9%. Technical analysis confirms a bearish trend, with the stock trading below its 200-day moving average since early February and remaining below its 50-day moving average since mid-January. This downward momentum continued on February 25 when the company reported Q1 results that saw shares plunge 3% in after-market trading; while net revenue increased 7% year-over-year to $1.8 billion, adjusted EPS of $1.36 missed analyst expectations by a penny despite rising 3.8% from the previous year. Despite these recent struggles and Agilent’s trailing performance compared to rival Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO), which declined 5.4% over the past 52 weeks, analyst sentiment remains highly optimistic regarding the company’s future prospects. The stock holds a consensus rating of "Strong Buy" from the 17 analysts covering it, with a mean price target set at $165.47 that suggests a 42.5% premium to current price levels. While Agilent has underperformed its competitor over the past 52 weeks and 14% year-to-date, this discrepancy persists despite the positive analyst consensus and valuation potential indicated by the price targets.