Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A) Analysts Are Pretty Bullish On The Stock After Recent Results

It's been a good week for Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A) shareholders, because the company has just released its latest full-year results, and the shares gained 6.9% to US$154. The result was positive overall - although revenues of US$6.9b were in line with what the analysts predicted, Agilent Technologies surprised by delivering a statutory profit of US$4.57 per share, modestly greater than expected. This is an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance in its report, look at what experts are forecasting for next year, and see if there has been any change to expectations for the business. We've gathered the most recent statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their earnings models, following these results.

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After the latest results, the 16 analysts covering Agilent Technologies are now predicting revenues of US$7.35b in 2026. If met, this would reflect a reasonable 5.8% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to climb 16% to US$5.34. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$7.29b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$5.21 in 2026. So the consensus seems to have become somewhat more optimistic on Agilent Technologies' earnings potential following these results.

See our latest analysis for Agilent Technologies

The analysts have been lifting their price targets on the back of the earnings upgrade, with the consensus price target rising 10% to US$168. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. The most optimistic Agilent Technologies analyst has a price target of US$185 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$151. The narrow spread of estimates could suggest that the business' future is relatively easy to value, or thatthe analysts have a strong view on its prospects.

One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. The analysts are definitely expecting Agilent Technologies' growth to accelerate, with the forecast 5.8% annualised growth to the end of 2026 ranking favourably alongside historical growth of 3.1% per annum over the past five years. Other similar companies in the industry (with analyst coverage) are also forecast to grow their revenue at 5.8% per year. Factoring in the forecast acceleration in revenue, it's pretty clear that Agilent Technologies is expected to grow at about the same rate as the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing here is that the analysts upgraded their earnings per share estimates, suggesting that there has been a clear increase in optimism towards Agilent Technologies following these results. Happily, there were no real changes to revenue forecasts, with the business still expected to grow in line with the overall industry. There was also a nice increase in the price target, with the analysts clearly feeling that the intrinsic value of the business is improving.

With that in mind, we wouldn't be too quick to come to a conclusion on Agilent Technologies. Long-term earnings power is much more important than next year's profits. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Agilent Technologies going out to 2028, and you can see them free on our platform here..

It might also be worth considering whether Agilent Technologies' debt load is appropriate, using our debt analysis tools on the Simply Wall St platform, here.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.