Agilent Technologies Inc. is scheduled to release fiscal third-quarter earnings after U.S. markets close on Wednesday, with investors monitoring margin sustainability following recent upgrades to full-year revenue guidance.
The Santa Clara, California-based life sciences and diagnostics instrument maker is expected to post non-GAAP earnings of $1.49 per share on revenue of $1.84 billion, according to analyst estimates. Earnings-per-share forecasts have remained broadly stable over the past week, with a modest 0.11% decline over the past 60 days.
Agilent’s shares, which reached a 52-week high earlier in August, last traded at $154.77. The stock carries a mean price target of $160.85, implying roughly 4% upside from current levels. Agilent is valued at 30.9 times trailing earnings, reflecting premium pricing relative to broader market multiples.
Analyst sentiment remains constructive, with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" based on 22 reviews. Sixteen analysts rate the stock a Buy, while six maintain a Hold stance. Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $175 from $160 on August 13, keeping its Buy rating unchanged. Jefferies similarly lifted its target to $150 from $135 on August 21.
The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance to a range of $7.3 billion to $7.5 billion in May, a revision that followed earlier upgrades. Agilent’s operating margin stood at 26.4% in the prior quarter, outperforming Thermo Fisher Scientific’s 22.8% in the same period. Over the trailing twelve months, revenue grew 9.11% while earnings per share increased 22.71%.
In the second quarter, Agilent reported revenue of $1.83 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $1.49, matching the current quarter’s consensus estimate. Management has noted that demand for its Ignite platform was pulled forward by a full quarter, a factor that may influence comparisons in the upcoming report.
