Agilent Gains 5% in a Month: Should You Buy, Sell or Hold the Stock?

Agilent Technologies’ A shares have gained 5% in the past month, outperforming the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector’s 2.2% return and the Zacks Electronics - Testing Equipment industry’s 1.3% growth.A’s share price movement has been driven by the bright performance of the Agilent CrossLab Group segment, which reported 5% year-over-year revenue growth in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. Strategic acquisitions and robust cash flow further support this momentum.However, Agilent is currently facing several challenges in its other core segments, with margin pressures continuing to affect overall performance. A subdued growth outlook has raised concerns about the company’s ability to manage effectively.Agilent Technologies, Inc. Price and Consensus Agilent Technologies, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Agilent Technologies, Inc. QuoteSolid Portfolio, Acquisitions to Boost A’s ProspectsAgilent is actively pursuing a strategic path of growth through acquisitions.In the fiscal fourth quarter, the company completed the acquisition of BIOVECTRA, a contract development and manufacturing organization. This move underscores Agilent's commitment to broadening its portfolio in therapeutic development. Through its acquisition of BIOVECTRA, Agilent extends its leadership in oligonucleotide production into fast-growing markets such as peptide synthesis.The expanding portfolio of Agilent boosts its LSAG segment with the introduction of the Agilent InfinityLab Liquid Chromatography (LC) Series portfolio, which includes the 1290 Infinity III LC, 1260 Infinity III Prime LC and 1260 Infinity III LC systems. This launch positions the company to capture the growing demand for advanced chromatography solutions, offering enhanced performance and reliability to customers in key industries such as pharmaceuticals and life sciences.The Infinity III series features advanced automation to simplify workflows and is compatible with previous generations for easy upgrades. Certified by My Green Lab, it optimizes lab space, reduces resource use and minimizes waste. Despite launching in October, customer feedback has been highly positive.Slowing Growth in Key Segments Raises Concerns for AThe LSAG segment generated $833 million in revenues, reflecting a 1% decline compared with the same period last year. This decrease was primarily due to slower instrument sales, as customers adopted a more cautious approach to spending on new equipment.Moreover, the decline in the DGG segment sparks concerns for investors. It generated $442 million in revenues, reflecting a 1% drop year over year and a 3% decline on a core basis. This was due to expected weakness in Cell Analysis and NASD, partly offset by strong high-single-digit growth in the Cancer Diagnostics business and improved results in Genomics.Agilent's Q1 and FY25 View Signals ChallengesFor the first quarter of fiscal 2025, Agilent expects revenues to be in the range of $1.650-$1.680 billion, indicating a decline of 0.5% against an increase of 1.3% on a reported basis and a decrease of 2% versus a rise of 0.2% on a core basis from the year-ago quarter’s actuals.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter 2025 revenues is pegged at $1.67 billion, indicating a year-over-year increase of 0.8%.Non-GAAP fiscal first-quarter earnings per share are expected to be in the band of $1.25-$1.28. The consensus estimate for earnings is pegged at $1.29 per share, down 10 cents over the past 30 days.For fiscal 2025, management revised its revenue guidance to $6.79-$6.87 billion, implying an increase of 4.3-5.5% on a reported basis and 2.5-3.5% on a core basis from the fiscal 2024 figure.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2025 revenues is pegged at $6.83 billion, indicating an increase of 4.9% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.Non-GAAP earnings per share are expected to be in the band of $5.54-$5.61 compared with the earlier guidance of $5.21-$5.25. The consensus mark is pegged at $5.58, down 14 cents per share over the past 30 days.Zacks Rank and Stocks to ConsiderA currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), which implies investors should stay away from the stock for the time being.Fastly FSLY, Amphenol APH and BILL Holdings, Inc. BILL are some better-ranked stocks in the broader tech sector. Each of these three companies currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.The long-term earnings growth rate for FSLY, APH and BILL is pegged at 31.89%, 16.39% and 13.41%, respectively.Free Today: Profiting from The Future’s Brightest Energy SourceThe demand for electricity is growing exponentially. At the same time, we’re working to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. Nuclear energy is an ideal replacement.Leaders from the US and 21 other countries recently committed to TRIPLING the world’s nuclear energy capacities. 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