California-based Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A) operates in the technology sector, specializing in test and measurement solutions across life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets. With a market cap of $40.1 billion, the company is expected to announce its fiscal Q3 earnings results after the market closes on Wednesday, Aug. 21.

Ahead of the event, analysts expect the scientific instrument maker to report a profit of $1.29 per share, down 9.8% from $1.43 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has surpassed Wall Street's bottom-line estimates in each of the past four quarters. In the most recent quarter, the company reported an EPS of $1.22, exceeding estimates by a 2.5% margin. 

For fiscal 2024, analysts expect A to report an EPS of $5.24, down 3.7% from $5.44 in fiscal 2023. However, for fiscal 2025, EPS is anticipated to rebound with a robust growth of 10.3% year over year to $5.78.

A has soared around 10% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 19.2% rise and the S&P 500 Healthcare Sector SPDR's (XLV) nearly 11.5% increase over the same period.

Agilent Technologies saw a notable 9.7% drop in its shares following its Q2 earnings release on May 29. The company missed revenue expectations, reporting $1.57 billion. Additionally, the revised full-year revenue outlook of $6.42 billion to $6.50 billion, reflecting a decline of 6% to 4.9%, and the reduced Q3 revenue guidance signaled slower-than-expected market recovery. These factors contributed to investor concerns and the subsequent decline in share price.

Analysts' consensus view on Agilent Technologies stock is cautiously optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 15 analysts covering the stock, seven recommend a "Strong Buy," seven give a "Hold" rating, and one advises "Strong Sell." This configuration is slightly less bullish than three months ago, with eight analysts suggesting a "Strong Buy."

The average analyst price target for A is $140.07, suggesting a potential upside of just nearly 2% from the current levels.

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On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.