Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) Rating Lowered to “Hold” at StockNews.com

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) was downgraded by stock analysts at StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued on Tuesday.

A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on the stock. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Agilent Technologies from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 22nd. Evercore ISI upped their price objective on Agilent Technologies from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. Bank of America increased their price objective on Agilent Technologies from $140.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Agilent Technologies from $165.00 to $160.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on Agilent Technologies from $141.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, August 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Agilent Technologies presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $143.40.

Agilent Technologies Stock Up 2.8 %

Shares of A opened at $138.11 on Tuesday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $137.72 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $137.43. The company has a quick ratio of 1.37, a current ratio of 1.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The company has a market capitalization of $39.68 billion, a PE ratio of 31.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.91 and a beta of 1.07. Agilent Technologies has a 52-week low of $124.10 and a 52-week high of $155.35.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, SVP Dominique Grau sold 9,990 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.00, for a total value of $1,448,550.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 40,011 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,801,595. This trade represents a 19.98 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Agilent Technologies

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Tidal Investments LLC grew its position in shares of Agilent Technologies by 8.2% during the third quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 14,752 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $2,187,000 after buying an additional 1,113 shares in the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new position in Agilent Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $535,000. World Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Agilent Technologies by 4.7% in the 3rd quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,466 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $663,000 after purchasing an additional 201 shares during the last quarter. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Agilent Technologies by 5.2% in the 3rd quarter. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,615 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $537,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rehmann Capital Advisory Group purchased a new stake in shares of Agilent Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth $236,000.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies, Inc provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Life Sciences and Applied Markets, Diagnostics and Genomics, and Agilent CrossLab. The Life Sciences and Applied Markets segment offers liquid chromatography systems and components; liquid chromatography mass spectrometry systems; gas chromatography systems and components; gas chromatography mass spectrometry systems; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instruments; atomic absorption instruments; microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometry instruments; inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry instruments; raman spectroscopy; cell analysis plate based assays; flow cytometer; real-time cell analyzer; cell imaging systems; microplate reader; laboratory software; information management and analytics; laboratory automation and robotic systems; dissolution testing; and vacuum pumps, and measurement technologies.