Bernstein Rates Agilent Technologies (A) buy, $155 Price Target

Analyst Eve Burstein raised her rating on the diagnostics leader, suggesting room for growth from current price levels, a 16.50% upside from the current price.

By EarningsIQ Research Desk · Published Jun 26, 2026, 9:01 AM EDT · Updated Jun 30, 2026, 10:01 AM EDT

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Bernstein rated Agilent Technologies, Inc. ($A) "buy" with a $155 price target on June 26, 2026.

Since the rating, $A is down 3.8% after 1 week, up 1.6% after 1 month and up 27.6% to date (from the $135.55 close on Jun 26, 2026).

A Agilent Technologies, Inc.

$172.97 +26.33% year to date

Daily close · Oct 16, 2026

Key Points

Bernstein analyst Eve Burstein upgraded Agilent Technologies (A) from a previous rating to Buy on June 26, 2026, setting a new price target of $155 per share.
The stock is currently trading around $133.04, meaning the new price target implies an upside of roughly 16.5% for investors.
Agilent maintains a consensus buy recommendation from 21 analysts, supported by a net margin of 19.5% and a return on equity of 20.9%.

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On June 26, 2026, Bernstein analyst Eve Burstein raised her rating on Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A) to buy. Along with the upgrade, Burstein set a price target of $155.00 for the Santa Clara-based diagnostics firm. The move signals a shift in sentiment from the research firm as it looks toward the company's potential to outperform in the healthcare sector.

Analyst rating track record

Bernstein vs. the S&P 500

YTD return +98.06% hypothetical

All-time return +232.65% S&P 500 +27.23%

vs. S&P 500 +205.42% ahead of the index

Hypothetical returns from Bernstein's disclosed trades, not real profit or advice. How we model this.

Closing the Gap to $155

The new price target of $155.00 is particularly notable because it sits well above where the stock is currently valued. With shares trading at $133.04 on Friday, the market is pricing Agilent significantly lower than Bernstein's new valuation. This gap suggests that if the analyst's thesis plays out, there is room for the stock to climb roughly $22 per share. While this is the first time Bernstein has moved to a buy rating recently, other firms have been even more optimistic, with some targets reaching as high as $196.00.

Agilent Stock Performance

Agilent's stock has seen its share of ups and downs over the last year, trading between a low of $108.35 and a high of $163.75. The current price of $133.04 puts the stock just above its 200-day moving average of $131.61, a technical level that many traders watch to see if a stock is in a long-term uptrend. With a P/E ratio of 31.9, the stock isn't cheap compared to its past earnings, but its forward P/E of 23.97 suggests that analysts expect better profits in the year ahead. The company currently has a market value of about $45.66 billion.

12-month forecast

$A price target

Agilent Technologies, Inc. daily closes and this analyst's $155 target. Not advice.

Recent Earnings and Growth

In its most recent financial reports, Agilent showed it can turn a steady profit even in a shifting economy. The company brought in $7.37 billion in revenue, representing a growth rate of 8.1%. Its efficiency is a strong point, boasting a net margin of 19.5% and a return on equity of nearly 21%. These numbers show that for every dollar of shareholders' equity, the company is generating about 21 cents in profit. Investors are looking toward November 25, 2026, when Agilent is scheduled to release its next round of earnings data.

Earnings drift grade

Outlook vs expectations on the last report — not price action.

D 39/100

Reported May 27, 2026

Forward outlook
5 target cuts vs 1 raises.
EPS & revenue
EPS beat estimates by 3.8%. Revenue met estimates.
Profit surprise
EBITDA missed by 4 percent. Operating income missed by 7 percent.
Pre-earnings setup
Bar was high, analysts already very bullish.
Analyst signal
1 upgrade, 1 target raise, 5 target cuts.
Earnings quality
Gross margin up 3.1 points. Operating margin up 3.8 points. Positive free cash flow.

Earnings Call Summary

Agilent delivered a strong second quarter with $1.83 billion in revenue, up 6.3 percent core growth and beating guidance by 80 basis points. Earnings per share came in at $1.49, beating expectations by 7 cents and growing 14 percent year over year. Operating margin expanded 130 basis points to 26.4 percent, well ahead of guidance. The company is seeing robust momentum across its instrument business with double digit growth in LC LCMS and GC driven by replacement cycles and share gains. Diagnostics grew 11 percent led by the Omnis family and cancer offerings. Strategic pricing delivered over 200 basis points of contribution, exceeding the annual target of 100 basis points at midyear. Management credited the Ignite operating system for driving execution excellence and structural improvements.

Guidance Management raised full year revenue and earnings guidance. The company now expects $7.39 to $7.49 billion in annual revenue with core growth of 4.5 to 6.0 percent, up 30 basis points from prior guidance. Earnings per share guidance increased to $6.00 to $6.10, up 8 cents at the midpoint. For the third quarter, they forecast $1.83 to $1.85 billion in revenue with EPS of $1.48 to $1.50.

Clearly negative report. The company missed important expectations and likely triggers downward revisions.

Dividend Income

Agilent also shares some of its profits directly with investors through a dividend. The company pays an annual rate of $1.02 per share, which works out to a dividend yield of 0.65% at current prices. The payout ratio is quite conservative at 19.98%, meaning the company uses less than a fifth of its earnings to cover the dividend, leaving plenty of cash left over for research, development, and potential acquisitions.

Growing Analyst Support

Bernstein isn't the only firm getting more bullish on Agilent. On October 13, 2026, TD Cowen maintained its buy rating and raised its target to $196.00, up from $180.00. Morgan Stanley also lifted its target to $190.00 on the same day. Earlier in October, Barclays raised its price target to $195.00, while Wells Fargo, Stifel, and Goldman Sachs all maintained positive ratings with targets ranging from $175.00 to $180.00 throughout August. Currently, 21 different analysts cover the stock, resulting in a consensus buy rating and an average price target of $175.43.

Laboratory and Life Sciences Solutions

Agilent Technologies provides the tools and software that scientists use to run modern laboratories. They make everything from liquid chromatography systems used in drug development to the consumables like filters and columns that labs need every day. By operating in the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets, the company serves as a critical supplier for both medical research and industrial testing.

What's Ahead for Agilent Technologies, Inc.

With Bernstein's upgrade providing a new floor of support at $155.00, investors will likely keep a close eye on the stock's ability to stay above its 200-day moving average. The high number of buy ratings from major Wall Street firms suggests a broad expectation that the company's diagnostics and lab services will remain in high demand. The next major catalyst for the stock will be the earnings report on November 25, which will confirm if the company's 8.1% revenue growth is continuing into the end of the year.