Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NNYSE:ASDAQ: A)
Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A), a global company that provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets yesterday reported their second quarter 2017 financial results.
Agilent reported second quarter adjusted earnings of $0.58 per share which beat analyst expectations of $0.48 per share. Agilent reported second quarter revenues of $1.1 billion which beat analyst expectations of $1.05 billion.
Agilent Technologies, Inc. Company’s Comments
“The Agilent team delivered another excellent quarter,” said Mike McMullen, Agilent President and CEO. “Both revenue and earnings per share exceeded the high range of guidance. We saw a strong pick up in the Chemical and Energy business after modest gains last quarter, and strong growth in Pharma and Europe also contributed to the upside.”
“We continue to deliver on our long-term focus of driving above market growth, expanding operating margins, and deploying capital in a balanced manner,” he added. “Looking ahead, we are confident in our company’s prospects, and we are raising our full-year core revenue growth and earnings expectations.” Business Wire
A Technical Analysis
A opened trading yesterday at $56.52 which was up from the previous day’s trading close of $56.13. A closed trading yesterday at $56.08 and spiked up after market to $58.55, equivalent to a 4% increase from the closing price. Doing some more technical analysis we can see the last time A traded above these levels we have to go all the way back to the month of April, 2000 when it traded at $63.39.
Taking a closer look at the daily chart we can see that before the spike up A had been in an overall upward trend dating back to December 1st, 2016 when it traded at $43.21. A has a float of 321.77 million shares and traded 2.49 times the normal daily trading volume on Monday.
For trading purposes, I would like to see A open trading on Tuesday above $57.75 or the VWAP and if it does I would be looking to take a long position at the bell. My stop loss would be $0.25 from my entry position fearing anything more than that and the stock would start to fill in the gap up.
Company Profile
Agilent Technologies, Inc. provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets worldwide. Its 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; laboratory software and informatics systems; laboratory automation and robotic systems; dissolution testing; vacuum pumps; and measurement technologies.
The company’s Diagnostics and Genomics segment provides reagents, instruments, software, and consumables; arrays for DNA mutation detection, genotyping, gene copy number determination, identification of gene rearrangements, DNA methylation profiling, and gene expression profiling, as well as sequencing target enrichment services; and equipment focused on production of synthesized oligonucleotides for use as active pharmaceutical ingredients.
Its Agilent CrossLab segment offers GC and LC columns, sample preparation products, custom chemistries, and various laboratory instrument supplies; and startup, operational, training, and compliance support, as well as asset management and consultation services.
The company markets and sells its products through direct sales, electronic commerce, resellers, manufacturers’ representatives, and distributors. It has a collaboration agreement with University of Leuven to focus on detecting genetic abnormalities in cell-free DNA and embryo biopsies. Agilent Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.