Monumental Financial Group Inc. Grows Stake in Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A)

Monumental Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A) by 0.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 9,493 shares of the medical research company’s stock after purchasing an additional 89 shares during the quarter. Agilent Technologies comprises about 0.8% of Monumental Financial Group Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest position. Monumental Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Agilent Technologies were worth $1,320,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in A. Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Agilent Technologies by 939.8% in the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,296,512 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $256,796,000 after buying an additional 2,075,649 shares during the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB raised its stake in shares of Agilent Technologies by 233.7% in the 4th quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 2,666,416 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $370,552,000 after purchasing an additional 1,867,377 shares in the last quarter. Meritage Group LP bought a new position in shares of Agilent Technologies during the third quarter worth about $184,437,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in Agilent Technologies by 17.4% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 10,255,526 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $1,146,773,000 after purchasing an additional 1,519,134 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Van ECK Associates Corp increased its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 120.8% in the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 2,596,227 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $290,310,000 after buying an additional 1,420,430 shares during the last quarter.

Insider Transactions at Agilent Technologies

In related news, Director Heidi Fields sold 1,658 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.34, for a total transaction of $239,315.72. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 54,976 shares in the company, valued at $7,935,235.84. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, VP Rodney Gonsalves sold 4,828 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.00, for a total transaction of $719,372.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 21,329 shares in the company, valued at $3,178,021. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Heidi Fields sold 1,658 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.34, for a total value of $239,315.72. Following the transaction, the director now owns 54,976 shares in the company, valued at $7,935,235.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 61,610 shares of company stock valued at $9,220,333 over the last quarter.

Agilent Technologies Price Performance

Shares of A traded up $1.37 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $137.74. 754,945 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,245,651. The company has a market capitalization of $40.36 billion, a PE ratio of 32.80, a PEG ratio of 4.17 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 2.68 and a quick ratio of 2.04. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $141.59 and a 200-day simple moving average of $130.80. Agilent Technologies, Inc. has a one year low of $96.80 and a one year high of $151.58.

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The medical research company reported $1.29 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.22 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $1.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.59 billion. Agilent Technologies had a return on equity of 27.09% and a net margin of 18.35%. Agilent Technologies’s revenue was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.37 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Agilent Technologies, Inc. will post 5.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Agilent Technologies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 24th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 2nd were given a $0.236 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, April 1st. This represents a $0.94 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.69%. Agilent Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.38%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A has been the subject of several research reports. UBS Group lifted their target price on Agilent Technologies from $130.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. Stifel Nicolaus raised shares of Agilent Technologies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $145.00 to $163.00 in a report on Friday, April 5th. Oppenheimer upped their target price on Agilent Technologies from $67.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 26th. Barclays increased their price target on Agilent Technologies from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their price target on Agilent Technologies from $132.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $141.29.

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.