Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A)

LivingHi (< 20) Submitted: 11/08/07 11:33 AM : Start Price: $34.62 A Score: 11.06

The leadership of Agilent does not know how to grow a technology company, nor does it inspire its workforce. Agilent stock closed at around $41 on its first day of trading 8 years ago this month. It's now around $35. I don't expect the next 8 years to be any better. The company appears to be run by its CFO Adrian Dillon, who joined the company in 2001. He is a bean counter from Eaton, a Midwest industrial conglomerate. He's very good at lay-offs, closing businesses, selling property and outsourcing, and not much else. I sold all of my remaining Agilent stock, about $50,000 worth, in April of 2006 for around $38. I feel fortunate to have gotten out then. There is no way this company should be selling at a P/E ratio above the S&P 500 which is now around 16. If Agilent was trading at this P/E ratio it would be fairly priced at $24. Someday everyone will figure this out.

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