DHR’s 6.6% Single Day Rise Brings Valuations Into Focus – Is A a Better Deal?
Agilent Technologies (A) offers superior revenue growth across key periods, better profitability, and relatively lower valuation vs Danaher (DHR), suggesting you may be better off investing in A
- A’s quarterly revenue growth was 10.1%, vs. DHR’s 3.4%.
- In addition, its Last 12 Months revenue growth came in at 4.5%, ahead of DHR’s 1.9%.
- A’s LTM margin is higher: 21.3% vs. DHR’s 18.4%.
DHR designs and markets professional, medical, industrial products across Life Sciences, Diagnostics, and Environmental segments, offering advanced instruments and automation systems for research, diagnostics, and therapy. A provides life sciences and diagnostics solutions, including liquid chromatography, DNA mutation detection, genotyping, gene expression profiling, next-generation sequencing, and genetic data management.
Valuation & Performance Overview
| DHR | A | Preferred | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valuation | |||
| P/EBIT Ratio | 32.2 | 25.2 | A |
| Revenue Growth | |||
| Last Quarter | 3.4% | 10.1% | A |
| Last 12 Months | 1.9% | 4.5% | A |
| Last 3 Year Average | -2.6% | 0.8% | A |
| Operating Margins | |||
| Last 12 Months | 18.4% | 21.3% | A |
| Last 3 Year Average | 21.6% | 21.5% | DHR |
| Momentum | |||
| Last 3 Year Return | -12.3% | 8.1% | A |
Note: For “Last 3 Year Return” metric, preferred stock is one with higher returns unless the returns are too high (>300%) which creates risk of sell off.
See more revenue details: DHR Revenue Comparison | A Revenue Comparison
See more margin details: DHR Operating Income Comparison | A Operating Income Comparison
But do these numbers tell the full story? Read Buy or Sell A Stock to see if Agilent Technologies’s edge holds up under the hood or if Danaher still has cards to play (see Buy or Sell DHR Stock).
That is one way to look at stocks. Trefis High Quality Portfolio evaluates much more, and is designed to reduce stock-specific risk while giving upside exposure
Historical Market Performance
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total [1] | Avg | Best | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||||
| DHR Return | 45% | 49% | -19% | -1% | -0% | -13% | 39% | ||
| A Return | 40% | 36% | -6% | -6% | -3% | -4% | 50% | ||
| S&P 500 Return | 16% | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 14% | 106% | <=== | |
| Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||||
| DHR Win Rate | 67% | 83% | 33% | 50% | 42% | 25% | 50% | ||
| A Win Rate | 75% | 83% | 42% | 42% | 50% | 50% | 57% | ||
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 62% | 63% | <=== | |
| Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||||
| DHR Max Drawdown | -21% | -4% | -28% | -21% | -3% | -24% | -17% | ||
| A Max Drawdown | -26% | -3% | -29% | -32% | -9% | -26% | -21% | ||
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -31% | -1% | -25% | -1% | -2% | -15% | -12% | <=== | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] 2025 data is for the year up to 9/30/2025 (YTD)
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
No matter how good the numbers, stock investment is never a smooth ride. There is a risk you must factor in. Read A Dip Buyer Analyses to see how the stock has fallen and recovered in the past.