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).
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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.