For the quarter ended July 2024, Agilent Technologies (A Quick QuoteA - Free Report) reported revenue of $1.58 billion, down 5.6% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.32, compared to $1.43 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.56 billion, representing a surprise of +0.99%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +5.60%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.25.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Agilent performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Revenue by End Markets- Pharmaceutical

  : $540 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $540.08 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -8.8%.

• Revenue by End Markets- Academia and Government

  : $128 million compared to the $141.26 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -12.3% year over year.

• Revenue by End Markets- Diagnostics and Clinical

  : $242 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $229.12 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +0.4%.

• Revenue by End Markets- Chemical and advanced materials

  : $356 million compared to the $358.04 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -5.8% year over year.

• Net Revenue- Agilent Crosslab Group

  : $411 million versus $410.12 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +3.8% change.

• Revenue by End Markets- Environmental and Forensics

  : $168 million compared to the $157.49 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +2.4% year over year.

• Net Revenue- Life Sciences and Applied Markets Group

  : $782 million versus $754.65 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -15.6% change.

• Net Revenue- Diagnostics and Genomics Group

  : $385 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $405.47 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +10.3%.

• Revenue by End Markets- Food

  : $144 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $135.66 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -4.6%.

View all Key Company Metrics for Agilent here>>>

Shares of Agilent have returned +7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.8% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.