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Technology Stocks : Agilent Technologies (A) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: robert b furman who wrote (555)	5/17/2005 8:56:35 AM
From: Kirk ©	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 620

Agilent profit falls in second quarter By Michael Paige, MarketWatch Last Update: 4:51 PM ET May 16, 2005 marketwatch.com WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Agilent Technologies on Monday posted a narrower second-quarter profit, as sales and orders for its scientific instruments and testing equipment fell. In the three months ended April 30, Agilent said net income slid to $95 million, or 19 cents a share, from $104 million, or 21 cents a share, a year earlier. Sales fell 8% to $1.69 billion from $1.83 billion a year earlier. Orders - a key gauge of future sales -- dropped 9% to $1.73 billion. Excluding restructuring charges and tax benefits, the company said earnings from operations fell to $101 million, or 20 cents a share, from $119 million, or 24 cents, a year earlier. That matched the consensus estimate of analysts compiled by Thomson First Call. After first-quarter results were issued in February, Agilent (A: news, chart, profile) told analysts that second-quarter numbers would fall short of estimates. Agilent, based in Palo Alto, Calif., is the top global supplier of products used to test and measure the efficacy of semiconductor-producing gear, medical-lab equipment and related instruments. Looking ahead, Agilent predicted a "modest rebound" in its semiconductor-related businesses, partly offsetting normal seasonal weakness during the third quarter. The company forecast operating earnings of 23 cents to 28 cents a share on revenue of $1.7 billion to $1.8 billion. Wall Street was estimating profit of 28 cents a share on sales of $1.75 billion. In the fourth quarter, Agilent predicted that revenue would rise 5% sequentially, with earnings about 10 cents higher compared to the third quarter. On Monday, Agilent stock closed down 43 cents to $21.56 ahead of the earnings report. Results were released after U.S. markets closed. Michael Paige is a reporter for MarketWatch in Los Angeles.