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Agilent TechnologiesA +0.59%96 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.13% as of Jul. 2026, which is 58% below its 10-year median of 14.65. GuruFocus rates A with a GF Score™ of 96/100 and a GF Value™ of $148.35 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 93 Medical Diagnostics & Research companies, Agilent Technologies ranks better than 51.61% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Agilent Technologies's forward rate of return for was 6.13%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Agilent Technologies's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
A'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -9.57 Med: 14.65 Max: 22.99
Current: 5.88
During the past 13 years, Agilent Technologies's highest Forward Rate of Return was 22.99. The lowest was -9.57. And the median was 14.65.
A's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked better than 51.61% of 93
companies
in the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry
Industry Median: 4.93
vs A: 5.88
Unlike the Earnings Yield %, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Explanation
Unlike the Earnings Yield, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is to make it comparable to the growth rate.
Be Aware
In the Forward Rate of Return calculation, the growth rate is added directly to today's free cash flow yield. Therefore the calculation is reliable only if the company can grow at the same rate in the future as it did in the past. Investors should pay close attention to this when researching growth stocks. A more accurate measurement for return is Return on Capital.
Agilent Technologies Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Agilent Technologies Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Agilent Technologies's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Agilent Technologies Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
A vs IQV, IDXX, WAT: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Diagnostics & Research subindustry, Agilent Technologies's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Agilent Technologies Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Medical Diagnostics & Research Industry
For the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry and Healthcare sector, Agilent Technologies's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Agilent Technologies's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Agilent Technologies Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Calculation
Forward Rate of Return is a concept that Don Yacktman uses in his investment approach. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. He said in the interview (March 2012, when the S&P 500 was at about 1400):
If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.
The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
What does a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 6.13% mean?
Agilent Technologies (A) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 6.13% as of Jul. 2026. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Agilent Technologies and its competitors. This is 58% below median its historical median of 14.65. According to the industry distribution chart, Agilent Technologies ranks #45 out of 93 companies in the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry, placing it in the top 48.4%.
Is Agilent Technologies' Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Agilent Technologies' current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 6.13% is 58% below median its 10-year median of 14.65. The Medical Diagnostics & Research industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.93. Agilent Technologies' value of 6.13% is 24.3% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Agilent Technologies ranks #45 out of 93 companies in the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Agilent Technologies has a GF Score™ of 96/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Agilent Technologies' Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to IQV and IDXX?
According to the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry distribution chart, Agilent Technologies ranks #45 out of 93 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This puts Agilent Technologies in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.93. Agilent Technologies' value of 6.13% is 24.3% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 14.65 vs. the industry median of 4.93, Agilent Technologies has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for a Medical Diagnostics & Research company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Medical Diagnostics & Research companies is 4.93, based on 93 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Agilent Technologies's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 6.13% is 24.3% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % mean?
A high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Agilent Technologies and its competitors. For the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.93 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Agilent Technologies's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.13%, which is 58% below median its own 10-year median of 14.65. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Agilent Technologies stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Agilent Technologies (A) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $148.35, compared to a current price of $150.86 — trading 1.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.13%, which is 58% below median its 10-year median of 14.65 and 24.3% above the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry median of 4.93. Agilent Technologies' overall GF Score™ is 96/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % calculated?
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Agilent Technologies (A), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.13% as of Jul. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Agilent Technologies (A) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Agilent Technologies stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $150.86 is trading 1.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $148.35.
GuruFocus considers Agilent Technologies to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for A:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 6.13% (58% below median its 10-year median of 14.65)
GF Value™: $148.35 vs. price of $150.86 (1.7% above fair value)
Industry Position: 24.3% above the Medical Diagnostics & Research median (#45 of 93)
No single metric tells the full story. See the A stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Originally spun out of Hewlett-Packard in 1999, Agilent has evolved into a leading life science and diagnostic firm. Today, Agilent's measurement technologies serve a broad base of customers with its three operating segments: life science and diagnostics, cross lab operations consisting of consumables and services, and applied end markets. Over half of its sales are generated from the biopharmaceutical, chemical, and advanced materials end markets, which we view as the stickiest end markets, but it also supports clinical lab, environmental, forensics, food, academic, and government-related organizations. The company is geographically diverse, with operations in the US and China representing the largest country concentrations.
96GF Score
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