Stock of the Day - August 29, 2022

Illumina (ILMN)

$208.62

-$5.01 (-2.3%)

Market Cap: $31.50B

About Illumina

Illumina, Inc. offers sequencing- and array-based solutions for genetic and genomic analysis in the United States, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through Core Illumina and GRAIL segments.

The company offers sequencing and array-based instruments and consumables, which include reagents, flow cells, and library preparation; whole-genome sequencing kits, which sequence entire genomes of various size and complexity; and targeted resequencing kits, which sequence exomes, specific genes, and RNA or other genomic regions of interest. It also provides whole-genome sequencing, genotyping, noninvasive prenatal testing, and product support services; and Galleri, a multi-cancer early detection test. In addition, the company is developing solutions to help accelerate cancer diagnoses, blood-based detection for minimal residual disease, and other post-diagnostic applications. The company serves genomic research centers, academic institutions, government laboratories, and hospitals, as well as pharmaceutical, biotechnology, commercial molecular diagnostic laboratories, and consumer genomics companies. It markets and distributes its products directly to customers, as well as through life-science distributors. Illumina, Inc. was incorporated in 1998 and is based in San Diego, California.

Illumina Bull Case

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Illumina, Inc.:

Illumina, Inc. has demonstrated strong revenue growth, with a year-over-year increase of approximately 9.4%, indicating robust demand for its products and services.
The company has set an earnings per share (EPS) guidance for FY 2026 between 5.300 and 5.400, suggesting confidence in its future profitability.
Recent analyst upgrades have boosted the stock's price target significantly, with some analysts setting targets as high as $225, reflecting positive market sentiment.
The current stock price is around $188.40, which is considered attractive given the company's growth potential and recent performance.
Illumina, Inc. is a leader in next-generation sequencing technologies, which are increasingly essential in various fields, including clinical research and consumer genomics, positioning the company well for future growth.

Illumina Bear Case

Investors should be bearish about investing in Illumina, Inc. for these reasons:

Despite recent growth, the stock has faced volatility, which may deter risk-averse investors looking for stable returns.
There is significant competition in the life sciences sector, which could impact Illumina's market share and pricing power.
Some analysts have issued sell ratings, indicating that not all market participants are confident in the stock's future performance.
High institutional ownership, at approximately 89.42%, may lead to increased volatility if large investors decide to sell their positions.
Market conditions can be unpredictable, and any downturn in the biotech sector could adversely affect Illumina's stock performance.

Agilent Technologies Proves Its Worth VS Illumina

Written By Thomas Hughes on 8/17/2022

Agilent Technologies (NYSE: A) is a highly-valued stock for the low 0.6% dividend that it pays but the Q2 results once again prove the company’s worth. The results include a top and bottom line beat as well as improved guidance that has the shares moving higher in their wake. With competitors in the medical instruments/technology industry like Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN) trading at even higher valuations and not paying a dividend, it looks like Agilent Technologies and its blue-chip status is the better choice for investors and the analyst agree.

The analysts have a Hold rating on Illumina compared to the Moderate Buy Agilent Technologies is pegged to and the sentiment for Agilent is on the upswing. Illumina notched a handful of analysts' commentaries in the wake of its earnings report that all included price target reductions that have the consensus about 20% above the current price action. That is a larger margin of an upside than what is expected for Agilent, about 15%, but the trend in sentiment is far more favorable.

Agilent’s report sparked a minimum of 4 analyst commentaries that all include a price target increase. According to Marketbeat.com analyst tracking tools, the price target increases have the consensus firming after a slight retreat from the high set earlier this year. The takeaway is that sentiment for Illumina is cooling while the opposite is happening for Agilent. As far as the valuation is concerned, Agilent is trading at about 27X its earnings while Illumina trades at a far higher 80X of its earnings. In this light, with one producing outperformance and increasing the guidance and the other underperforming and lowering guidance, the stage is set for one’s value to improve and the others to crumble and Agilent is already outperforming the other.

Agilent Technologies Pops After Nimble Q3 Execution

Agilent Technologies had a great quarter with revenue of $1.72 billion rising 8.2% over last year to beat the consensus figures by 480 basis points. The strength was driven by gains in all segments led by a 14% increase in Life Sciences offset by smaller 5% and 2% gains in CrossLab and Diagnostics. The good news, however, is in the margin and guidance which are both favorable to cash flow and the dividend. The company reports a 28% increase in GAAP earnings and a 22% increase in adjusted earnings that outpaced revenue growth by a wide margin. The $1.34 in adjusted EPS also beat the consensus estimate by $0.13 and the strength is expected to carry through into the 4th quarter at least.

The company raised the outlook for the 4th quarter and the year to expect FY EPS in the range of $5.06 to $5.08 but there is a caveat and an offsetting factor to consider. The caveat is that EPS and revenue guidance were raised to match the consensus figure, the offsetting factor is that consensus has been on the rise over the past few months and accelerated the movement a week prior to the release.

Agilent Outperforms Illumina

The price action in Agilent Technologies tracked in line with Illumina for the first few quarters of the pandemic but the action diverged in late 2021. Since then, Illumina and its niche markets have proven to be more volatile than Agilent and its broader-based clientele with Agilent up 100% versus the other. Based on the latest report investors would be wise to assume Agilent will continue to be less volatile as well as pay its dividend.

Agilent Technologies Proves Its Worth VS Illumina

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