Agilent Technologies Named Instrument Business Outlook's 2006 Company of the Year.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Influential technical instruments newsletter Instrument Business Outlook (IBO) has named Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) as its 2006 Company of the Year. The award recognizes noteworthy achievements of Agilent's life sciences and chemical analysis business.

The IBO award, now in its second year, honors an instrument maker that has accomplished significant technical, operational and financial achievements during the previous calendar year, as measured by financial performance, market leadership, product introductions and key strategic investments.

In its Jan. 15 issue, IBO praises Agilent Technologies' bio-analytical measurement business for transforming itself into a powerhouse in the years since Agilent was founded in 1999. In 2006, it states, many of the business' earlier efforts came to fruition, as evidenced by:

* introduction of an entirely new HPLC platform, the Series 1200, including the 1200 Rapid Resolution System, now viewed by many in the industry as the fastest LC on the market;

* introduction of a new series of high-end mass spectrometers "that instantly changed the competitive landscape of the LC/MS market;"

* increasing success, credibility and profitability of its microarray business; and

* a 9.4-percent gain in sales, and a 21.8-percent increase in operating margin.

The article goes on to say that Agilent is the market leader in gas chromatography and GC/MS systems and a co-leader in HPLC systems, concluding that Agilent's bio-analytical measurement business, after years of being considered a bit conservative and slow moving, is today "aggressive -- even audacious -- and surprisingly spry."

"It's gratifying to be recognized within the industry as a global leader, so we're honored to be named for this award," noted Agilent's Chris van Ingen, president, Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis. "The achievements outlined by IBO are the result of hard work on the part of Agilent Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis employees around the world, and they deserve all the credit."

IBO is published by Strategic Directions International Inc., a Los Angeles-based market research and consulting firm that has studied the analytical and life sciences instrument markets for many years.

For further details about Agilent's life sciences and chemical analysis business, visit www.chem.agilent.com.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 19,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $5.0 billion in fiscal 2006. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Although IBO is available by subscription only, journalists may obtain a copy of the article titled "2006 Company of the Year: Agilent Technologies BAM" by contacting editor Tanya Samazan at [phone] or [e-mail].

Further technology, corporate citizenship and executive news is available on the Agilent news site at www.agilent.com/go/news.