Agilent Technologies Reports Second Quarter 2007 Results.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today reported orders of $1.40 billion for the second fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2007, 10 percent above one year ago. Revenues during the quarter were $1.32 billion, 7 percent above last year. Second quarter GAAP net income was $123 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, compared with $115 million, or $0.26 per share, in last year's second quarter.

Included in this quarter's GAAP income is $40 million of share-based compensation expense. Excluding this item and $13 million of tax and other net costs, Agilent reported second quarter adjusted net income of $176 million, or $0.43 per share. On a comparable basis, the company earned $157 million, or $0.36 per share, one year ago.(1)

"Agilent had another solid performance in this year's second quarter," said Bill Sullivan, Agilent president and chief executive officer. "Both revenues and earnings were in the middle of our guidance range. As in the first quarter, we saw notable strength across our Bio-Analytical Measurement portfolio, and significant weakness in wireless handset test." In Q2, revenues were up 7 percent, and adjusted net income per share, at $0.43, was 19 percent above last year's results.

Sullivan noted that the company's Bio-Analytical revenues were up 15 percent, again outpacing all major competitors. "We're particularly pleased by the initial reception to our second quarter GC and GC/MS platform introductions." Sullivan also noted that, while Electronic Measurement revenues grew 3 percent, segment growth excluding the impact of a weak handset test market was about 7 percent.

Sullivan added, "The pick-up in second quarter Electronic Measurement bookings to 8-percent growth, combined with the steady 14-percent growth in Bio-Analytical orders, bodes well for Agilent's prospects in the second half of this year."

Second quarter Return on Invested Capital(2) reached 25 percent, 2 points better than last year's strong performance, while receivables Days-Sales-Outstanding improved 4 days. Inventory Days-On-Hand, anticipating a stronger second half, increased by 6 days. Cash generated from operating activities was $302 million in the second quarter. During the period, the company repurchased $382 million of its common stock. The company ended the quarter with net cash of $2.1 billion.

For the fiscal third quarter of 2007, Agilent expects revenues of $1.36 billion to $1.40 billion, up 10 percent to 13 percent from last year. Adjusted net income is expected to be in the range of $0.46 to $0.50 per share, 18 percent to 28 percent above last year's comparable earnings. Normal seasonality would suggest fourth quarter revenues roughly 5 percent above the third quarter and an increase in operating earnings of about $0.09 per share.(3)

Segment Results

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Bio-Analytical Measurement orders were up 14 percent in the second quarter from one year ago, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. Revenues of $428 million were up 15 percent from last year, with double-digit growth in all major geographies and strength across the portfolio of instruments, consumables and services. Life Sciences revenues of $194 million were up 20 percent from last year. Sustained momentum of the Liquid Chromatography and LC / MS platform as well as a market leading position in emerging Comparative Genomics Hybridization (CGH) microarray applications drove the second quarter growth of Life Sciences. Chemical Analysis revenues of $234 million were up 11 percent from last year, with environmental spending and forensics showing particular strength. Market reception to the new Gas Chromatography and GC/MS platform has been excellent and above expectations.

Segment income from operations of $67 million was $22 million above last year on a $56 million increase in revenues. Gross margins improved by 3 points, while operating margins improved 4 points to 16 percent. Segment Return On Invested Capital(2) improved 6 points to 27 percent.

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Second quarter Electronic Measurement orders of $943 million were up 8 percent from last year, double the average of the past four quarters. The pick-up in orders was due to sustained momentum in general purpose test, strength in wireline communications test and a bottoming of the wireless handset test market. Revenues of $892 million were up 3 percent, with Americas up 7 percent and Europe up 9 percent, while demand from Asia was down 3 percent. General Purpose Test revenues were 10 percent ahead of last year while Communications Test, reflecting the weakness in handset test, was off 7 percent from one year ago.

Second quarter income from operations of $130 million was up $10 million from last year on a $25 million increase in revenues. Gross margins improved 3 points from last year while operating margins improved less than a point due to increased acquisition-related spending. Segment ROIC(2) improved 2 points to 25 percent.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (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 revenues of $5.0 billion in fiscal 2006. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

Agilent's management will present more details on its second quarter FY2007 financial results on a conference call with investors beginning at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific). This event will be webcast live in listen-only mode. Listeners may log on at www.investor.agilent.com and select "Q2 2007 Agilent Technologies Inc. Earnings Conference Call" in the "News & Events -- Calendar of Events" section. The webcast will remain available on the company's Web site for 90 days.

A telephone replay of the conference call will be available from 3:30 p.m. (Pacific) today through May 21, 2007. The replay number is [phone] or international callers may dial [phone]; enter pass code 56067025.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the safe harbors created therein. The forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, information regarding Agilent's future revenues, earnings and profitability; the pace of new product introductions and future demand for the Company's products and services; and guidance for the third and fourth quarters and the second half of fiscal year 2007. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause Agilent's results to differ materially from management's current expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, unforeseen changes in the strength of our customers' businesses, and unforeseen changes in the demand for current and new products and technologies.

In addition, other risks that Agilent faces in running its operations include the ability to execute successfully through business cycles while it continues to implement cost reductions; the ability to meet and achieve the benefits of its cost-reduction goals and otherwise successfully adapt its cost structures to continuing changes in business conditions; ongoing competitive, pricing and gross margin pressures; the risk that our cost-cutting initiatives will impair our ability to develop products and remain competitive and to operate effectively; the impact of geopolitical uncertainties on our operations, our markets and our ability to conduct business; the ability to improve asset performance to adapt to changes in demand; the ability to successfully introduce new products at the right time, price and mix; and other risks detailed in Agilent's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended Jan. 31, 2007. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of Agilent's management and on currently available information. Agilent undertakes no responsibility to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement.

(1) Adjusted net income and adjusted net income per share are non-GAAP measures. Each of these measures is defined to exclude primarily the impacts of restructuring and asset impairment charges, business separation costs, non-cash stock-based compensation, intangible amortization as well as gains and losses from the sale of investments and disposals of businesses net of their tax effects. A reconciliation between adjusted net income and GAAP net income is set forth on page 5 of the attached tables along with additional information regarding the use of this non-GAAP measure.

(2) Return On Invested Capital is a non-GAAP measure and is defined as income (loss) from operations less other (income) expense and taxes, annualized, divided by the average of the two most recent quarter-end balances of assets less net current liabilities. The reconciliation of ROIC can be found on page 6 of the attached tables, along with additional information regarding the use of this non-GAAP measure.

(3) Adjusted net income per share as projected for Q307 and Q407 is a non-GAAP measure which excludes primarily the impacts of future restructuring and asset impairment charges, non-cash stock-based compensation, and intangibles amortization. It also excludes the impact of the acquisition of Stratagene, which has not yet been completed. Most of these excluded amounts pertain to events that have not yet occurred and are not currently possible to estimate with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Therefore, no reconciliation to GAAP amounts has been provided. Future amortization of intangibles is expected to be approximately $10 million per quarter.

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

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