Agilent reports strong fiscal fourth-quarter performance

Agilent Technologies has published the financial report for the fourth quarter of its 2012 business year, during which it generated revenues of $1.77 billion (1.1 billion pounds).

This represented a two percent year-over-year increase, with the upward trajectory largely attributable to the 125 percent increase in diagnostics and genomics sales following the recent acquisition of Dako.

Its results met the company's pre-existing revenue guidance and exceeded its expectations in terms of earnings per share, despite the ongoing challenges posed by the current economic climate.

Agilent chief executive officer Bill Sullivan said: "The strength of our operating model was evident, with operating margins for the quarter and the year at an all-time high."

Fiscal first-quarter 2013 revenues are now expected to be in the range of $1.68 billion to $1.7 billion.

This comes after the firm expanded its operational capabilities last week with the opening of a new x-ray diffraction manufacturing facility in Poland.