Agilent Technologies achieves further growth in third quarter of 2014

Agilent Technologies has announced its financial results for the third quarter of its 2014 business year, during which it achieved a revenue total of $1.77 billion (1.06 billion pounds).

This represented a year-on-year increase of seven percent, while orders advanced by nine percent to $1.74 billion over the same timeframe.

In the last few months, the company has been making preparations for its separation into two separate independent organisations – Agilent and Keysight Technologies.

Its life science, diagnostics and applied chemical markets divisions – which will form the core of the new Agilent's business – revenues grew six percent, led by growth in the environmental, forensics, pharma and clinical/diagnostics sectors.

Meanwhile, the electronic measurement business – which is now trading under the Keysight name – saw year-on-year growth of eight percent.

Agilent president and chief executive officer Bill Sullivan said: "Agilent generated strong revenue and earnings this quarter, exceeding the high-end of our forecasted guidance. We're seeing continued improvement in our markets and good order growth across our businesses."

When Keysight becomes a fully independent business in November, it will be able to boast a market-leading position in the communications, aerospace and defense, and industrial, computers and semiconductors sectors.