Which Is a Better Investment, Agilent Technologies Inc or Boston Scientific Corporation Stock?

By AAII Staff
September 03, 2026
Large versus logo comparing two stocks in the same industry
Featured Tickers:
A BSX

Sifting through countless of stocks in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry can be tedious, and sometimes two stocks are just too similar to judge which is the better investment. If you’re on the fence about investing in Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies or Inc. because you’re not sure how they measure up, it’s important to compare them on a few factors before making your decision.

Read on to learn how Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc. compare based on key financial metrics to determine which better meets your investment needs.

About Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc.

Boston Scientific Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for use in various interventional medical specialties worldwide. The company operates in two segments, MedSurg and Cardiovascular. It offers devices to diagnose and treat a range of gastrointestinal conditions, such as resolution clips, biliary stent systems, stents and electrocautery enhanced delivery systems, SpyGlass, single-use scopes used for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the pancreaticobiliary system, in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography procedures, and single-use duodenoscopes, as well as endoluminal surgery and infection prevention products; devices to treat urological conditions, including ureteral stents, catheters, baskets, guidewires, urinary and bowel dysfunction, sheaths, balloons, single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes, holmium laser systems, penile implants, artificial urinary sphincter, laser system, and hydrogel systems; and devices to treat neurological movement disorders and manage chronic pain, such as spinal cord stimulator systems, radiofrequency ablation, and intraosseous nerve ablation and deep brain stimulation systems. The company also provides technologies for diagnosing and treating a range of diseases and abnormalities of the heart; WATCHMAN FLX, a left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) device; and implantable devices that monitor the heart and deliver electricity to treat cardiac abnormalities, such as cardioverter and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators, MRI S-ICD systems, cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers, remote patient management systems, insertable cardiac monitor systems, and remote cardiac monitoring systems. In addition, it offers diagnosis and treatment of rate and rhythm disorders of the heart; peripheral arterial and venous diseases; and products to diagnose and treat forms of cancer. The company was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Agilent Technologies, Inc. provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Life Sciences and Diagnostics Markets, Agilent CrossLab, and Applied Markets. The Life Sciences and Diagnostics Markets segment offers liquid chromatography systems and components; and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry systems. This segment is also involved in the genomics, contract development and manufacturing organization, pathology, companion diagnostics, and biomolecular analysis businesses. The Agilent CrossLab segment provides various services, including repairs, parts, maintenance, installations, training, compliance support, software as a service, asset management, consulting, and other custom services. This segment also offers consumables, including gas chromatography and liquid chromatography columns, sample preparation products, custom chemistries, and various laboratory supplies; software and informatics solutions comprising software for instrument control, data acquisition, data analysis, secure storage of results, and laboratory information and workflow management; and OpenLab laboratory software, an open software platform that enables customers to capture, analyze, and share scientific data throughout the lab and across the enterprise. In addition, it provides automated sample preparation solutions, such as liquid handling, plate management, consumables, and scheduling software. The Applied Markets segment offers products in the areas of gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, spectroscopy, vacuum technology, and remarketed instruments. It markets its products through direct sales, distributors, resellers, manufacturer's representatives, and electronic commerce. Agilent Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

Latest Health Care Equipment & Supplies and Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies, Inc. Stock News

As of September 2, 2026, Boston Scientific Corporation had a $70.1 billion market capitalization, compared to the Health Care Equipment & Supplies median of $416.1 million. Boston Scientific Corporation’s stock is down 50.6% in 2026, up 1% in the previous five trading days and down 54.65% in the past year.

Currently, Boston Scientific Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 19.6. Boston Scientific Corporation’s trailing 12-month revenue is $21.0 billion with a 17.5% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 7.5%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $3.304 per share for the current fiscal year. Boston Scientific Corporation does not currently pay a dividend.

As of September 2, 2026, Agilent Technologies, Inc. had a $42.7 billion market cap, putting it in the 92nd percentile of all stocks. Agilent Technologies, Inc.’s stock is up 9.9% in 2026, down 5.2% in the previous five trading days and up 20.91% in the past year.

Currently, Agilent Technologies, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 29.8. Agilent Technologies, Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $7.4 billion with a 19.5% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 8.1%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $6.202 per share for the current fiscal year. Agilent Technologies, Inc. currently has a 0.7% dividend yield.

How We Compare Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc. Stock Grades

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data and the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movements. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors streamline and work through such data.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A‐F grades for each of five key investing factors: value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality. Here, we’ll take a closer look at Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc.’s stock grades to see how they measure up against one another.

Learn more about A+ Investor here!

Sign Up to Receive a Free Special Report Showing How A+ Grades Can Help You Make Smarter Investment Decisions

Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc.’s Quality Grades

Company Ticker Quality
Boston Scientific Corporation BSX A
Agilent Technologies, Inc. A A

Like the Value Grade, AAII’s A+ Investor Quality Grade comes from the percentile rank of key metrics. Specifically, the Quality Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of return on assets (ROA), return on invested capital (ROIC), gross profit relative to assets, buyback yield, change in total liabilities to assets, accruals, Z double prime bankruptcy risk (Z) score and the F-Score.

The score is variable, meaning it can consider all eight measures or, should any of the eight measures not be valid, the remaining measures that are valid. To be assigned a Quality Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) measure and corresponding ranking for at least four of the eight quality measures.

The Quality Score is used to assess the underlying “quality” of a particular stock. A higher-quality stock possesses traits associated with upside potential and reduced downside risk. Backtesting of the Quality Grade shows that stocks with higher grades, on average, outperformed stocks with lower grades over the period of 1998 through 2019.

Stocks receive better grades (higher scores) for having higher scores for the quality subcomponents and worse grades (lower scores) for lower scores for the subcomponents.

Boston Scientific Corporation has a Quality Score of 89, which is Very Strong. Agilent Technologies, Inc. has a Quality Score of 83, which is Very Strong.

The Quality Grade Winner: It’s a Tie!

Looking at the Quality Grade breakdown above, both Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc. have a grade of A. For investors who focus solely on a company’s overall quality, you will need to conduct further research into both companies to see if they are a good fit for your portfolio. As a good rule of thumb, you should always analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before choosing a company to invest in.

Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc.’s Momentum Grades

Company Ticker Momentum
Boston Scientific Corporation BSX F
Agilent Technologies, Inc. A B

Momentum grades help to uncover stocks experiencing anomalously high rates of return; research finds that stocks with high relative levels of momentum tend to outperform, whereas those with low levels of momentum tend to continue underperforming. Momentum is based on the price change of a stock over a specified period relative to all other stocks.

Typically, AAII looks at the weighted relative strength over the trailing four quarters. The weighted four-quarter relative strength rank is the relative price change for each of the past four quarters. The most recent quarterly price change is given a weight of 40% and each of the three previous quarters are given a weighting of 20%.

Boston Scientific Corporation has a Momentum Score of 14, which is Very Weak. Agilent Technologies, Inc. has a Momentum Score of 62, which is Strong.

The Momentum Grade Winner: Agilent Technologies, Inc.

As you can clearly see from the Momentum Grade breakdown above, Agilent Technologies, Inc. is considered to have stronger momentum compared to Boston Scientific Corporation. For those specifically looking for companies that have stronger momentum compared to other companies in the same industry, Agilent Technologies, Inc. could be a good stock to invest in. However, it’s important for investors to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc.’s Estimate Revisions Grades

Company Ticker Earnings Estimate
Boston Scientific Corporation BSX C
Agilent Technologies, Inc. A B

Earnings estimate revisions scores consider the magnitude of a company’s earnings surprise in its last two reported fiscal quarters. Often, positive surprises beget further positive surprises‐or at least continued sales growth (the exact opposite is generally true, too).

Estimate revisions offer an indication of what analysts are thinking about the short-term prospects of a firm. Estimate revisions are based on the statistical significance of a firm’s last two quarterly earnings surprises and the percentage change in its consensus estimate for the current fiscal year over the past month and past three months.

Boston Scientific Corporation has a Earnings Estimate Score of 48, which is Neutral. Agilent Technologies, Inc. has a Earnings Estimate Score of 80, which is Positive.

The Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade Winner: Agilent Technologies, Inc.

As you can clearly see from the Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade breakdown above, Agilent Technologies, Inc. has a better Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade than Boston Scientific Corporation. For those who are specifically looking for companies with better short-term prospects when compared to other companies in the same industry, Agilent Technologies, Inc. could be a good stock to invest in. However, it’s important to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

Don’t Forget Your Free Special Report on How A+ Grades Can Help You Make Investment Decisions

Other Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc. Grades

In addition to Estimate Revisions, Momentum and Quality, A+ Investor also provides grades for Value and Growth.

AAII Platinum Banner

Growth investing builds on the idea that stocks of companies exhibiting strong, consistent and prolonged growth outperform those of slower-growth companies. AAII measures growth through consistency of annual sales growth, five-year sales growth rankings adjusted for extreme levels, and consistency of positive annual cash from operations.

Successful stock investing involves buying low and selling high, so stock valuation is an important consideration for stock selection. Buying stocks that are going to go up typically means buying stocks that are undervalued in the first place, although momentum investors may argue that point.

These 2 key factors, when combined with the above, provide a holistic view into a particular stock. Further, by joining A+ Investor you can see whether Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc. pass any of our 60+ stock screens that have outperformed the market since their creation.

So, Which Is the Better Investment, Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies or Inc. Stock?

Overall, Boston Scientific Corporation stock has a Momentum Score of 14, Estimate Revisions Score of 48 and Quality Score of 89.

Agilent Technologies, Inc. stock has a Momentum Score of 62, Estimate Revisions Score of 80 and Quality Score of 83.

Comparing Boston Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies and Inc.’s grades, scores and metrics can act as a solid basis to determine whether they may be a good investment or not. You’ll also want to look at your portfolio’s asset allocation as well as your risk tolerance and financial goals to see if either of these stocks would make a good fit for you. AAII can help you figure out which investments align with your individual needs and preferences.

Investors are encouraged to do their own due diligence and research. In this way, individuals can effectively become managers of their own assets‐without having to rely on others for financial independence. You can count on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis.

A+ Investor adds to our qualitative teaching with a powerful data suite to help you whittle down investment choices to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

Learn More About A+ Investor

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith, and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.



Find New Stock Opportunities With Included With AAII Platinum
Zweig Screen: 11.3% Compared to S&P 500
at only 6.9%

Gain Since Inception. Data as of 12/31/2024.




Try AAII Platinum and get full access to
769.3% Stock Superstars Portfolio Total Return Since Inception
Compare to:
710.3% iShare DOW Jones
U.S. Index ETF (IYY)

SSR Group 3 O'Shaughnessy portfolio has a 411.2% gain since inception performance compared to IYY at only 119.1%% Performance as of 11/29/24.

Get your free copy of our special report analyzing the tech stocks most likely to outperform the market.

Download the FREE Report Here:

BECOME A MEMBER FOR ONLY $2

Get access to powerful investment discovery tools and a wealth of investment education to help you achieve your financial goals.