Contrasting Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) & PURE Bioscience (OTCMKTS:PURE)

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) and PURE Bioscience (OTCMKTS:PURE) are both medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, risk, institutional ownership and valuation.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Agilent Technologies and PURE Bioscience, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Agilent Technologies	0	3	11	2	2.94
PURE Bioscience	0	0	0	0	0.00

Agilent Technologies currently has a consensus target price of $164.50, suggesting a potential upside of 32.93%. Given Agilent Technologies’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Agilent Technologies is more favorable than PURE Bioscience.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Agilent Technologies and PURE Bioscience”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Agilent Technologies	$6.95 billion	5.04	$1.30 billion	$4.57	27.08
PURE Bioscience	$2.20 million	2.64	-$2.40 million	($0.03)	-1.73

Agilent Technologies has higher revenue and earnings than PURE Bioscience. PURE Bioscience is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Agilent Technologies, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Agilent Technologies and PURE Bioscience’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Agilent Technologies	18.75%	25.20%	12.99%
PURE Bioscience	-110.91%	N/A	-377.91%

Risk & Volatility

Agilent Technologies has a beta of 1.3, meaning that its share price is 30% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, PURE Bioscience has a beta of 0.59, meaning that its share price is 41% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Agilent Technologies beats PURE Bioscience on 13 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies, Inc. provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Life Sciences and Applied Markets, Diagnostics and Genomics, and Agilent CrossLab. The Life Sciences and Applied Markets segment offers liquid chromatography systems and components; liquid chromatography mass spectrometry systems; gas chromatography systems and components; gas chromatography mass spectrometry systems; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instruments; atomic absorption instruments; microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometry instruments; inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry instruments; raman spectroscopy; cell analysis plate based assays; flow cytometer; real-time cell analyzer; cell imaging systems; microplate reader; laboratory software; information management and analytics; laboratory automation and robotic systems; dissolution testing; and vacuum pumps, and measurement technologies. The Diagnostics and Genomics segment focuses on genomics, nucleic acid contract manufacturing and research and development, pathology, companion diagnostics, reagent partnership, and biomolecular analysis businesses. The Agilent CrossLab segment provides GC and LC columns, sample preparation products, custom chemistries, and laboratory instrument supplies; and offers services portfolio, including repairs, parts, maintenance, installations, training, compliance support, software as a service, asset management, and consulting services. The company 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.

About PURE Bioscience

PURE Bioscience, Inc. develops and commercializes antimicrobial products that provide solutions to the health and environmental challenges of pathogen and hygienic control in the United States and internationally. The company manufactures and distributes silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC), a non-toxic antimicrobial agent, which offers residual protection, as well as formulates with other compounds. It offers SDC-based disinfecting and sanitizing products, including PURE Hard Surface, a food contact surface sanitizer and disinfectant; PURE Control, a food contact processing aid for fresh produce and raw poultry; PURE Multi-Purpose and Floor Cleaner Concentrate to clean various resilient surfaces, including floors, glass, and food contact surfaces; and PURE Multi-Purpose Hi-Foam Cleaner Concentrate to clean stainless steel equipment, resilient floors, walls, and painted surfaces. The company also provides Axen30, a hard surface disinfectant; Axenohl, an antimicrobial formulation for use as a raw material ingredient in the manufacturing of consumer and commercial disinfecting and sanitizing products; and SILVÉRION, an antimicrobial formulation that is used against bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and molds. PURE Bioscience, Inc. was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, California.