Patrick B Donnelly, an analyst from Citi, maintained the Hold rating on Qiagen. The associated price target is €44.84.
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Patrick B Donnelly has given his Hold rating due to a combination of factors tied to both company fundamentals and deal speculation. He notes that Qiagen has again come into focus as a possible acquisition target following media reports that the company is reviewing strategic alternatives and has spoken with several potential buyers. The stock’s valuation already reflects a meaningful degree of M&A optionality, partly because investors still recall the failed Thermo Fisher transaction in 2020 and have been actively discussing potential strategic acquirers such as Danaher, Merck KGaA, and Agilent.
At the same time, Donnelly indicates that strategic fit is not straightforward for all rumored buyers, particularly in the case of Agilent, where portfolio overlap and integration logic appear less compelling. Combined with ongoing management transition at Qiagen and a sector backdrop characterized by heightened but selective deal activity, he sees a balanced risk/reward profile rather than a clear upside or downside skew. As a result, he concludes that maintaining a neutral, Hold stance is appropriate until there is greater clarity on whether any strategic transaction will materialize and on the company’s standalone execution trajectory.
In another report released on January 7, TD Cowen also maintained a Hold rating on the stock with a $50.52 price target.