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Further Reading from MarketBeat The Often-Missed Corner of Healthcare That Wall Street Is LovingSubmitted by Nathan Reiff. Publication Date: 3/29/2026. 
Key Points - Numerous lab equipment stocks are down in the high-teens so far this year, but seemingly modest sales growth may hide fundamental strengths.
- These companies can present a more secure approach to the healthcare industry than some higher-risk alternatives.
- Still, headwinds including tariff impacts and inflation remain a concern.
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The healthcare industry is notoriously volatile—company fortunes can be made or broken on the success of a single product or the results of a clinical trial—and it's not uncommon for stocks in this sector to experience some of the market's wildest spikes and drops. Investors who want exposure to the healthcare space but are concerned about that turbulence may prefer a "picks and shovels" approach that focuses on companies providing essential equipment and services, rather than higher-risk names in pharmaceuticals. Lab equipment stocks are often overlooked by investors, despite some companies in this subindustry ranking among the largest in healthcare. Given the array of external factors that could affect healthcare companies in 2026—shifting subsidies, an aging population, inflation, the growing role of AI, and more—core lab equipment names may be more attractive than usual. The companies below are major players worth a closer look for investors considering this part of the market. A Recent Dip Masks Thermo Fisher's Long-Term Strengths $182 billion life sciences solutions, diagnostics, and analytical instruments company Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO) has had a difficult start to 2026, with shares down more than 15% year-to-date (YTD) and the stock recently falling into TradeSmith's "red zone" for financial health. Much of that weakness appears tied to tariffs and FX volatility, which together shaved more than 100 basis points off margins in 2025. Still, there are several bright spots in Thermo Fisher's recent performance. In Q4 2025, revenue of $12.2 billion rose 7% year-over-year and beat analyst estimates by roughly $250 million. Adjusted earnings per share also topped expectations at $6.57. That momentum may reflect recent product launches, including the Orbitrap Astral Zoom mass spectrometer and new bioreactor offerings. Thermo Fisher's broad business model and diverse product portfolio could provide ample cushion against external pressures. Even if 2026 guidance is conservative—revenue is forecast to climb 4% to 6%—improving EBITDA margins are a tailwind and fundamental customer demand looks solid. That may explain why, despite the selloff, analysts remain largely positive: 17 of 19 rate the stock a Buy or equivalent, and consensus estimates imply more than 29% upside. Danaher's Business May Be Improving, Even as Guidance Remains Modest Danaher Corp. (NYSE: DHR) is down nearly 20% YTD, putting it in a similar position to Thermo Fisher. Although 2026 guidance calls for modest core revenue growth of 3% to 6% year-over-year, the latest quarter included both a top- and bottom-line beat and $5.3 billion in free cash flow for 2025. Two bright spots for 2026 are Danaher's bioprocessing business—expected to deliver high-single-digit revenue growth driven by strong monoclonal antibody demand—and diagnostics. Diagnostics should benefit from recent FDA clearances, and equipment orders appear to be improving after a prolonged difficult period. Analysts are relatively optimistic on DHR, forecasting about 12.3% earnings growth in the year ahead and roughly 35% potential share-price upside. That outlook is reflected in ratings, with 19 of 22 analysts at Buy. Agilent's Biocare Purchase Could Be a Catalyst Agilent Technologies (NYSE: A) looks a bit behind the peers above based on its latest earnings, which showed only 4.4% year-over-year revenue growth and marginal misses on both revenue and earnings versus expectations. However, Agilent may have a growth driver in its recent acquisition of Biocare Medical, which should strengthen its position in cancer diagnostics. While the nearly $1 billion price tag was sizeable, the deal should add recurring revenue in an area of rising demand. Cancer diagnostics can also be a higher-margin business than some of Agilent's existing operations, which could help lift operating margins (24.6% in the most recent quarter). Despite a roughly 17% YTD decline, analysts see meaningful upside—about 42%—and Wall Street rates the stock a Moderate Buy overall, with 13 of 16 analysts at Buy or similar. For investors seeking lower-volatility exposure to healthcare, core lab equipment names such as Thermo Fisher, Danaher, and Agilent deserve closer consideration given their market positions, recurring revenue streams, and potential tailwinds heading into 2026. | 