Waters (NYSE:WAT – Get Free Report)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reiterated by stock analysts at Guggenheim in a research note issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $440.00 price objective on the medical instruments supplier’s stock. Guggenheim’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 18.33% from the stock’s current price.
Several other research firms have also commented on WAT. Piper Sandler assumed coverage on shares of Waters in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $400.00 price objective for the company. Bank of America raised their price target on Waters from $370.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 2nd. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and set a $410.00 price objective on shares of Waters in a report on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Waters from $330.00 to $345.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein began coverage on shares of Waters in a report on Friday, June 26th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $435.00 price target for the company. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Waters has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $399.84.
Read Our Latest Analysis on WAT
Waters Stock Performance
Waters (NYSE:WAT – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.31 by $0.39. Waters had a return on equity of 15.60% and a net margin of 11.91%.The business had revenue of $1.27 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.20 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.25 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 91.4% on a year-over-year basis. Waters has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.950-3.050 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 14.400-14.600 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Waters will post 14.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Waters during the fourth quarter worth about $265,751,000. Veritas Asset Management LLP increased its stake in shares of Waters by 112.3% during the fourth quarter. Veritas Asset Management LLP now owns 1,241,206 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $471,447,000 after purchasing an additional 656,436 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in shares of Waters by 509.8% during the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 671,103 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $254,906,000 after acquiring an additional 561,047 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP lifted its holdings in Waters by 1,611.3% in the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 581,063 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $220,705,000 after purchasing an additional 547,109 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Waters by 2,281.7% in the fourth quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 538,713 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $204,619,000 after buying an additional 516,094 shares in the last quarter. 94.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Waters Company Profile
Waters Corporation is a global provider of analytical instruments, software and services for laboratory and research applications. The company designs, manufactures and sells technologies centered on liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, separation science, and related sample preparation and detection systems. Its product portfolio includes chromatographs, mass spectrometers, columns and consumables, laboratory informatics and workflow software, as well as technical support and training services that help customers run and interpret complex analyses.
Waters serves a wide range of end markets that include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, contract research and testing laboratories, academic and government research institutions, clinical diagnostics, food and environmental testing, and industrial and chemical manufacturers.
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