Waters (NYSE:WAT) Downgraded by Wall Street Zen to Hold

Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Waters (NYSE:WAT) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Sunday,Wall Street Zen reports.

WAT has been the subject of several other research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $400.00 price objective on shares of Waters in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $440.00 target price on shares of Waters in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. HSBC lifted their target price on shares of Waters from $415.00 to $435.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on shares of Waters in a research report on Tuesday, June 2nd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $425.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Waters from $370.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $424.35.

Waters Price Performance

Waters stock opened at $409.39 on Friday. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $391.93 and its 200 day simple moving average is $351.64. Waters has a 12 month low of $282.77 and a 12 month high of $426.22. The company has a market cap of $40.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 102.09, a PEG ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a current ratio of 1.86, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

Waters (NYSE:WAT) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.01 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $1.65 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.62 billion. Waters had a return on equity of 11.27% and a net margin of 3.58%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 113.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.95 earnings per share. Waters has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.950-4.050 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 14.450-14.650 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Waters will post 14.56 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Waters

In other news, Director Christopher Kuebler sold 3,626 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $397.94, for a total value of $1,442,930.44. Following the transaction, the director owned 17,808 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,086,515.52. This represents a 16.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.31% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Waters

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. California State Teachers Retirement System increased its position in shares of Waters by 35,116.4% in the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 54,254,036 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $20,347,434,000 after purchasing an additional 54,099,977 shares during the last quarter. Pilgrim Global Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Waters during the second quarter valued at approximately $466,131,171,000. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in Waters during the second quarter valued at approximately $3,182,191,000. Jupiter Topco LLC purchased a new position in Waters in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $623,921,000. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in Waters in the 4th quarter worth approximately $265,751,000. 94.01% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Waters News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Waters this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Shares are up 3.1% since the company’s most recent earnings report, reflecting investor confidence after Waters exceeded quarterly expectations with adjusted EPS of $3.05 versus the $3.01 consensus and revenue of $1.65 billion versus $1.62 billion expected. Why Is Waters Up Since Last Earnings Report?
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts currently assign Waters a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy,” providing continued support for the stock. The company also maintained 2026 earnings guidance of $14.45 to $14.65 per share. Waters Given Moderate Buy Recommendation
• Neutral Sentiment: Waters’ latest results included strong reported year-over-year revenue growth and an earnings beat, but investors may focus on whether that momentum is sustainable and whether the company can deliver its full-year outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: The stock trades at a very elevated valuation—approximately 102 times earnings—so expectations are high. Any weaker-than-expected demand, guidance revision, or margin pressure could produce volatility despite the positive analyst consensus.

About Waters

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.