Waters (NYSE:WAT) Given New $400.00 Price Target at Wells Fargo & Company

Waters (NYSE:WAT) had its target price upped by stock analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $370.00 to $400.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “equal weight” rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price target suggests a potential upside of 0.28% from the company’s previous close.

Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Waters from $330.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $440.00 target price on shares of Waters in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Wolfe Research began coverage on shares of Waters in a research note on Tuesday, June 2nd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $425.00 price target on the stock. TD Cowen upgraded shares of Waters from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $475.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut shares of Waters from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Waters presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $413.60.

Waters Price Performance

Shares of NYSE WAT traded up $2.81 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $398.89. The company had a trading volume of 212,360 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,028,542. The firm has a market capitalization of $39.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.19. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $371.03 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $345.01. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. Waters has a fifty-two week low of $275.05 and a fifty-two week high of $414.15.

Waters (NYSE:WAT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.05 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.01 by $0.04. Waters had a net margin of 11.91% and a return on equity of 15.60%. The firm had revenue of $1.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.62 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.95 EPS. Waters’s quarterly revenue was up 113.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Waters has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.950-4.050 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 14.450-14.650 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Waters will post 14.51 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of WAT. Everett Harris & Co. CA acquired a new position in shares of Waters during the 2nd quarter valued at about $11,248,000. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Waters during the second quarter worth about $355,000. Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Waters during the second quarter worth about $2,351,000. HUB Investment Partners LLC raised its stake in Waters by 10.7% during the second quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 763 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $286,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the period. Finally, AIA Group Ltd purchased a new position in Waters during the second quarter worth about $770,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.01% of the company’s stock.

Waters News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Waters this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Waters reported second-quarter adjusted earnings of $3.05 per share, above the $3.01 consensus estimate, while revenue of $1.645 billion exceeded expectations of $1.62 billion. Revenue benefited from 7% reported organic growth, or 9% in constant currency, as demand improved across pharmaceutical and industrial end markets. Waters Q2 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised its full-year 2026 outlook, now expecting reported revenue of approximately $6.415 billion to $6.476 billion and adjusted EPS of $14.45 to $14.65. Management raised all components of its guidance, reflecting stronger lab-equipment demand, the ongoing market recovery and contributions from recently acquired businesses. Waters Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Waters said its Analytical Sciences Division produced 8% instrument growth and double-digit chemistry-consumables growth, with pharmaceutical and applied/industrial markets both showing low-double-digit expansion in constant currency. The earnings call highlighted broader end-market recovery and potential operating synergies. Waters Corp Earnings Call Highlights Growth and Upside
• Neutral Sentiment: Third-quarter guidance calls for adjusted EPS of $3.95 to $4.05 and revenue of $1.7 billion to $1.8 billion. The EPS range brackets consensus, while the revenue range is slightly below the $1.8 billion estimate at its midpoint.
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the strong adjusted results, Waters reported a GAAP net loss of $136 million, or $1.39 per diluted share, compared with a profit a year earlier. The acquisition-related results and elevated valuation remain risks if growth or expected synergies fall short. Waters Reports $1.645 Billion Revenue in Second Quarter 2026

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.