Pilgrim Global Advisors LLC Makes New $466.13 Billion Investment in Waters Corporation $WAT

Key Points

• Pilgrim Global Advisors LLC acquired 18.2 million Waters shares, reportedly worth $466.1 billion, giving it an 18.53% stake and making Waters its entire reported portfolio.
• Waters reported quarterly EPS of $3.05, exceeding the $3.01 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $1.65 billion and rose 113.3% year over year. The company issued fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $14.45–$14.65.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $420.35; shares opened at $415.07, near their 52-week high of $421.74.

Pilgrim Global Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 18,206,121 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock, valued at approximately $466,131,171,000. Waters accounts for approximately 100.0% of Pilgrim Global Advisors LLC's holdings, making the stock its largest holding. Pilgrim Global Advisors LLC owned about 18.53% of Waters at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in WAT. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT lifted its holdings in Waters by 121.2% during the 4th quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 73 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. First Bancorp Inc ME bought a new position in Waters during the second quarter worth $30,000. DV Equities LLC acquired a new position in shares of Waters in the fourth quarter valued at $32,000. SHP Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Waters in the fourth quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Anchor Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Waters in the first quarter valued at about $27,000. 94.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Waters

In other news, Director Christopher A. Kuebler sold 3,626 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 17,808 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,086,515.52. The trade was a 16.92% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.31% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WAT has been the topic of a number of research reports. Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $440.00 price target on shares of Waters in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Bank of America raised their price objective on shares of Waters from $370.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Waters from $370.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Sanford C. Bernstein assumed coverage on Waters in a research note on Friday, June 26th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $435.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Barclays lifted their price target on Waters from $425.00 to $460.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $420.35.

Waters Stock Up 0.2%

Shares of NYSE WAT opened at $415.07 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a current ratio of 1.86. Waters Corporation has a 52 week low of $282.77 and a 52 week high of $421.74. The stock has a market capitalization of $40.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 103.51, a PEG ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 1.19. The stock's fifty day moving average is $385.08 and its 200 day moving average is $347.72.

Waters (NYSE:WAT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.05 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.01 by $0.04. Waters had a return on equity of 11.27% and a net margin of 3.58%.The business had revenue of $1.65 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.62 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.95 earnings per share. Waters's revenue for the quarter 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. Sell-side analysts forecast that Waters Corporation will post 14.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.

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