Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. Lowers Position in Waters Corporation $WAT

Key Points

• Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. has reduced its stake in Waters Corporation by 38.3%, now holding approximately 56,925 shares worth about $20.98 million.
• Waters Corporation reported an earnings per share (EPS) of $2.95 for the last quarter, exceeding analyst expectations of $2.93.
• 94.01% of Waters Corporation's stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds, indicating significant institutional interest in the company.

Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. reduced its holdings in Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT - Free Report) by 38.3% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 56,925 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock after selling 35,279 shares during the quarter. Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. owned 0.10% of Waters worth $20,981,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Olde Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Waters in the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT bought a new position in shares of Waters during the 1st quarter valued at about $28,000. IFP Advisors Inc increased its position in shares of Waters by 118.9% during the 1st quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 81 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Waters by 5,200.0% during the 1st quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 106 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in shares of Waters during the 1st quarter valued at about $41,000. 94.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Waters Trading Down 2.0%

NYSE WAT traded down $6.06 on Thursday, hitting $290.67. The company's stock had a trading volume of 627,875 shares, compared to its average volume of 616,375. Waters Corporation has a 52-week low of $275.05 and a 52-week high of $423.56. The company has a current ratio of 1.75, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $316.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $344.14. The firm has a market cap of $17.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.21, a PEG ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 1.04.

Waters (NYSE:WAT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 4th. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.95 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.93 by $0.02. Waters had a return on equity of 38.60% and a net margin of 21.71%.The business had revenue of $771.33 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $745.96 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.63 EPS. The business's revenue was up 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. Waters has set its Q3 2025 guidance at 3.150-3.250 EPS. FY 2025 guidance at 12.950-13.050 EPS. Research analysts predict that Waters Corporation will post 12.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WAT has been the topic of several recent research reports. Scotiabank reiterated a "sector outperform" rating and set a $465.00 price objective on shares of Waters in a research report on Friday, July 11th. UBS Group reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Waters in a research report on Tuesday, July 15th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Waters from $330.00 to $315.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, August 5th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $385.00 target price on Waters and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, August 4th. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on Waters from $374.00 to $352.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $378.73.

Waters Company Profile

Waters Corporation provides analytical workflow solutions in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. It operates through two segments: Waters and TA. The company designs, manufactures, sells, and services high and ultra-performance liquid chromatography, as well as mass spectrometry (MS) technology systems and support products, including chromatography columns, other consumable products, and post-warranty service plans.