Waters (NYSE:WAT) Reaches New 52-Week High - Should You Buy?

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT - Get Free Report)'s stock price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday. The stock traded as high as $445.48 and last traded at $443.80, with a volume of 981463 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $433.54.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Waters in a report on Tuesday, June 2nd. They set an "outperform" rating and a $425.00 price target on the stock. Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $440.00 price objective on shares of Waters in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. HSBC boosted their price objective on Waters from $415.00 to $435.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Barclays raised their price objective on Waters from $425.00 to $460.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, TD Cowen upgraded Waters from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $408.00 to $475.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $434.60.

Waters Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a current ratio of 1.86. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $406.32 and a 200 day simple moving average of $363.03. The company has a market capitalization of $43.60 billion, a PE ratio of 110.67, a P/E/G ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 1.19.

Waters (NYSE:WAT - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.01 by $0.04. Waters had a net margin of 3.58% and a return on equity of 11.27%. The company had revenue of $1.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.62 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.95 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 113.3% on a year-over-year basis. Waters has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.950-4.050 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 14.450-14.650 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Waters Corporation will post 14.56 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Waters news, Director Christopher Kuebler sold 3,626 shares of Waters stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The stock was 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 in the company, valued at $7,086,515.52. The trade was a 16.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Waters

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. California Public Employees Retirement System grew its position in Waters by 25.4% during the first quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 138,423 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $41,222,000 after buying an additional 28,074 shares during the period. Dudley & Shanley Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Waters by 101.3% during the second quarter. Dudley & Shanley Inc. now owns 23,590 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $8,847,000 after acquiring an additional 11,870 shares during the last quarter. Ramsay Stattman Vela & Price Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Waters during the first quarter valued at approximately $942,000. Hahn Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Waters in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,490,000. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Waters by 106.7% in the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 2,751 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $1,045,000 after acquiring an additional 1,420 shares during the last quarter. 94.01% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Waters Company Profile

Waters Corporation NYSE: WAT develops and manufactures analytical workflow technologies used to measure, characterize and manage chemical and biological substances. Its customers include pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, industrial organizations, academic institutions and government laboratories.

The company's portfolio includes liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis instruments, along with chromatography columns, consumables, laboratory software and services.

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