Analysts Set Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) Price Target at $424.35

Shares of Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $424.35.

Several research firms have issued reports on WAT. Morgan Stanley set a $430.00 price target on shares of Waters in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $420.00 price objective on shares of Waters in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. HSBC increased their price objective on shares of Waters from $415.00 to $435.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Waters from $380.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “hold” rating and issued a $400.00 target price on shares of Waters in a report on Wednesday, August 5th.

Insider Buying and Selling at Waters

In other 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 completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 17,808 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,086,515.52. This trade represents a 16.92% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.31% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Waters

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Brighton Jones LLC grew its position in shares of Waters by 112.9% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 1,269 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $471,000 after buying an additional 673 shares during the period. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC lifted its position in shares of Waters by 2.9% during the 1st quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 1,048 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $386,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Waters by 3.6% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 200,051 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $73,733,000 after acquiring an additional 6,976 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its stake in Waters by 16.6% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 1,126 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $415,000 after acquiring an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sivia Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in Waters during the second quarter worth $232,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.01% of the company’s stock.

More Waters News

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.

Waters Trading Up 0.0%

NYSE WAT opened at $409.39 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $40.22 billion, a PE ratio of 102.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 1.19. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $391.93 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $351.64. 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 has a 12 month low of $282.77 and a 12 month high of $426.22.

Waters (NYSE:WAT) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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 company 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 firm’s revenue was up 113.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $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. On average, analysts expect that Waters will post 14.56 EPS for the current 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.