Waters (NYSE:WAT) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.08 EPS

Waters (NYSE:WAT) announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The medical instruments supplier reported $4.10 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.02 by $0.08, Zacks reports. Waters had a net margin of 21.43% and a return on equity of 49.93%. Waters updated its Q1 2025 guidance to 2.170-2.250 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance to 12.700-13.000 EPS.

Waters Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:WAT traded down $26.40 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $378.89. 733,417 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 426,741. Waters has a 1 year low of $279.24 and a 1 year high of $423.56. The company has a market cap of $22.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.11, a PEG ratio of 7.37 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a current ratio of 2.02. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $390.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $363.72.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have weighed in on WAT. Bank of America boosted their price objective on shares of Waters from $400.00 to $430.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, December 13th. Scotiabank initiated coverage on shares of Waters in a research report on Monday, December 23rd. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $430.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Waters from $380.00 to $415.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. Barclays upgraded Waters from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $360.00 to $415.00 in a report on Monday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Waters from $332.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $388.64.

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.