Contrasting Lucid Diagnostics (NASDAQ:LUCD) & Waters (NYSE:WAT)

Waters (NYSE:WAT) and Lucid Diagnostics (NASDAQ:LUCD) are both medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, risk, valuation, analyst recommendations, profitability and institutional ownership.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Waters and Lucid Diagnostics”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Waters	$2.96 billion	7.99	$637.83 million	$10.88	36.47
Lucid Diagnostics	$4.35 million	37.35	-$45.53 million	($1.04)	-1.13

Waters has higher revenue and earnings than Lucid Diagnostics. Lucid Diagnostics is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Waters, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Risk and Volatility

Waters has a beta of 1.16, meaning that its share price is 16% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Lucid Diagnostics has a beta of 1.22, meaning that its share price is 22% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

94.0% of Waters shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 74.0% of Lucid Diagnostics shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.6% of Waters shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 6.8% of Lucid Diagnostics shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for Waters and Lucid Diagnostics, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Waters	0	10	9	2	2.62
Lucid Diagnostics	1	0	4	0	2.60

Waters currently has a consensus target price of $395.00, indicating a potential downside of 0.45%. Lucid Diagnostics has a consensus target price of $3.94, indicating a potential upside of 233.69%. Given Lucid Diagnostics’ higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Lucid Diagnostics is more favorable than Waters.

Profitability

This table compares Waters and Lucid Diagnostics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Waters	20.89%	36.59%	16.18%
Lucid Diagnostics	-1,418.39%	N/A	-96.99%

Summary

Waters beats Lucid Diagnostics on 11 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Waters

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. It also designs, manufactures, sells, and services thermal analysis, rheometry, and calorimetry instruments; and develops and supplies software-based products that interface with its instruments, as well as other manufacturers' instruments. In addition, the company offers MS technology instruments are used in drug discovery and development comprising clinical trial testing, the analysis of proteins in disease processes, nutritional safety analysis, and environmental testing. Further, the company provides thermal analysis, rheometry, and calorimetry instruments for use in predicting the suitability and stability of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, water, polymers, metals, and viscous liquids for various industrial, consumer good, and healthcare products, as well as for life science research. Its products are used by clinical, pharmaceutical, biochemical, industrial, nutritional safety, environmental, academic, and governmental customers working in research and development, quality assurance, and other laboratory applications. The company was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Milford, Massachusetts.

About Lucid Diagnostics

Lucid Diagnostics Inc. operates as a commercial-stage medical diagnostics technology company in the United States. The company focuses on patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who are at risk of developing esophageal precancer and cancer, primarily highly lethal esophageal adenocarcinoma. Its flagship product, the EsoGuard Esophageal DNA Test performed on samples collected with the EsoCheck Esophageal Cell collection device, a testing tool with the goal of preventing EAC deaths through early detection of esophageal precancer in at-risk GERD patients. The company was incorporated in 2018 and is based in New York, New York. Lucid Diagnostics Inc. is a subsidiary of PAVmed Inc.