Waters (NYSE:WAT) Price Target Lowered to $330.00 at UBS Group

Waters (NYSE:WAT) had its price target reduced by UBS Group from $370.00 to $330.00 in a research report report published on Monday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on Waters from $423.00 to $350.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Sunday, February 22nd. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $440.00 target price on shares of Waters in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Citigroup started coverage on Waters in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $425.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Waters from $415.00 to $355.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, HSBC initiated coverage on Waters in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $460.00 price objective for the company. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $388.22.

Waters Stock Performance

NYSE WAT opened at $324.34 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $31.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.11, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 1.73 and a quick ratio of 1.27. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $316.09 and a two-hundred day moving average of $352.15. Waters has a 1-year low of $275.05 and a 1-year high of $414.15.

Waters (NYSE:WAT) last released its earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The medical instruments supplier reported $4.53 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.50 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $932.36 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $928.17 million. Waters had a return on equity of 34.79% and a net margin of 20.30%.Waters’s revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.10 EPS. Waters has set its FY 2026 guidance at 14.300-14.500 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 2.250-2.350 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Waters will post 12.86 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Wei Jiang acquired 500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 16th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $289.46 per share, for a total transaction of $144,730.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 3,441 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $996,031.86. This represents a 17.00% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.82% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Waters

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Waters in the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd purchased a new stake in Waters during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT lifted its stake in Waters by 121.2% during the fourth quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 73 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. SHP Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Waters during the fourth quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, DV Equities LLC purchased a new stake in Waters during the fourth quarter worth approximately $32,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.01% of the company’s stock.

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.