GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd Decreases Holdings in Waters Corporation $WAT

GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd lowered its holdings in Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) by 9.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 625,544 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after selling 62,465 shares during the quarter. Waters comprises 4.3% of GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd owned about 1.05% of Waters worth $187,544,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WAT. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Waters in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in Waters by 115.4% in the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 112 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc grew its holdings in shares of Waters by 65.4% during the second quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 134 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $51,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new position in shares of Waters during the second quarter worth about $53,000. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc increased its position in shares of Waters by 510.3% during the third quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 177 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $53,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.01% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on WAT shares. TD Cowen restated a “hold” rating on shares of Waters in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Waters from $385.00 to $415.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Waters from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday. HSBC began coverage on shares of Waters in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $460.00 price target for the company. Finally, Guggenheim initiated coverage on shares of Waters in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $440.00 price objective on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Waters currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $399.12.

Key Waters News

Here are the key news stories impacting Waters this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results slightly beat expectations — Waters reported non-GAAP EPS of $4.53 (vs. $4.50 consensus) and revenue of ~$932M, with revenue up ~6.9% YoY and strong chemistry and LC‑MS demand. This underpins near-term profitability and recurring revenue trends. Press Release: Q4 and FY 2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: BD combination closed — Waters completed the Reverse Morris Trust transaction with BD, creating a larger life‑sciences player and giving Waters access to BD’s biosciences & diagnostic portfolio and scale benefits that management expects to convert into margin expansion over time. This materially changes the company’s revenue base and strategic runway. PR Newswire: BD Combination
• Neutral Sentiment: Ambitious FY 2026 targets tied to integration — Management set FY 2026 EPS guidance of $14.30–$14.50 and projected revenue roughly $6.4B–$6.46B, with a targeted ~28.1% margin as BD assets are integrated. The FY EPS range slightly exceeds consensus but reflects the enlarged company post-transaction; realization depends on execution. MSN: FY 2026 Projections
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 2026 EPS guidance misses Street — Waters guided Q1 EPS to $2.25–$2.35 versus a ~$2.52 consensus, prompting a sell‑side reaction and an intra‑day share drop as investors priced in near‑term softness from the transition and integration-related dynamics. Yahoo Finance: Q1 Forecast Below Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst reaction and rating change — Some analysts have trimmed near‑term ratings or moved to a hold stance reflecting uncertainty around integration execution, near‑term EPS cadence, and the enlarged company’s valuation multiple. This adds selling pressure while investors reassess the combined company story. Article: Rating Lowered to Hold

Waters Stock Performance

Shares of WAT opened at $327.52 on Tuesday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $386.44 and a 200-day simple moving average of $347.52. Waters Corporation has a 52-week low of $275.05 and a 52-week high of $414.15. The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The company has a market capitalization of $19.50 billion, a PE ratio of 30.10, a P/E/G ratio of 3.19 and a beta of 1.18.

Waters (NYSE:WAT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The medical instruments supplier reported $4.53 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.50 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $932.36 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $928.17 million. Waters had a return on equity of 36.59% and a net margin of 20.89%.The company’s revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.10 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Waters Corporation will post 12.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waters Company Profile

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.