Waters (NYSE:WAT) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Waters (NYSE:WAT) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 14.450-14.650 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 14.510. The company issued revenue guidance of $6.4 billion-$6.5 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $6.4 billion. Waters also updated its Q3 2026 guidance to 3.950-4.050 EPS.

Waters Stock Up 3.9%

Shares of WAT stock traded up $14.45 on Tuesday, hitting $389.19. 669,507 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,024,501. The company has a current ratio of 1.79, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The firm has a market capitalization of $38.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.20. Waters has a fifty-two week low of $275.05 and a fifty-two week high of $414.15. The business has a 50-day moving average of $369.92 and a 200 day moving average of $344.99.

Waters (NYSE:WAT) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.05 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.01 by $0.04. Waters had a return on equity of 15.60% and a net margin of 11.91%.During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.95 EPS. Waters’s revenue for the quarter was up 113.3% on a year-over-year basis. Waters has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.950-4.050 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 14.450-14.650 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Waters will post 14.51 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and set a $410.00 target price on shares of Waters in a report on Monday, July 6th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Waters from $400.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Sanford C. Bernstein began coverage on Waters in a report on Friday, June 26th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $435.00 target price on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Waters from $350.00 to $390.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, HSBC increased their price objective on Waters from $415.00 to $435.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $402.47.

More Waters News

Here are the key news stories impacting Waters this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Waters reported second-quarter adjusted EPS of $3.05, above the $3.01 analyst consensus and up from $2.95 a year earlier. Revenue reached $1.645 billion, exceeding the high end of the company’s prior outlook. Waters Corporation Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Organic revenue increased 7% year over year, or 9% in constant currency. Analytical Sciences instrument revenue grew 8%, while chemistry consumables posted double-digit growth, supported by improving pharmaceutical and industrial end-market demand. The acquired Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions businesses contributed $817 million of revenue.
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its full-year 2026 outlook to reported revenue of approximately $6.415 billion-$6.476 billion and adjusted EPS of $14.45-$14.65. The EPS range brackets the $14.51 consensus estimate, reinforcing expectations for continued earnings growth.
• Positive Sentiment: William Blair analyst Matt Larew maintained a Buy rating, citing a broad-based recovery across end markets and potential synergies from the acquired businesses. Analyst Maintains Buy on Waters
• Neutral Sentiment: Third-quarter guidance calls for adjusted EPS of $3.95-$4.05, near the $4.01 consensus, while revenue guidance of $1.7 billion-$1.8 billion has a midpoint slightly below the $1.8 billion analyst estimate.
• Negative Sentiment: Waters recorded a GAAP net loss of $136 million, or $1.39 per diluted share, compared with a $2.47 profit a year earlier. The deterioration reflects acquisition-related effects, although adjusted results remained profitable and beat expectations.

Institutional Trading of Waters

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. 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 worth $386,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT increased its holdings in Waters by 121.2% in the fourth quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 73 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd raised its stake in Waters by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 11,302 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $4,293,000 after buying an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. raised its stake in Waters by 39.6% in the fourth quarter. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. now owns 155 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $59,000 after buying an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Compound Planning Inc. lifted its holdings in Waters by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Compound Planning Inc. now owns 1,538 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $584,000 after buying an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. 94.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.