StockNews.com Downgrades Waters (NYSE:WAT) to Hold

Waters (NYSE:WAT) was downgraded by StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued on Tuesday.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on Waters from $310.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded Waters from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $430.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Barclays upgraded Waters from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $360.00 to $415.00 in a research report on Monday, February 10th. UBS Group upped their price objective on Waters from $405.00 to $410.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. Finally, Bank of America reduced their price objective on Waters from $430.00 to $410.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $390.40.

Waters Stock Up 1.2 %

WAT opened at $385.54 on Tuesday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $389.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $366.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 0.94. The company has a market cap of $22.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.00, a PEG ratio of 3.79 and a beta of 1.01. Waters has a one year low of $279.24 and a one year high of $423.56.

Waters (NYSE:WAT) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The medical instruments supplier reported $4.10 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.02 by $0.08. Waters had a return on equity of 46.31% and a net margin of 21.56%. Analysts anticipate that Waters will post 12.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Waters

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of WAT. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new position in Waters in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Kennebec Savings Bank purchased a new position in Waters in the third quarter valued at about $33,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust purchased a new position in Waters in the fourth quarter valued at about $34,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC boosted its holdings in Waters by 235.7% in the fourth quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 94 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC boosted its holdings in Waters by 129.3% in the fourth quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 94 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.01% of the company’s stock.

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.