Waters (NYSE:WAT) Price Target Raised to $500.00

Waters (NYSE:WAT) had its price target hoisted by KeyCorp from $460.00 to $500.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock.

Several other research firms also recently weighed in on WAT. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price target on shares of Waters from $435.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Waters from $465.00 to $515.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, September 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on Waters from $435.00 to $475.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Evercore raised their target price on Waters from $410.00 to $480.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their target price on Waters from $475.00 to $515.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $475.48.

Waters Stock Performance

Shares of Waters stock traded up $4.84 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $457.92. 695,768 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 995,254. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $434.72 and a 200 day moving average price of $372.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $44.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 196.53, a P/E/G ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 1.16. Waters has a one year low of $282.77 and a one year high of $482.28. The company has a quick ratio of 1.29, a current ratio of 1.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

Waters (NYSE:WAT) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 3rd. The medical instruments supplier reported $4.10 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.00 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $1.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.75 billion. Waters had a net margin of 3.58% and a return on equity of 11.27%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 120.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $3.40 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Waters will post 14.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Waters

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WAT. Pilgrim Global Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Waters in the second quarter worth $466,131,171,000. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Waters during the 2nd quarter valued at $3,182,191,000. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Waters by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 4,382,008 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $1,643,428,000 after buying an additional 19,998 shares in the last quarter. Aberdeen Group plc lifted its stake in shares of Waters by 2,015.3% during the 3rd quarter. Aberdeen Group plc now owns 2,921,255 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $1,283,570,000 after buying an additional 2,783,151 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jupiter Topco LLC bought a new position in Waters in the 2nd quarter worth $623,921,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.01% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Waters

Here are the key news stories impacting Waters this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Waters reported $1.77 billion in third-quarter 2026 revenue and raised its full-year guidance, signaling improved expectations for the business. Waters Corporation Reports $1.77 Billion in Third Quarter 2026 Revenue and Raises Full-Year Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: The company agreed to acquire MOBILion Systems, expanding its mass spectrometry and AI-powered proteomics capabilities. The strategic fit could broaden Waters’ technology offering, though the reported item does not quantify the deal’s financial impact. Waters Corporation Acquires MOBILion Systems
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan, Barclays, KeyCorp, TD Cowen, Citigroup, and RBC issued reports indicating higher price targets or strong potential appreciation, reinforcing a favorable analyst outlook. JPMorgan price target Barclays outlook KeyCorp outlook TD Cowen price target Citigroup price target RBC outlook

Waters Company Profile

Waters Corporation develops and supplies analytical instruments, software, and consumables used to identify, measure, and characterize chemical and biological materials. Its products include liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry systems, which help customers analyze complex samples.

The company serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses, academic and government laboratories, and customers in fields such as food, environmental testing, and materials science. Waters operates internationally, with customers and operations across multiple regions.

Founded in 1958 by James L.