Stocktoria
WATERS CORP /DE/ WAT
WATERS CORP /DE/ (WAT) earns a Piotroski F-score of 4/9 (mixed financial health), with an Altman Z″ in the safe zone. It does not currently pay a dividend. FY2025 revenue was $3.2B at a 20.3% net margin.
Quality score trend · recomputed for each fiscal year
Each year's score is computed from that year's filing — a rising Piotroski F or Altman Z″ means improving financial health, a fall is worth a look.
Beneish M-score: -2.37 — low (below −2.22 — no manipulation red flag) . A statistical screen for earnings manipulation, not proof — and it doesn't apply to most banks/insurers.
Analyst price target
Recent analyst actions
| Date | Firm | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-10 | Citigroup | Buy (main) |
| 2026-08-05 | TD Cowen | Buy (up) |
| 2026-08-05 | RBC Capital | Outperform (main) |
| 2026-08-05 | Evercore ISI Group | Outperform (main) |
| 2026-08-05 | Wells Fargo | Equal-Weight (main) |
| 2026-08-05 | Barclays | Overweight (main) |
Wall Street analyst consensus — a sentiment gauge, not our scoring.
Forward estimates · earnings calendar →
Consensus analyst estimates and scheduled dates — forward-looking, may change.
Smart money · insiders, last 12 months
Open-market insider purchases minus sells (SEC Form 4) — real buying with their own money is a bullish “smart money” signal; grants and option exercises are excluded.
How it ranks in Manufacturing · percentile among 1957 companies
Percentile vs other Manufacturing companies we cover — e.g. “stronger than 90%” means only 10% score higher on that measure.
Piotroski F breakdown · 4/9 tests passed
- Positive return on assets
- Positive operating cash flow
- Rising ROA
- Cash flow exceeds net income
- Lower long-term debt
- Rising current ratio
- No share dilution
- Rising gross margin
- Rising asset turnover
Altman Z″ components · safe zone
| Component | Value |
|---|---|
| Working capital / assets | 0.179 |
| Retained earnings / assets | 2.055 |
| EBIT / assets | 0.158 |
| Equity / liabilities | 1.019 |
Sector peers · similar-size Manufacturing companies compare side by side →
| Ticker | Company | Piotroski F | Altman Z″ | P / E | Revenue growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAT | WATERS CORP /DE/ | 4/9 | 10 | 55.1 | +7% |
| BRKR | BRUKER CORP | 4/9 | 2.98 | — | +2.1% |
| RVTY | REVVITY, INC. | 6/9 | 3.86 | 52.3 | +3.7% |
| BIO | BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC. | 5/9 | 6.54 | 10.7 | +0.7% |
| MTD | METTLER TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC/ | 5/9 | — | 29.4 | +4% |
| ILMN | ILLUMINA, INC. | 7/9 | 3.04 | 31.4 | -0.7% |
| TXG | 10x Genomics, Inc. | 4/9 | 1.63 | — | +5.2% |
About WATERS CORP /DE/
Waters Corporation provides analytical workflow solutions in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. The company operates through two segments, Waters and TA. The company designs, manufactures, sells, and services liquid chromatography, as well as mass spectrometry (MS) technology systems and supports products, including chromatography columns, and other consumable products. It also designs, manufactures, sells, and services thermal analysis, rheometry, and calorimetry instruments for use in predicting the suitability and stability of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, water, polymers, metals, and viscous liquids for various industrial, consumer goods, and healthcare products, as well as for life science research; and develops and supplies software-based products that interface with its instruments, as well as other manufacturers' instruments. In addition, the company offers MS technology, which is used in drug discovery and development comprising clinical trial testing, the analysis of proteins in disease processes, nutritional safety analysis, and environmental testing. Its products are used by clinical, pharmaceutical, biochemical, industrial, nutritional safety, environmental, academic, and governmental customers working in research and development, quality assurance, and other laboratory applications. The company was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Milford, Massachusetts.
FAQ
Is WAT financially healthy?
WATERS CORP /DE/'s Piotroski F-score is 4/9 (8–9 is excellent, 0–3 weak), and its Altman Z″ distress score is in the safe zone.
Does WAT pay a dividend?
No, WATERS CORP /DE/ does not currently pay a dividend.
How profitable is WAT?
In FY2025, WATERS CORP /DE/ had a net margin of 20.3% and a return on equity of 25.1%.
Is WAT overvalued or undervalued?
WATERS CORP /DE/ trades at about 38.7× trailing earnings — above its 10-year norm (10-year range 22.1×–862.4×, median 30.2×). Stocktoria reports the data, not buy/sell advice.
What is the analyst price target for WAT?
The average Wall-Street price target for WATERS CORP /DE/ is $436.00, about 4.8% above the recent price, from 23 analysts (consensus: buy).
Is WAT a good stock to buy?
Stocktoria doesn't give buy or sell advice, but here is the data on WATERS CORP /DE/: a Piotroski F-score of 4/9, an Altman Z″ in the safe zone, a P/E of about 55.1×. Weigh these quality and valuation signals against your own goals.
Computed from company filings · US · as of 2025-12-31. Facts plus Stocktoria's own computed scores — not investment advice.