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Waters Corporation

WAT · NYSE

Market closed$368.98$-9.21 (-2.44%)After hours $368.98 · 0.00%

Key statistics

Previous close$378.19
Open$373.42
Day high$378.90
Day low$367.50
52-week high$414.15
52-week low$275.05
Market cap24.05B
Volume471.36K
Average volume1.02M
P/E ratio27.17
Forward P/E—
EPS13.58
Dividend yield0.00%

Market context

Why it moved

WAT shares declined amid a broad market selloff driven by a deepening rout in technology and semiconductor stocks, compounded by geopolitical tensions and broader investor risk-off sentiment pulling down equities across sectors.

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What is happening

Recent company-specific developments and publisher coverage.

July 17, 2026Waters Corporation closed lower as broader market weakness — driven by geopolitical tensions with Iran, Netflix's disappointing Q3 outlook, and fading AI sentiment — weighed on growth-oriented names. The decline comes despite a strong fundamental backdrop: WAT was recognized as the top Q1 earnings performer in the research tools & consumables group, with revenue of $1.27 billion surging 91.5% year-over-year following the $17.5B BD Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions spin-merge. Multiple analysts raised price targets recently, with Goldman Sachs lifting its target to $425 (Buy), RBC initiating at Outperform with a $435 target, and Baird raising to $418 — though a Seeking Alpha note flagged valuation as a growing concern ahead of Q2 earnings.

-2.4353

July 17, 2026Waters Corporation edged higher, buoyed by a wave of bullish analyst activity following the company's transformative acquisition of Becton Dickinson's Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions unit in a $17.5B spin-merge. Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $425 (from $380, Buy), TD Cowen lifted its target to $408 (Hold), Baird increased to $418 (Outperform), and RBC Capital initiated at Outperform with a $435 target, all citing the BD deal synergies and pharma manufacturing tailwinds. With Q2 earnings due August 4 and an average analyst target of ~$413, investors are watching closely given WAT's strong Q1 beat—revenues surged 91.5% YoY—as the enlarged platform positions it as a diagnostics and analytical instruments powerhouse.

0.8722

July 16, 2026Waters Corporation closed modestly lower during the regular session but is rebounding in after-hours trading, gaining over 1.6%, as a wave of analyst upgrades and price target increases captures investor attention ahead of Q2 earnings. Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $425 (from $380) while maintaining Buy, TD Cowen lifted its target to $408, and Baird bumped its Outperform target to $418 — reflecting growing confidence in pharma manufacturing tailwinds and the ongoing BD acquisition integration. With Q2 results due August 4 and the stock trading below the consensus average target of ~$412, investors appear to be positioning ahead of what many expect to be another beat following Q1's blowout 13.5% surge.

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July 15, 2026Waters Corporation edged higher, buoyed by a wave of bullish analyst activity as Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $425 from $380 (maintaining Buy) and Baird lifted its target to $418 from $387 (maintaining Outperform), reflecting confidence ahead of Q2 earnings due August 4. Analysts cite the BD Biosciences acquisition integration, pharma manufacturing tailwinds, and a strong Q1 beat — where shares surged 13.5% on May 5 — as key catalysts. In after-hours trading, shares slipped about 1.2%, while the broader healthcare sector (XLV) held relatively steady.

0.8494

July 14, 2026Waters Corporation edged lower amid a broader risk-off session, as U.S.-Iran tensions rattled global markets and sent oil prices higher. Investor attention remains squarely on the company's transformative $17.5B spin-merge with Becton Dickinson's Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions unit, with analysts broadly bullish on the integration thesis — Baird raised its price target to $418 (from $387) while maintaining Outperform, and RBC initiated at Outperform with a $435 target. With Q2 2026 earnings expected August 4 and analysts forecasting EPS of $3.01 (up ~2% YoY), the upcoming report is seen as a key integration checkpoint, especially after WAT's Q1 beat drove a 13.5% single-day surge.

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July 11, 2026Waters Corporation closed essentially flat during the regular session but is slipping in after-hours trading, down roughly 1.7%, as investors digest a notable headwind: the company's removal from the Russell 1000, Russell 3000, and Russell Midcap indices in late June, which could reduce passive fund demand for the stock. This follows a burst of bullish analyst activity — RBC Capital initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and $435 price target on July 9, citing the turnaround potential from Waters' recently acquired Becton Dickinson biosciences and diagnostics divisions, reshoring tailwinds, and its emerging role as a sector consolidator. Guggenheim also reaffirmed its Buy rating with a $440 target, while Bernstein SocGen resumed with Outperform at $435 — though elevated short interest and a premium valuation (~54x P/E) temper the bullish narrative.

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July 10, 2026Waters Corporation shares rose sharply, driven by a wave of bullish analyst activity headlined by RBC Capital's initiation of coverage with an Outperform rating and a $435 price target. RBC cited the turnaround potential of the recently acquired Becton Dickinson biosciences and diagnostics units, viewing the assets as under-managed rather than structurally impaired, while also highlighting Waters' ~15% pharmaceutical manufacturing exposure as a durable tailwind amid U.S. reshoring trends. Morgan Stanley added to the positive momentum by raising its price target to $390 from $350, keeping its Equal-Weight rating, pushing the analyst consensus mean target to roughly $410.

2.4448

July 9, 2026Waters Corporation shares declined nearly 2%, underperforming what had been a strong recent stretch for the healthcare sector, as broader market risk-off sentiment weighed on life sciences stocks. The macro backdrop was driven by President Trump declaring the U.S.-Iran ceasefire 'over,' sending oil prices surging over 5% and triggering a global equity selloff. Despite the session's pressure, Guggenheim reiterated its Buy rating on Waters with a $440 price target, and analysts continue to flag the stock as trading at a roughly 23% discount to estimated fair value, with earnings forecast to grow ~25% annually on the back of strategic acquisitions and AI-powered platform partnerships.

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Stock Titan · July 2, 2026Waters to hold Q2 2026 results call Aug. 4, webcast setStock Titan · April 20, 2026Waters will discuss first-quarter results May 5 in webcast
Mt Newswire · July 15, 2026TD Cowen Adjusts Price Target on Waters to $408 From $385, Keeps Hold Rating
Benzinga · July 14, 2026Goldman Sachs Maintains Buy on Waters, Raises Price Target to $425
Mt Newswire · July 14, 2026Goldman Sachs Adjusts Price Target on Waters to $425 From $380, Maintains Buy Rating
Mt Newswire · July 13, 2026Baird Adjusts Price Target on Waters to $418 From $387, Maintains Outperform Rating
Benzinga · July 9, 2026Morgan Stanley Maintains Equal-Weight on Waters, Raises Price Target to $390
Benzinga · July 9, 2026RBC Capital Initiates Coverage On Waters with Outperform Rating, Announces Price Target of $435
Mt Newswire · July 9, 2026Morgan Stanley Adjusts Price Target on Waters to $390 From $350
Mt Newswire · July 9, 2026Waters Seen Benefiting From BD Turnaround, Pharma Manufacturing Tailwinds, RBC Says

Peers

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