Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) Receives $392.19 Average PT from Brokerages

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) has been assigned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the nineteen ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $392.1875.

WAT has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley started coverage on Waters in a report on Monday, December 1st. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $423.00 price objective on the stock. Redburn Partners set a $390.00 target price on Waters in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Cowen reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Waters in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Waters from $345.00 to $390.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Waters from $300.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 9th.

Waters Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of Waters stock opened at $381.97 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $381.61 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $337.11. The company has a market cap of $22.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.19 and a beta of 1.16. Waters has a fifty-two week low of $275.05 and a fifty-two week high of $423.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a current ratio of 1.53.

Waters (NYSE:WAT) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 19th. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.29 EPS for the quarter. Waters had a return on equity of 36.59% and a net margin of 20.89%.The firm had revenue of $608.55 million for the quarter. As a group, equities analysts predict that Waters will post 12.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Waters

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of WAT. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Waters in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Waters during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in Waters by 115.4% in the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 112 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc lifted its holdings in Waters by 65.4% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 134 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC acquired a new stake in Waters during the 2nd quarter worth $53,000. 94.01% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other 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.