Waters Corporation research snapshot
WAT AI stock analysis currently reads Waters Corporation as a high-quality life sciences tools, analytical technologies, informatics, service, biosciences, and diagnostics company whose 2026 profile changed materially after the BD Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions combination closed on February 9, 2026. At the July 9, 2026 data cutoff, WAT traded near $369.18 with a verified market cap near $36.25 billion, while Q1 2026 reported revenue reached $1.267 billion and full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance was $14.40 to $14.60. The WAT AI stock forecast is scenario-based, not a precise price prediction, and this page is for information only, not investment advice.
Current price
$369.18 intraday reference on July 8, 2026
Market cap
$36.25 billion verified from $369.18 x 98.19 million shares
AI score
70 / 100
Rating
High-quality analytical instruments and diagnostics platform with integration and leverage risk
Trend status
Constructive short-term trend above the 50-day and 200-day moving averages
Data cutoff (updated weekly)
July 9, 2026
Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.
| Dimension | Conclusion | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Business quality | Waters sells liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, thermal analysis, informatics, chemistry consumables, service, biosciences, and diagnostics into regulated testing workflows. | High |
| Moat | The moat comes from scientific precision, validated workflows, installed instruments, regulated lab switching costs, service relationships, chemistry methods, software, and brand trust. | High |
| Management | CEO Udit Batra has repositioned Waters through new product execution and the BD combination, but the next test is integration discipline and debt reduction. | Medium-high |
| Financial trend | FY2025 sales grew 7% to $3.165 billion. Q1 2026 reported revenue was $1.267 billion, including $520 million from acquired businesses after the close date. | High |
| Valuation | At $369.18, audited math showed about 53.58x TTM EPS, 2.37x book value, 137.24x TTM FCF per share, and about 25.5x the 2026 adjusted EPS guidance midpoint. | High |
| Technical trend | WAT is above its 50-day moving average near $352.08 and 200-day moving average near $349.07, with RSI near 53.82. | Medium |
| Risk level | Main risks are BD integration, higher debt, purchase accounting pressure, cash conversion, pharma and China demand, diagnostics competition, and multiple compression. | Medium-high |
| AI confidence | Descriptive data confidence is high because company releases and third-party market data agree on the major facts. Predictive confidence is lower because integration outcomes can change quickly. | High data confidence |
| Investment certainty | Waters is a strong franchise, but the post-transaction balance sheet and adjusted-versus-GAAP gap keep investment certainty at medium. | Medium |
WAT AI stock forecast
The WAT AI stock forecast uses the $369.18 July 8 intraday reference and Waters full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance midpoint of $14.50 as the starting point. The audited three-year scenario model produced about $644.50 in the bullish case, $482.50 in the base case, and $293.60 in the bearish case before any capital-return effect. These are scenario ranges, not promises.
$610 to $665 over 3 years
More likely if adjusted EPS compounds near the mid-teens, BD revenue synergies arrive early, diagnostics execution improves, recurring revenue mix expands, cash conversion recovers, and investors keep valuing WAT near 30x earnings.
$455 to $505 over 3 years
More likely if adjusted EPS compounds near 10%, the combined company delivers 2026 guidance, integration costs decline, leverage falls steadily, and the market values WAT near 25x earnings.
$275 to $315 over 3 years
More likely if BD integration disappoints, diagnostics margins stay pressured, debt limits capital returns, free cash flow lags adjusted earnings, pharma demand slows, or WAT re-rates toward 18x earnings.
WAT AI technical analysis
WAT AI technical analysis uses StockAnalysis market data available at the July 9, 2026 cutoff. The $369.18 July 8 intraday reference was above the 50-day moving average near $352.08 and the 200-day moving average near $349.07, while RSI near 53.82 signaled neutral to modestly positive momentum.
| Level | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Current price | $369.18 intraday on July 8, 2026 | StockAnalysis showed this real-time reference during the July 8 session. |
| Near support | $349 to $352 | This band combines the 200-day moving average near $349.07 and the 50-day moving average near $352.08. |
| Deeper support | $335 to $340 | A break below the moving-average band would shift attention to prior post-earnings consolidation levels. |
| Near resistance | $375 to $405 | The first zone includes the prior close near $374.93 and the StockAnalysis average analyst target near $404.17. |
| 50-day moving average | $352.08 | Holding above this level keeps the short-term trend constructive on the cited dataset. |
| 200-day moving average | $349.07 | A sustained close below this area would weaken the long-term trend framework. |
| Momentum | RSI near 53.82 | Momentum is neither overbought nor oversold, so confirmation should come from price and volume. |
| Volume | 20-day average near 910,110 shares | A breakout above resistance is more credible if volume is above this reference. |
| Volatility | Next earnings on August 4, 2026 | The next confirmed earnings date can reset guidance, BD integration expectations, and support levels. |
| Invalidation | Close below $349 | A sustained break below the 200-day average would invalidate the current trend-following setup. |
WAT AI trading strategy
The WAT AI trading strategy below is a rules-based research framework, not personal advice. It connects technical levels with BD integration, adjusted EPS guidance, reported revenue growth, recurring revenue mix, leverage, free cash flow, and valuation.
Watch for WAT to hold above the $349 to $352 moving-average band and then reclaim the $375 to $405 resistance zone with above-average volume.
Invalidate the setup if WAT closes below $349 or if Q2 results lower confidence in 2026 adjusted EPS guidance, revenue synergies, or deleveraging.
If WAT pulls back toward the 200-day average without negative integration news, compare the new price with the $14.40 to $14.60 adjusted EPS guidance range and cash-flow progress.
Do not treat the larger revenue base as automatic downside protection because purchase accounting, debt, and integration costs can still pressure GAAP results.
Track organic constant-currency growth, Analytical Sciences instruments and chemistry, Biosciences revenue, Advanced Diagnostics performance, recurring revenue mix, gross margin, adjusted EPS, free cash flow, and debt paydown.
Position sizing should reflect that WAT is now a larger and more levered life sciences platform with integration risk, not only a legacy analytical instruments compounder.
Investment research summary
Customers pay Waters because regulated laboratories need reliable instruments, consumables, software, service, biosciences tools, and diagnostic workflows to release medicines, test food and water, run routine clinical testing, and produce defensible data.
The moat is strongest where validated lab methods, installed instruments, chemistry consumables, software workflows, training, service uptime, and regulatory documentation make switching costly. Network effects are limited, but workflow lock-in is meaningful.
The thesis can fail if the BD integration consumes management attention, synergy targets slip, diagnostics competition compresses margins, free cash flow trails adjusted earnings, debt stays elevated, or pharma and China lab demand weakens.
Udit Batra and the board chose a major Reverse Morris Trust transaction to expand Waters into biosciences and diagnostics. The capital-allocation score now depends on execution, culture integration, and whether debt reduction comes before aggressive buybacks.
Life sciences tools, regulated high-volume testing, bioproduction analytics, diagnostics, food and water safety, and lab automation have long-duration demand drivers. The industry is attractive, but customer spending cycles still matter.
The stock is cheaper on forward adjusted EPS than on TTM GAAP EPS or TTM free cash flow because the transaction changed the earnings base. Margin of safety depends on the company converting the larger platform into cash earnings, not only adjusted EPS.
Source-backed data
Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.
| Metric | Value | Source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAT price reference | $369.18 intraday on July 8, 2026 | StockAnalysis quote and statistics page | July 9, 2026 |
| Market capitalization | $36.25 billion verified as $369.18 x 98.19 million shares | financial_rigor.py and StockAnalysis statistics | July 9, 2026 |
| Shares outstanding | 98.19 million shares outstanding | StockAnalysis and Yahoo Finance share statistics | July 9, 2026 |
| Q1 2026 revenue | $1.267 billion total reported revenue, including $747 million organic revenue and $520 million from acquired businesses | Waters Q1 2026 results | July 9, 2026 |
| FY2025 sales | $3.165 billion, up 7% as reported | Waters FY2025 results and StockAnalysis financials | July 9, 2026 |
| 2026 guidance | $6.405 billion to $6.455 billion total reported revenue and $14.40 to $14.60 adjusted EPS | Waters Q1 2026 guidance update | July 9, 2026 |
| BD transaction ownership | BD shareholders owned 39.2% and existing Waters shareholders owned 60.8% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis at close | BD transaction completion release | July 9, 2026 |
| Balance sheet snapshot | $462.00 million cash, $5.60 billion debt, and negative $5.14 billion net cash position | StockAnalysis statistics | July 9, 2026 |
| TTM valuation | 53.58x TTM EPS, 2.37x book value, 137.24x TTM FCF per share, and 0.73% FCF yield by audited math | financial_rigor.py and StockAnalysis statistics | July 9, 2026 |
| Technical references | 50-day moving average $352.08, 200-day moving average $349.07, RSI 53.82, 20-day average volume 910,110 shares | StockAnalysis statistics | July 9, 2026 |
| Management and incentives | CEO Udit Batra 2025 summary compensation was $13.97 million, with long-term equity incentives forming a major part of NEO target pay | Waters 2026 proxy statement | July 9, 2026 |
This WAT AI stock analysis is an informational research tool only. It is not investment advice, a recommendation to buy or sell Waters Corporation, or a guarantee of future returns. Forecast scenarios are based on available public data, explicit assumptions, and technical references that can be wrong or become stale.
