On October 1, 2023, Barclays issued a research report to clients and investors regarding Waters’ target price. The financial institution reduced the target price from $288.00 to $270.00, indicating a potential downside of 1.94% from the company’s previous close. This information was reported by FlyOnTheWall.
Waters (NYSE:WAT) opened at $275.35 on Friday and currently has a market capitalization of $16.27 billion. The company boasts a PE ratio of 24.28, a P/E/G ratio of 3.31, and a beta of 0.87. Over the past year, Waters has witnessed both highs and lows, with its fifty-two week range spanning from $248.18 to $353.70.
Furthermore, the company’s 50-day moving average stands at $278.35, while its 200-day moving average is slightly higher at $279.99. Waters maintains a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.35, highlighting its financial structure, along with a current ratio of 2.08 and a quick ratio of 1.41.
In terms of investor activity, several significant investors have recently made adjustments to their holdings in Waters (NYSE:WAT). American Century Companies Inc., for example, raised its holdings in the medical instruments supplier by 10.2% in the first quarter and now owns 6,977 shares valued at approximately $2,165,000 after acquiring an additional 645 shares during that period.
Additionally, Group One Trading L.P., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP, and Prudential PLC have all made changes to their positions in Waters during the same period.
Regarding financial performance, Waters last released its earnings results on August 2nd when it reported earnings per share (EPS) of $2.80 for the quarter. This amount exceeded the consensus estimate of $2.59 by $0.21, indicating a positive result for the medical instruments supplier. Waters also showcased a return on equity of 124.03% and a net margin of 22.54%. In terms of revenue, the company reported $740.58 million during the quarter, surpassing analyst estimates of $733.51 million.
Analysts within this field predict that Waters will post earnings per share of 12.24 for the current fiscal year.
These recent developments indicate potential changes in Waters’ target price and ongoing fluctuations in its financial performance. Investors and industry analysts will likely monitor these factors closely to gain insight into the company’s future direction and prospects in the medical instruments sector moving forward.
[bs_slider_forecast ticker=”FOR”]
Assessing the Performance and Potential of Waters Corporation: Analyst Ratings, Insider Activity, and Market Interest
On October 1, 2023, multiple research analysts have released reports on the stock of Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), providing an overview of its performance and potential. One such analyst, Sanford C. Bernstein, recently initiated coverage on Waters and assigned a “market perform” rating with a target price of $280.00.
Another research note was published by StockNews.com on August 17th, when they also began covering Waters. In their analysis, they issued a “hold” rating for the company. These reports demonstrate the growing interest in assessing the stock’s market value and potential.
According to information gathered from Bloomberg, eight different analysts have evaluated Waters, with all assigning a hold rating. This consensus rating reflects ambivalence within the analytical community regarding the future trajectory of the stock. Furthermore, analysts have set a consensus target price for Waters at approximately $312.78.
In other developments related to the company, Director Christopher A. Kuebler made headlines for selling 4,000 shares of Waters’ stock on August 4th. The transaction took place at an average price of $291.48 per share, resulting in a total value of $1,165,920.00. After this sale, Kuebler now holds approximately 14,382 shares in Waters Corporation — a stake estimated to be worth around $4,192,065.36.
As per regulations set forth by the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), this sale was publicly disclosed through a legal filing available for reference via an online link provided by the SEC’s website. It is noteworthy that insiders currently own around 0.98% of Waters’ outstanding shares.
Overall, recent coverage and developments surrounding Waters Corporation have generated intrigue among investors and financial analysts alike due to inconsistent ratings and ongoing insider activity within the company. As uncertainty looms in how these factors may impact future market performance and shareholder sentiments towards Waters’ stock, the analytical community remains cautiously observant of its progress.
