Fundsmith LLP Acquires 347,091 Shares of Waters Corporation $WAT

Fundsmith LLP raised its holdings in shares of Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) by 9.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,955,498 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after buying an additional 347,091 shares during the quarter. Waters comprises 6.0% of Fundsmith LLP’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest holding. Fundsmith LLP owned approximately 0.07% of Waters worth $1,185,898,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of WAT. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Waters in the third quarter worth $26,000. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd bought a new position in Waters during the third quarter worth $26,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in Waters by 115.4% during 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. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC acquired a new position in Waters during the 2nd quarter valued at $53,000. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc bought a new stake in Waters in the 2nd quarter valued at $61,000. 94.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Waters Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of Waters stock opened at $286.42 on Friday. Waters Corporation has a 52-week low of $275.05 and a 52-week high of $414.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $28.10 billion, a PE ratio of 26.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 1.73 and a quick ratio of 1.27. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $352.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $350.81.

Waters (NYSE:WAT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 9th. The medical instruments supplier reported $4.53 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.50 by $0.03. Waters had a net margin of 20.30% and a return on equity of 34.79%. The company had revenue of $932.36 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $928.17 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.10 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Waters has set its FY 2026 guidance at 14.300-14.500 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 2.250-2.350 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Waters Corporation will post 12.86 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have issued reports on WAT. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Waters in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $425.00 price target on the stock. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Waters from $423.00 to $350.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Sunday, February 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Waters from $415.00 to $355.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Wall Street Zen lowered Waters from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, February 8th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Waters in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $393.84.

Waters Profile

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.