Waters Corporation is a leading laboratory equipment manufacturer that supplies essential tools for drug development and diagnostics. The company recently expanded its operations by acquiring the Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions businesses from Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX), which now significantly contributes to its robust financial results.
On May 6, 2026, the prominent analyst firm UBS reiterated its "Neutral" grade for Waters Corporation, which indicates a "hold" action for investors. As highlighted by TheFly, while the grade remained, UBS increased its price target for the company to $375 from $330. At the time of the rating, the stock's price was $343.36.
The higher price target reflects the company's improved financial outlook. As reported by Reuters, Waters Corporation raised its annual profit forecast after a strong quarterly performance. This was driven by robust demand for its drug development tools and the successful integration of its newly acquired biosciences and diagnostics unit.
The company's first-quarter earnings were $2.70 per share, outperforming the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.31. It also posted impressive revenues of $1.27 billion, which surpassed consensus estimates by 5.2%. This marks the fourth straight quarter that Waters Corporation has beaten both earnings and revenue estimates.
A large portion of the revenue, $520 million, came from the newly acquired businesses, as noted in a PR Newswire release. The company's organic revenue, which comes from its core operations, also showed healthy growth of 11% in constant currency, indicating strength across the entire business.
