Waters Corporation (WAT) shares rose 0.8% to $410.00 as of August 10, 2026, a slight gain from the prior close of $406.86. BestStocks flagged the session as a major change for WAT. No single company-specific catalyst was confirmed during the move window. Below, we break down what changed for WAT, why it matters for investors, how the stock reacted, and the catalysts on the calendar.
What happened
WAT climbed 0.8% to $410.00
Waters Corporation (WAT) moved +3.31% from $383.39 to $396.08 on August 4, 2026. We checked news, earnings, analyst updates, SEC filings, and corporate actions — no company-specific catalyst was found. The move was accompanied by volume 2.2x the 5-day average and marked a new 30-day high. Monitor whether volume remains elevated and the stock holds above $396 to confirm breakout validity.
This summary describes the catalyst and move as first detected on Aug 4, 2026, 4:45 PM EDT; the stock has continued trading since, so the current price and percentage move (shown above) may be larger or smaller than the figures here.
ActivityWeak confidence
Rel. volume
0.3×
Below Avg
Vs peers
—
No comparable peers
Market cap
$30.7B
New York Stock Exchange
Analyst target
$421
+2.6% vs price
Price chart
Jul 10 – Aug 10
E earnings
F filing
A analyst
V/N other
click a marker to highlight
Change events — click to jump to details
What it means for Waters Corporation investors
For Waters Corporation investors, the balance of recent signals points to a bullish shift. On the constructive side: Material positive event; Positive 0.8% session move. Weighing against that: Waters Corporation (WAT) moved -3.10% from $368.98 to $357.54 on 2026-07-20; New SEC filing — review for material disclosures. Wall Street's consensus price target sits at $420.64, implying +2.6% upside from $410.00. Over the past 90 days analysts logged 1 upgrade and 0 downgrades. BestStocks rates the overall signal quality weak (31/100). With earnings roughly 85 days out, the next report is the most likely near-term test of the move.
WAT price reaction
WAT last traded at $410.00, up $3.14 (+0.77%) from the previous close of $406.86. The session traded on 0.3× average volume (below avg), so participation was unremarkable. Over the past month the stock has ranged between $357.54 and $410.00, and it currently sits about 100% of the way up that band.
Bullish and bearish analyst opinions on Waters Corporation (WAT)
The consensus analyst price target on Waters Corporation (WAT) is $420.64, 2.6% above the recent $410.00. Over the past 90 days analysts logged 1 upgrade, 11 maintains, and 0 downgrades. Here is how the bullish and bearish cases on WAT line up.
▲ The bullish case
+Wall Street's consensus price target of $420.64 implies +2.6% upside from $410.00.
+The Street's most bullish target is $475.00 (+15.9%).
+1 analyst upgrade in the past 90 days, most recently TD Cowen to Buy (2026-08-05).
+Material positive event.
+Positive 0.8% session move.
▼ The bearish case
−The most bearish analyst target is $375.00 (-8.5%).
−Waters Corporation (WAT) moved -3.10% from $368.98 to $357.54 on 2026-07-20.
Bull vs bear balanceBullish Shift
BearishNeutralBullish
Weighing both sides, BestStocks' composite read of recent signals is bullish, as the bull-versus-bear meter above shows. This is an educational summary of the bull and bear case, not investment advice.
Analyst price targets and ratings are FMP consensus figures as of Aug 10, 2026; other aggregators may differ. High and low targets show the range of estimates, not forecasts.
Analyst expectations
Consensus target: $421+2.6%
↑ 1 upgrades= 11 maintains
Evercore ISI Group maintained Outperform · 2026-08-05
Waters Corporation (WAT) moved +1.56% from $400.60 to $406.86 on 2026-08-07. We checked news, earnings, analyst updates, SEC filings, and corporate actions — no company-specific catalyst was found. The move appears to be technical: WAT reached a new 30-day high, though volume remained near its 5-day average.
Activity2026-08-05+1.0%
Waters Corporation (WAT) moved +0.29% from $398.86 to $400.00 on 2026-08-05. We checked news, earnings, analyst updates, SEC filings, and corporate actions — no company-specific catalyst was found. The move appears technical: WAT reached a new 30-day high at $400.00 on volume near its 5-day average.
Material / Earnings2026-07-28+3.4%
Waters Corporation (WAT) moved +2.35% from $375.09 to $383.90 on 2026-07-28, reaching a new 30-day high. We checked news, earnings announcements, analyst updates, SEC filings, and corporate actions — no company-specific catalyst was found. The move appears driven by technical momentum, with volume near its 5-day average.
Waters Corporation rose 3.47% to $383.68 following multiple analyst price-target increases: Goldman Sachs raised its target to $425 from $380, TD Cowen increased to $408 from $385, and Morgan Stanley bumped to $390 from $350, according to analyst momentum data cited in the web search. The move also reflects new institutional buying disclosed in recent SEC filings, including a new $8.79 million stake by Levin Capital Strategies and increased holdings reported by KBC Group and SEB Asset Management. Volume of 1.01M shares ran 1.26x the expected average for this point in the session.
Material / Earnings2026-07-23+3.1%
Waters Corporation (WAT) moved -0.86% from $385.73 to $382.41 on 2026-07-23. We checked news, earnings announcements, analyst updates, filings, and corporate actions — no company-specific catalyst was found. Volume was 1.6x the 5-day average, and the stock reached a new 30-day high, suggesting technical positioning rather than fundamental reaction.
Activity2026-07-21+2.8%
Waters Corporation (WAT) moved +2.80% from $357.54 to $367.55 on 2026-07-21. We checked news, earnings, analyst updates, SEC filings, and corporate actions — no company-specific catalyst was found. The move occurred on modestly elevated volume (1.6x the 5-day average).
Risk2026-07-20-3.1%
Waters Corporation (WAT) moved -3.10% from $368.98 to $357.54 on 2026-07-20. We checked news, earnings, analyst updates, filings, and corporate actions — no company-specific catalyst was found. Volume was near its 5-day average at 1.2x.
Activity2026-07-02+0.3%
Waters Corporation (WAT) moved +0.31% from $378.13 to $379.29 on July 2, 2026, reaching a new 30-day high. We checked news, earnings, analyst updates, filings, and corporate actions — no company-specific catalyst was found.
Upcoming catalysts & outlook
Next earnings
2026-11-03 (est.)
in 85 days
Earnings Release
2026-11-03
High impact
Thesis shift
Bullish Shift
bullish signal
Risk level
Medium
from change events
Frequently asked questions about WAT
Why did Waters Corporation (WAT) stock move?
WAT rose 0.8% to $410.00. No single company-specific catalyst was confirmed during the move window, and it looks technical.
How much did WAT stock rise?
WAT gained 0.77% ($3.14) versus the prior close of $406.86, last trading at $410.00 on 0.3× average volume.
When is Waters Corporation's next earnings date?
WAT's next earnings report is estimated for 2026-11-03 — about 85 days away.
What is the analyst price target for WAT?
The consensus analyst price target for WAT is $420.64, about 2.6% above the current $410.00. Over the past 90 days, analysts recorded 1 upgrade, 11 maintains, and 0 downgrades.
How BestStocks tracks WAT
This page is generated automatically by BestStocks' change-detection system after its price and volume cleared WAT-specific materiality thresholds, triggering an evidence check. It draws on 11 tracked change events for WAT, cross-checked against the data sources listed below. Price, volume, and market-capitalization figures are the live intraday quote as of August 10, 2026 and refresh as new information is detected; for companies with multiple share classes, market-cap figures can differ by data source. Analyst price targets and ratings are FMP consensus. This is an educational summary of what changed and why — not personalized investment advice.
