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Last update: Oct 30, 2026, 12:32 PM ET
Waters Corporation
$462.43▼ 3.67% today
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Why Waters Corporation (WAT) stock moved

Updated Oct 30, 2026

Waters Corporation (WAT) shares fell 3.7% to $462.43 as of October 30, 2026, a moderate decline from the prior close of $480.07. BestStocks flagged the session as a major change for WAT. The move is tied to company news. 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

Company News

WAT fell 3.7% in its latest session, moving from $480.07 to $462.43.

NewsLow confidence
Rel. volume
0.6×
Below Avg
Vs peers
—
No comparable peers
Market cap
$45.4B
New York Stock Exchange
Analyst target
$454
-1.9% vs price
Price chart
Sep 29 – Oct 30
NVVNNNNNEE$424$453$481Sep 29Oct 7Oct 15Oct 22Oct 30
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 recent signals add up to a bearish shift. Weighing against that: Negative session, down 3.7%; New SEC filing — review for material disclosures. Wall Street's consensus price target sits at $453.50, implying -1.9% downside from $462.43. Over the past 90 days analysts logged 3 upgrades and 0 downgrades. BestStocks rates the overall signal quality low (48/100). With earnings roughly 4 days out, the next report is the most likely near-term test of the move.

WAT price reaction

WAT last traded at $462.43, down $17.64 (-3.67%) from the previous close of $480.07. The session traded on 0.6× average volume (below avg), so participation was unremarkable. Over the past month the stock has ranged between $425.21 and $480.07, and it currently sits about 68% 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 $453.50, 1.9% below the recent $462.43. Over the past 90 days analysts logged 3 upgrades, 9 maintains, and 0 downgrades. Here is how the bullish and bearish cases on WAT line up.

The bullish case

  • The Street's most bullish target is $515.00 (+11.4%).
  • 3 analyst upgrades in the past 90 days, most recently UBS to Buy (2026-09-09).

The bearish case

  • The consensus analyst price target of $453.50 sits 1.9% below the recent $462.43, so the average target sees limited room to run.
  • The most bearish analyst target is $387.00 (-16.3%).
  • Negative session, down 3.7%.
Bull vs bear balanceBearish Shift
BearishNeutralBullish

Weighing both sides, BestStocks' composite read of recent signals is bearish, 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 Oct 30, 2026; other aggregators may differ. High and low targets show the range of estimates, not forecasts.

Analyst expectations
Consensus target: $454-1.9%
↑ 3 upgrades= 9 maintains
TD Cowen maintained Buy · 2026-10-13
SEC filings watch
8-K2026-08-21
Material event — review for impact
high
10-Q2026-08-11
Quarterly financial results
medium
8-K2026-08-04
Material event — review for impact
high
Peer context
WAT-3.7%

Previous notable changes for WAT

Valuation2026-10-27+2.8%via Benzinga ↗
Waters Corporation shares rose 2.13% to $465.68, tracking broader positive momentum in the healthcare, life sciences, and analytical instruments sector ahead of upcoming earnings (per web search Oct 27). Volume of 298,417 shares was below average for this stage of the trading day at 0.50x expected levels.
News2026-10-27+2.8%
Waters partners with Labcorp to expand access to FDA-approved HPV screening tests by late 2026.
Valuation2026-10-21+3.3%via Yahoo Finance ↗
Waters Corporation (WAT) rose 2.23% to $452.72, driven by strong sector momentum in life sciences tools and positive analyst momentum ahead of Q3 earnings on November 3. Recent upward price target revisions from Barclays ($500), Guggenheim ($490), and TD Cowen ($515), combined with new AI-enabled LC-MS workflow announcements and a Quest Diagnostics HPV screening collaboration, have bolstered the constructive narrative.
News2026-10-20+2.0%
Waters partners with Quest Diagnostics to distribute comprehensive FDA-cleared at-home HPV screening nationwide starting 2027.
Upcoming catalysts & outlook
Next earnings
2026-11-03 (est.)
in 4 days
10-Q Filing (est.)
2026-11-10
Medium impact
Thesis shift
Bearish Shift
bearish signal
Risk level
Low
from change events

Frequently asked questions about WAT

Why did Waters Corporation (WAT) stock move?

WAT fell 3.7% to $462.43. No single company-specific catalyst was confirmed during the move window, and it looks technical.

How much did WAT stock fall?

WAT lost 3.67% ($17.64) versus the prior close of $480.07, last trading at $462.43 on 0.6× average volume.

When is Waters Corporation's next earnings date?

WAT's next earnings report is estimated for 2026-11-03 — about 4 days away.

What is the analyst price target for WAT?

The consensus analyst price target for WAT is $453.50, about 1.9% below the current $462.43. Over the past 90 days, analysts recorded 3 upgrades, 9 maintains, and 0 downgrades.

How BestStocks tracks WAT

This page is generated automatically by BestStocks' change-detection system after company news was detected and verified against independent data sources. It draws on 20 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 October 30, 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.

Data sources
FMP real-time & historical price dataCompany news feedsSEC EDGAR filingsFMP earnings & estimatesAnalyst ratings & price targets (FMP)Earnings calendar (FMP)
Educational research tool — not personalized investment advice. Data may be delayed.