How Can I Beat the S&P 500? What the Evidence Says
The honest answer to the most asked question in investing: how many people beat the index, why it is so hard, why investors trail even their own funds, and how daily market context fits in.
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WAT Stock vs the S&P 500: Returns, Risk and Crash History
Waters Corporation, healthcare (market value $42.6 billion), an S&P 500 member: how it compared with the S&P 500, how it behaved in every crash since 2008, its risk‑adjusted returns and what analysts said. Data as of Oct 30, 2026.
What changed since Oct 26
Exent re-checks this page every day. Ratings appear 30 days after they are published; the top‑ranked analysts’ calls are not counted here, they are in Gems.
71% Buy ratings (was 70%)14 4★+ analysts covering (was 13)+32.4% 1‑year return through Oct 30 (was +46.6%)
Key takeaways
- WAT returned +25.9% over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026 versus +75.9% for the S&P 500: it lagged the index.
- Its 5-year Sharpe ratio was 0.19 against 0.58 for the S&P 500.
- Its deepest crisis drawdown was −60.7% in the global financial crisis (2007–09) (S&P 500: −56.5%).
- Five‑year volatility was 33.4% and beta 1.16.
- 24 analysts rated it in the past year; 71% of their latest calls were Buy.
- WAT beat earnings estimates in 12 of its last 12 reports; the stock moved 7.1% on average, up or down, around each report.
What do the best‑ranked analysts on WAT say now? See it in Exent Gems →
In this article
- Did WAT beat the S&P 500?
- What Wall Street analysts say about WAT
- WAT returns by year vs the S&P 500
- WAT risk-adjusted returns: Sharpe, Sortino and volatility
- How WAT behaved in past crashes
- What moves with WAT, and what doesn’t
- Latest WAT upgrades, downgrades and price‑target changes
- Do analysts get WAT right?
- How WAT moves after earnings
- Where WAT’s revenue comes from
- Members of Congress who traded WAT
- Are WAT insiders buying or selling?
- How much of WAT is sold short?
- How many institutions own WAT?
- Is WAT diluting shareholders?
- WAT financial health scores
- What WAT talks about on earnings calls
- Which ETFs hold WAT?
- How much is WAT’s CEO paid?
- The right benchmark for WAT
- Other healthcare stocks
- Data and methodology
Did WAT beat the S&P 500?
Over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026, Waters Corporation (WAT) returned +25.9% including dividends, versus +75.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY). It lagged the index by 50.0 percentage points, or +4.7% a year against +12.0%.
| Period | WAT | S&P 500 | WAT per year | S&P 500 per year | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | +32.4% | +12.0% | +32.4% | +12.0% | Beat |
| 3 years | +94.0% | +87.4% | +24.7% | +23.3% | Beat |
| 5 years | +25.9% | +75.9% | +4.7% | +12.0% | Lagged |
| 10 years | +232.6% | +316.3% | +12.8% | +15.3% | Lagged |
- 1 year
- WAT
- +32.4%
- S&P 500
- +12.0%
- WAT per year
- +32.4%
- S&P 500 per year
- +12.0%
- Result
- Beat
- 3 years
- WAT
- +94.0%
- S&P 500
- +87.4%
- WAT per year
- +24.7%
- S&P 500 per year
- +23.3%
- Result
- Beat
- 5 years
- WAT
- +25.9%
- S&P 500
- +75.9%
- WAT per year
- +4.7%
- S&P 500 per year
- +12.0%
- Result
- Lagged
- 10 years
- WAT
- +232.6%
- S&P 500
- +316.3%
- WAT per year
- +12.8%
- S&P 500 per year
- +15.3%
- Result
- Lagged
Total return with dividends reinvested, from month-end prices to Oct 30, 2026. Beating the index on raw return is only half the story: the next section adjusts for the risk taken. See also how to beat the S&P 500.
WAT is in the S&P 500 (members as of Oct 20, 2026); the list shows every member’s return against the index.
What Wall Street analysts say about WAT
In the 12 months to 30 days ago, 24 analysts published 183 ratings on WAT. Their latest calls were 71% Buy, 29% Hold and 0% Sell. 14 of them rank 4★ or higher in Exent’s analyst scoring, which is based on each analyst’s past price‑target hit rate and returns.
The consensus 12‑month price target was $396.14 (range $330.00–$480.00), −11.8% from the last price. Remember that the average analyst’s target is hit only about half the time: how accurate are price targets?
| Top‑ranked analyst covering | Firm | Stars | Price‑target hit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| ??? | ??? | 5.0★ | 76.2% |
| ??? | ??? | 5.0★ | 58.3% |
| ??? | ??? | 5.0★ | 69.3% |
| ??? | ??? | 4.9★ | 59.4% |
| ??? | ??? | 4.9★ | 53.6% |
Ratings are shown with a 30‑day delay. Who the top‑ranked analysts on WAT are, their live calls and the median target of only the top‑rated analysts are in Exent Gems.
The average analyst’s target is reached about 53.1% of the time; Exent Gems is built on the top 50 of Exent’s ranking,where some reached 90% or more over the last two years. Unlock the top 50 analysts.
WAT returns by year vs the S&P 500
WAT beat the S&P 500 in 4 of the 9 full calendar years shown.
| Year | WAT | S&P 500 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Oct 30, 2026) | +21.8% | +11.7% | +10.1% |
| 2025 | +2.4% | +17.7% | −15.3% |
| 2024 | +12.7% | +24.9% | −12.2% |
| 2023 | −3.9% | +26.2% | −30.1% |
| 2022 | −8.1% | −18.2% | +10.1% |
| 2021 | +50.6% | +28.7% | +21.9% |
| 2020 | +5.9% | +18.3% | −12.4% |
| 2019 | +23.9% | +31.2% | −7.3% |
| 2018 | −2.4% | −4.6% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | +43.8% | +21.7% | +22.1% |
WAT risk-adjusted returns: Sharpe, Sortino and volatility
Over 5 years, WAT had a Sharpe ratio of 0.19 against 0.58 for the S&P 500, so it earned less return per unit of risk than the index. Its annualized volatility was 34.0% and its beta 1.16: it tended to move about 1.2× as much as the market.
| Metric | WAT | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return | +4.7% | +12.0% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 34.0% | 15.5% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.19 | 0.58 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.30 | 0.91 |
| Max drawdown (month-end) | −36.0% | −23.9% |
| Beta to the S&P 500 | 1.16 | 1.00 |
Sharpe divides return above cash by total volatility; Sortino counts only downside volatility. Both use monthly returns and the 1–3 month T‑bill ETF (BIL) as the risk‑free rate.
How WAT behaved in past crashes
WAT’s deepest fall in the crises below was −60.7% in the global financial crisis (2007–09), against −56.5% for the S&P 500. The last column turns that into money: what a $100,000 position would have lost from peak to trough.
| Crisis | WAT | S&P 500 | Loss on $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global financial crisis (2007–09) | −60.7% | −56.5% | −$60,690 |
| 2018 trade-war selloff | −14.7% | −20.2% | −$14,720 |
| COVID crash (Feb–Mar 2020) | −25.3% | −34.1% | −$25,300 |
| 2022 inflation bear market | −26.3% | −25.4% | −$26,270 |
| 2025 tariff selloff | −21.7% | −19.0% | −$21,700 |
| Window | WAT max drawdown |
|---|---|
| Last 1 year | −31.3% |
| Last 3 years | −33.5% |
| Last 5 years | −44.3% |
| Last 10 years | −44.3% |
Peak‑to‑trough declines from daily prices inside each crisis window. A crash replay does not predict the next crisis; it shows how much room a holding needs. Run the same replay on a whole portfolio with the crash test.
What moves with WAT, and what doesn’t
Correlation runs from −1 (moves opposite) to +1 (moves in lockstep). Over the last 60 months of monthly returns, WAT’s correlation with the S&P 500 was 0.53, with the Nasdaq‑100 0.38, with long Treasuries (TLT) 0.39 and with gold (GLD) 0.08.
Adding a 5% WAT position to an S&P 500 portfolio would have moved its 5‑year volatility from 15.5% to 15.7%.
| Least correlated large caps | Correlation | Most correlated large caps | Correlation |
|---|---|---|---|
| COP | −0.06 | TMO | 0.61 |
| NET | 0.02 | DHR | 0.61 |
| CME | 0.04 | IBM | 0.58 |
| EOG | 0.05 | MMM | 0.57 |
| MO | 0.05 | GS | 0.55 |
Holdings that are highly correlated behave like one position in a selloff. See how to find hidden overlap.
Latest WAT upgrades, downgrades and price‑target changes
| Date | Rating and target | Analyst |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 16 | Target raised Hold | Casey Woodring |
| Oct 7 | Target raised Buy | Luke Sergott |
| Sep 20 | Target raised Buy | Evie Koslosky |
| Sep 9 | Upgrade Hold → Buy | Lu Li |
Named analysts’ rating and price‑target changes on WAT in the 5 weeks to Oct 4, 2026, shown 30 days after publication (the free analysts’ calls 3 days after). The top‑ranked analysts’ calls are in Exent Gems. See all of the latest analyst upgrades and downgrades.
Do analysts get WAT right?
Of the 248 analyst price targets on WAT set from 2019 until a year ago, 83.1% were reached within 12 months (data to Oct 20, 2026), 14.5 points above the 68.6% hit rate of the median stock in Exent’s study of 794 stocks. Targets that were reached took a median of 49 days. The median target sat 4.2% above the share price on the day it was set.
Where analysts said WAT would be by now: a year ago, 4 analysts had a price target on WAT, and the median of their latest targets was $377.50. On Oct 20, 2026 WAT closed at $442.80, 17.3% above it.
83.1%of targets reached within 12 monthsMedian stock: 68.6%
49 daysmedian time to reach a target
+17.3%price now vs the median target set a year ago
| After | Calls | Move on the call | 3 months vs S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrades of WAT | 17 | +1.4% | −5.0% |
| Upgrades, all stocks | 11,514 | +2.5% | +3.4% |
| Downgrades of WAT | 6 | −1.1% | −1.8% |
| Downgrades, all stocks | 10,700 | −3.0% | −1.6% |
The move on the call runs from the close before the rating change to the close after it; the last column is the stock’s return minus the S&P 500’s over the next three months. Averages of rating changes on WAT through Sep 15, 2026; analysts are not named here. Do analyst upgrades move stocks?
How WAT moves after earnings
WAT beat the consensus earnings‑per‑share estimate in 12 of its last 12 quarterly reports, through the one on Aug 4, 2026, and the revenue estimate in 11 of 12. From the close before each report to the close after it, the stock moved 7.1% on average, up or down, against 6.8% for the average report across the 1,002 US stocks Exent tracks. It rose after 7 of the 12 reports. In 5 of the 12 beats the stock still fell.
12/12earnings beats
±7.1%average move per report
7/12reports followed by a rise
| Report | EPS vs estimate | Revenue vs estimate | Stock move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 2026 | $3.05 vs $3.01 | +1.4% | +6.7% |
| May 5, 2026 | $2.70 vs $2.31 | +5.3% | +15.8% |
| Feb 9, 2026 | $4.53 vs $4.51 | +0.4% | −14.2% |
| Nov 4, 2025 | $3.40 vs $3.21 | +2.4% | +7.6% |
| Aug 4, 2025 | $2.95 vs $2.94 | +3.0% | −3.1% |
| May 6, 2025 | $2.25 vs $2.22 | +1.1% | −0.8% |
| Feb 12, 2025 | $4.10 vs $4.03 | +1.8% | −6.5% |
| Nov 1, 2024 | $2.93 vs $2.68 | +3.8% | +19.9% |
Reported earnings per share against the consensus estimate, revenue surprise in percent, and the stock’s price change over the two sessions around the report. How stocks move after earnings
Where WAT’s revenue comes from
In fiscal 2025 (the year to Dec 31, 2025), WAT’s largest reported region was Americas, with 36.7% of its $3.2 billion revenue. By region: Americas 36.7%; Asia Pacific 32.9%; Europe 30.4%.
By business, the largest segment was Waters Instrument Systems, with 34.8% of $3.2 billion revenue (+6.7% on the year before).
| Segment | Revenue | Share | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waters Instrument Systems | $1.1 billion | 34.8% | +6.7% |
| Waters Service | $1.1 billion | 34.1% | +7.3% |
| Chemistry Consumables | $631.5 million | 19.9% | +11.7% |
| Ta Instrument Systems | $243.8 million | 7.7% | −1.0% |
| Ta Service | $108.0 million | 3.4% | +0.2% |
From WAT’s annual filings; segment growth compares fiscal 2025 with the year before. Regions are as each company reports them, so one company’s “Asia Pacific” is not another’s. China counts the regions a company reports as China, Greater China or Hong Kong; a separately reported Taiwan is not counted. Which S&P 500 companies depend most on China?
Members of Congress who traded WAT
As of Oct 20, 2026, 11 members of Congress had disclosed 42 trades in WAT (23 buys and 17 sales) in STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate. The latest public trade is dated Aug 13, 2026.
| Trade date | Member | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 13, 2026 | Kevin Hern | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Ro Khanna | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Mar 18, 2026 | Gilbert Cisneros | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Mar 10, 2026 | Thomas Kean | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Feb 13, 2026 | Thomas Kean | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Feb 10, 2026 | Debbie Dingell | Exchange | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Feb 9, 2026 | Kevin Hern | Exchange | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Dec 8, 2025 | Julia Letlow | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Sep 30, 2025 | Gilbert Cisneros | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Sep 29, 2025 | Ro Khanna | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
Amounts are the ranges members report, not exact values. The STOCK Act gives members up to 45 days to disclose a trade, so trades appear weeks after they are made. See every member’s disclosed trades
Are WAT insiders buying or selling?
In the 12 months to Oct 20, 2026, WAT insiders made 2 open‑market purchases worth $451,070 by 2 insiders and 1 sale worth $1.4 million, according to SEC Form 4 filings.
After the 4 insider purchases of $10,000 or more since 2012, WAT lagged the S&P 500 by an average of 13.3 percentage points over the next 12 months; none of them was followed by a beat (a small sample). Across all 17,865 insider purchases in Exent’s study, the average was +17.2% and the median +1.0% against the index.
| Date | Insider | Role | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2026 | Jiang Wei | Director | $144,730 |
| Mar 6, 2026 | Fearon Richard H | Director | $306,340 |
| May 28, 2024 | Fearon Richard H | Director | $332,900 |
| Feb 28, 2023 | Vergnano Mark P | Director | $997,927 |
The table lists the latest open‑market purchases on record, leaving out the last 30 days. The chart counts Form 4 purchases and sales by calendar quarter. Purchases are open‑market buys; sales include planned sales under 10b5‑1 trading plans. Do insider buys beat the market?
How much of WAT is sold short?
As of the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, 3.47% of WAT’s float was sold short: 3.4 million shares, or 4.4 days of average trading volume to cover. A year earlier (Oct 15, 2025) it was 2.43%. The median across the 997 US stocks Exent tracks was 4.77%, so WAT is less heavily shorted than most.
From FINRA short‑interest reports, filed twice a month; the bars show the short share of the float at each month‑end. Days to cover divides the shares short by the average daily volume. The most shorted stocks
How many institutions own WAT?
At the end of Q2 2026 (Jun 30, 2026), 1,202 institutions reported holding WAT in 13F filings, up 9 from the quarter before and up from 781 a year earlier. Their reported holdings add up to 120.3% of WAT’s shares. In the quarter 510 institutions added to their positions and 486 cut them.
1,20213F holders
163new positions
155positions closed
120.3%of shares held by 13F filers
Investment managers with over $100 million in US equities file 13F reports within 45 days of each quarter end, so this is the latest complete quarter. Holdings can add up to more than 100% when shares are lent and counted twice. Which stocks institutions are buying and selling
Is WAT diluting shareholders?
WAT’s diluted share count fell 4.3% over the five fiscal years to fiscal 2025 and rose 0.3% in fiscal 2025 alone. Each share now owns a larger slice of the company. The median change across the 1,005 US stocks Exent tracks was −0.1%.
Stock‑based compensation was $54.1 million in fiscal 2025, 1.7% of revenue. WAT spent $14.7 million buying back shares, a buyback yield of 0.05% of its market value; stock pay equaled 369.0% of the buybacks.
+0.3%share count, 1 year
−4.3%share count, 5 years
1.7%stock pay as % of revenue
0.05%buyback yield
Weighted‑average diluted shares from WAT’s annual income statements; stock‑based compensation and buybacks from its cash‑flow statement. Stock dilution and stock‑based compensation, explained
WAT financial health scores
In Exent’s Oct 20, 2026 snapshot, WAT’s Altman Z‑score was 3.59, in the safe zone (where 465 of the 794 non‑financial US stocks Exent tracks sit). Its Piotroski F‑score was 5 out of 9; 80% of scored stocks reach 5 or more.
3.59Altman Z‑score: safe zone
5/9Piotroski F‑score
The Altman Z‑score combines five balance‑sheet and earnings ratios into one bankruptcy‑risk score: below 1.81 is the distress zone, 1.81–2.99 grey, above 2.99 safe. It is not meaningful for banks, insurers and REITs. The Piotroski F‑score counts nine yes/no tests of profitability, leverage and efficiency; 8–9 is strong, 0–2 weak. Both come from the latest annual statements. Which stocks have the highest bankruptcy risk?
What WAT talks about on earnings calls
On its latest earnings call (Aug 4, 2026), WAT’s executives and analysts mentioned AI 3 times, against 0 on the call before (May 5, 2026); the average across 455 S&P 500 calls that quarter was 12.9. After AI, the most mentioned topic was china (40).
| Mentions | Aug ’26 | May ’26 | Feb ’26 | Nov ’25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| AI agents | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Data centers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tariffs | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| China | 40 | 37 | 15 | 21 |
| Recession | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- AI
- Aug ’26
- 3
- May ’26
- 0
- Feb ’26
- 0
- Nov ’25
- 1
- AI agents
- Aug ’26
- 0
- May ’26
- 0
- Feb ’26
- 0
- Nov ’25
- 0
- Data centers
- Aug ’26
- 2
- May ’26
- 1
- Feb ’26
- 0
- Nov ’25
- 0
- Tariffs
- Aug ’26
- 4
- May ’26
- 3
- Feb ’26
- 3
- Nov ’25
- 4
- China
- Aug ’26
- 40
- May ’26
- 37
- Feb ’26
- 15
- Nov ’25
- 21
- Recession
- Aug ’26
- 0
- May ’26
- 0
- Feb ’26
- 0
- Nov ’25
- 0
Word counts in the full transcript of each call, prepared remarks and Q&A, newest first. “AI” also counts generative AI and large language models; “AI agents” counts agentic AI. Which companies talk most about AI?
Which ETFs hold WAT?
As of Oct 20, 2026, 50 of the 304 ETFs Exent tracks held WAT. Its largest weight is in PHO (Invesco Water Resources ETF), at 7.24% of the fund.
| ETF | Fund | Weight of WAT |
|---|---|---|
| PHO | Invesco Water Resources ETF | 7.24% |
| VOT | Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Index Fund | 1.02% |
| XLV | State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.67% |
| VHT | Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.60% |
| VO | Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.43% |
| IWS | iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF | 0.42% |
| IWR | iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF | 0.32% |
| RSP | Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF | 0.22% |
Owning several of these funds stacks the same position. How much do VOO, QQQ and VTI overlap?
How much is WAT’s CEO paid?
Udit Batra, Ph.D., WAT’s President & CEO, received total pay of $14.0 million for fiscal 2025, up 25.3% from $11.1 million for fiscal 2024, according to the company’s proxy statement filed with the SEC on Apr 9, 2026. 75% of it came as stock and option awards, valued when they were granted rather than when they pay out. The median CEO pay across the 378 S&P 500 companies Exent tracks was $17.2 million, so WAT’s CEO earned less than most.
| Pay component | Amount | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | $1.1 million | 8.2% |
| Stock and option awards | $10.4 million | 74.6% |
| Incentive plan (cash) | $2.4 million | 17.0% |
| Other | $21,000 | 0.2% |
| Other top executives | Role | Total pay, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Amol Chaubal | SVP & CFO | $3.8 million |
| Jianqing Y. Bennett | SVP, TA & Clinical Division | $3.0 million |
| Robert Carpio | SVP, Waters Division | $2.8 million |
Figures from the summary compensation table of the proxy statement; awards count at their grant‑date value, so one large multi‑year grant can make a single year stand out. CEO pay across the S&P 500
The right benchmark for WAT
Exent matches every holding to the index with the most similar risk. For WAT that is SPY (the S&P 500). Comparing a holding with an index that carries very different risk makes good results look bad and risky ones look clever. Read why the S&P 500 is the wrong benchmark for most portfolios.
Other healthcare stocks
| Ticker | Name | 5‑year return | Volatility (5y) |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLY | Eli Lilly and Company | +482.3% | 32.6% |
| JNJ | Johnson & Johnson | +92.9% | 16.8% |
| ABBV | AbbVie Inc. | +207.1% | 23.5% |
| UNH | UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | −3.3% | 32.7% |
| MRK | Merck & Co., Inc. | +97.8% | 23.6% |
| AMGN | Amgen Inc. | +163.1% | 24.8% |
| TMO | Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | +11.7% | 27.0% |
| GILD | Gilead Sciences, Inc. | +214.3% | 24.8% |
Data and methodology
Returns are total returns from month‑end adjusted closing prices (dividends reinvested) through Oct 30, 2026. Crisis drawdowns and trailing maximum drawdowns use daily prices. Analyst coverage counts ratings published in the last 12 months, shown with a 30‑day delay. Full method: Exent methodology.
Company data as of Oct 20, 2026. The move around an earnings report runs from the close before it to the close after it; a price target counts as hit when the stock closed at or beyond it within 12 months (Exent analyst data). Revenue by region and segment, share counts and executive pay come from company filings; insider trades from SEC Form 4, short interest from FINRA, institutional ownership from 13F filings, Congress trades from STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate, federal contracts from USAspending.gov. Filings from the last 30 days are shown as counts only.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Historical figures are calculated by Exent from market data and are for education only; they are not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
Check WAT with Exent Gems
Wall Street’s average WAT price target is 11.8% below the latest share price. See what the best‑ranked analysts on WAT say now in Exent Gems.
- Exent ranks Wall Street analysts by their past price‑target hit rate and returns, and keeps the best‑ranked few.
- Gems shows who the top‑ranked analysts covering WAT are, their live calls and the median target of only the top‑rated analysts.
- Gems flags the stocks where several top‑ranked analysts agree: a starting point for your own research, not a promise.
Frequently asked questions
No. WAT returned +232.6% (+12.8% a year) over the 10 years to Oct 30, 2026, versus +316.3% (+15.3% a year) for the S&P 500, including dividends.
Yes. As of Oct 20, 2026, WAT (Waters Corporation) is one of the 503 stocks in the S&P 500.
WAT fell −60.7% from peak to trough during the global financial crisis (2007–09), versus −56.5% for the S&P 500.
WAT fell −25.3% from peak to trough during the covid crash (feb–mar 2020), versus −34.1% for the S&P 500.
WAT fell −26.3% from peak to trough during the 2022 inflation bear market, versus −25.4% for the S&P 500.
Over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026, WAT’s Sharpe ratio was 0.19 and its Sortino ratio 0.30, versus 0.58 and 0.91 for the S&P 500.
WAT’s 5‑year annualized volatility was 33.4%, higher than the S&P 500’s 17.0%, with a beta of 1.16.
Among large US stocks, the lowest correlations with WAT over the last 60 months were COP (−0.06), NET (0.02), CME (0.04). Its correlation with long Treasuries (TLT) was 0.39 and with gold (GLD) 0.08.
WAT beat the consensus earnings-per-share estimate in 12 of its last 12 quarterly reports through Aug 4, 2026, and the revenue estimate in 11 of 12. The stock moved 7.1% on average, up or down, from the close before each report to the close after it.
Udit Batra, Ph.D., WAT’s President & CEO, received $14.0 million in total pay for fiscal 2025, including a $1.1 million salary and $10.4 million in stock and option awards valued at grant, according to the proxy statement filed with the SEC on Apr 9, 2026. The median S&P 500 CEO received $17.2 million.
Yes. As of Oct 20, 2026, 11 members of Congress had disclosed 42 trades in WAT (23 buys and 17 sales) in STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate.
As of the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, 3.47% of WAT’s float was sold short (3.4 million shares, 4.4 days to cover), according to FINRA short-interest reports. A year earlier it was 2.43%.
No. WAT’s diluted share count fell 4.3% over the five fiscal years to fiscal 2025 and rose 0.3% in the latest year. Stock-based compensation was 1.7% of revenue, and buybacks totaled $14.7 million.
What do the best‑ranked analysts say on WAT now?
Exent ranks Wall Street analysts by their track record. Gems shows who the top‑ranked analysts on WAT are, their latest calls and the stocks where several of them agree.
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Educational content, not investment advice. Examples are illustrative; past performance does not guarantee future results.