WAT
Waters Corporation Healthcare - Diagnostics & Research Investor Relations →
Waters Corporation (WAT) closed at $381.29 as of 2026-02-02, trading 17.1% above its 200-week moving average of $325.61. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 14.0% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 60, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 1529 weeks of data, WAT has crossed below its 200-week moving average 16 times. On average, these episodes lasted 15 weeks. Historically, investors who bought WAT at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +27.1%.
With a market cap of $22.7 billion, WAT is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 2.0%. Return on equity stands at 33.0%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 9.7x book value.
Over the past 29.4 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in WAT would have grown to $4960, compared to $1617 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 14.2% vs 9.9% for the index — confirming WAT as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 2.3% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Growth of $100: WAT vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After WAT Crosses Below the Line?
Across 16 historical episodes, buying WAT when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +27.1% after 12 months (median +23.0%), compared to +16.4% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 71% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +50.9% vs +28.6% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment WAT crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
WAT has crossed below its 200-week MA 16 times with an average 1-year return of +27.1% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1997 | Apr 1997 | 2 | 8.1% | +106.8% | +6031.3% |
| Jun 2001 | Sep 2001 | 14 | 29.7% | -19.4% | +1208.0% |
| Oct 2001 | Nov 2001 | 3 | 1.7% | -23.6% | +989.4% |
| Dec 2001 | Dec 2001 | 1 | 2.2% | -43.8% | +963.6% |
| Jan 2002 | Mar 2004 | 113 | 51.7% | -37.9% | +1024.7% |
| Oct 2008 | Sep 2009 | 48 | 38.8% | +26.4% | +734.5% |
| Mar 2020 | Apr 2020 | 4 | 8.9% | +45.7% | +106.7% |
| Apr 2020 | May 2020 | 5 | 7.3% | +60.2% | +99.3% |
| Jun 2020 | Jul 2020 | 5 | 9.6% | +81.4% | +105.5% |
| Sep 2020 | Oct 2020 | 3 | 3.1% | +102.9% | +95.1% |
| May 2023 | Jul 2023 | 10 | 11.8% | +29.6% | +40.7% |
| Aug 2023 | Nov 2023 | 15 | 14.9% | +25.9% | +41.2% |
| Apr 2024 | Apr 2024 | 1 | 1.9% | +8.4% | +28.8% |
| Jun 2024 | Jul 2024 | 7 | 7.0% | +16.2% | +26.2% |
| Mar 2025 | Apr 2025 | 3 | 2.0% | N/A | +17.3% |
| Jul 2025 | Sep 2025 | 11 | 13.0% | N/A | +32.6% |
| Average | 15 | — | +27.1% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02