Is It Too Late To Consider Buying Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT)?

Today we're going to take a look at the well-established Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT). The company's stock saw a double-digit share price rise of over 10% in the past couple of months on the NYSE. The company is inching closer to its yearly highs following the recent share price climb. With many analysts covering the large-cap stock, we may expect any price-sensitive announcements have already been factored into the stock’s share price. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Today we will analyse the most recent data on Waters’s outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

Check out our latest analysis for Waters

What's The Opportunity In Waters?

The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to our valuation model. It’s trading around 2.97% above our intrinsic value, which means if you buy Waters today, you’d be paying a relatively reasonable price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth $326.24, there’s only an insignificant downside when the price falls to its real value. Furthermore, Waters’s low beta implies that the stock is less volatile than the wider market.

What kind of growth will Waters generate?

Future outlook is an important aspect when you’re looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Although value investors would argue that it’s the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. Waters' earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 21%, indicating a highly optimistic future ahead. This should lead to more robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? WAT’s optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we haven’t considered today, such as the track record of its management team. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below its fair value?

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on WAT, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for the company, which means it’s worth diving deeper into other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with Waters, and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

If you are no longer interested in Waters, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.