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NEW YORK - Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) reported better-than-expected fourth quarter results on Wednesday but its first quarter guidance fell short of analyst estimates, sending shares down 1.3% in pre-market trading.
The analytical instrument maker posted adjusted earnings per share of $4.10 for the fourth quarter, surpassing the analyst consensus of $4.03. Revenue came in at $873 million, exceeding expectations of $856.84 million and growing 6% YoY, or 8% in constant currency.
Waters saw strong performance across its business segments in Q4. Pharmaceutical (TADAWUL:2070) sales grew 10% in constant currency, while instrument sales increased 8% and recurring revenue rose 9% on the same basis.
"We delivered excellent results in the fourth quarter, led by double-digit growth in Pharma, while instruments and recurring revenue both grew high single-digits in constant currency," said Dr. Udit Batra, President & CEO of Waters Corporation.
For the full year 2024, Waters reported flat sales of $2.96 billion and adjusted EPS of $11.86, up 1% YoY despite a 5% headwind from foreign exchange.
Looking ahead, Waters provided mixed guidance. For Q1 2025, the company expects adjusted EPS of $2.17-$2.25, below the $2.43 analyst consensus. However, its full-year 2025 EPS outlook of $12.70-$13.00 brackets the $12.83 consensus estimate.
Waters projects constant currency sales growth of 4.5-7% for 2025, translating to 2.5-5% growth on a reported basis due to currency headwinds.
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