Core Insights - Waters (WAT) reported quarterly earnings of $2.25 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.22 per share, and showing a slight increase from $2.21 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of 1.35% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $661.71 million for the quarter ended March 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.08% and reflecting a year-over-year increase from $636.84 million [2] - Waters has consistently outperformed consensus EPS and revenue estimates over the last four quarters [2] Earnings Outlook - The future performance of Waters' stock will largely depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the sustainability of the stock's price movement based on recent earnings and future expectations [3][4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $2.93, with projected revenues of $737.31 million, and for the current fiscal year, the consensus EPS is $12.84 on revenues of $3.08 billion [7] Industry Context - The Medical - Instruments industry, to which Waters belongs, is currently ranked in the top 25% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook compared to the bottom 50% [8] - Empirical research suggests a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked using tools like the Zacks Rank [5][6]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q1 2025, sales grew 4% as reported and 7% in constant currency, reaching $662 million, at the high end of guidance [10][25][28] - Earnings per share (EPS) were $2.25 on a non-GAAP basis, reflecting low single-digit growth, and $2.03 on a GAAP basis [11][29] - Gross margin was 58.2%, and adjusted operating margin was 25.5% [29][36] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Instrument sales grew 11%, driven by mid-teens growth in liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, particularly in pharma and industrial markets [11][27] - Recurring revenue increased mid-single digits, consistent with expectations for a quarter with two fewer days [11][28] - The chemistry consumables business saw MaxPeak Premier columns grow more than 30% [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Pharma sales grew 8%, industrial sales grew 6%, and academic and government sales grew 3% [25][26] - In China, sales grew 5%, with double-digit growth in industrial and academic/government applications [11][25] - India delivered revenue growth close to 20% in constant currency, driven by strong demand from generics manufacturers and CDMOs [18][61] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on operational excellence, innovation, and maintaining close customer relationships to navigate a dynamic macro environment [8][21] - The strategy includes launching differentiated new products and investing in capabilities to enhance competitive positioning [8][21] - The company raised its full-year constant currency sales growth guidance to 5% to 7% due to better-than-expected Q1 performance [22][33] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving 2025 objectives despite challenges from newly announced tariffs [9][38] - The company expects high single-digit earnings growth for the year, supported by strong sales volume and favorable foreign exchange movements [10][21] - Management noted that the pharma industry remains attractive, with strong innovation and customer spending [52][72] Other Important Information - The company established a cross-functional task force to assess tariff exposure and implement mitigation plans, limiting the net impact of tariffs to $10 million on adjusted operating margin for 2025 [24][36] - The company is actively evaluating M&A opportunities to enhance long-term shareholder value and may resume share repurchase programs in 2025 [31][99] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss the replacement cycle dynamics in pharma biotech? - Management noted strong double-digit growth in instruments, particularly in large pharma, with the replacement cycle well underway [45][46] Question: Have you seen any change in behavior related to tariffs from pharma customers? - Management indicated no significant change in behavior, with strong momentum continuing through the quarter [49][50] Question: What are your expectations for pricing this year? - Management expects 200 basis points of like-for-like pricing gains, with additional surcharges related to tariffs contributing another 50 basis points [56][57] Question: How do you view the growth in India? - Management expressed confidence in the sustainability of growth in India, driven by strong demand from generics manufacturers [60][61] Question: What is the impact of tariffs on your supply chain? - Management detailed actions taken to mitigate tariff impacts, including inventory adjustments and selective surcharges [64][66] Question: What are your expectations for China for the balance of the year? - Management anticipates low single-digit growth in China for the remainder of the year, despite a strong start [76][77] Question: What is the latest on the academic and government segment? - Management indicated that this segment is small, accounting for about 3% of total revenue, and has seen a significant decline forecasted for the rest of the year [86][89]

Waters (WAT) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 06, 2025 08:00 AM ET Company Participants Caspar Tudor - Head, Investor RelationsUdit Batra - President and CEOAmol Chaubal - Senior VP & CFOTycho Peterson - Managing DirectorPuneet Souda - Senior MDBrandon Couillard - Managing DirectorVijay Kumar - Senior Managing DirectorDan Arias - Managing DirectorDaniel Brennan - Managing Director Conference Call Participants Jack Meehan - Equity Research AnalystCatherine Schulte - Senior Research AnalystSung Ji Nam - Managing Dir ...

Q1 2025 Financial Performance - Q1 2025 revenue reached $662 million, reflecting a 7% growth in constant currency[6] - Recurring revenue experienced an 11% growth in constant currency[6] - Instrument sales increased by 4% as reported and 11% in constant currency[6] - Non-GAAP EPS for Q1 2025 was $2.25, a 2% increase, with a 7% growth in constant currency[6] Growth Drivers and Market Segmentation - Instrument sales showed strong growth, with Pharma up 14%, Industrial up 10%, and Academic & Government up 7% in constant currency[9] - Asia showed the strongest geographic growth at 13%, followed by the Americas at 6%, and Europe at 1% in constant currency[19] - Waters segment grew 8% while TA segment grew 1%[19] Innovation and Idiosyncratic Growth - Next-Gen Flagship HPLC sales grew over 3 times year-over-year, representing approximately 20% of HPLC sales[14] - Waters Xevo TQ Absolute sales grew 56% year-over-year[14] - QA/QC testing of GLP-1 drugs is expected to contribute an average 30bps growth annually from 2024 to 2030[15] - PFAS testing is a $400 million global market, estimated to grow approximately 20%[15] FY & Q2 2025 Guidance - The company projects constant currency revenue growth of +5% to +7% for FY 2025 and Q2 2025[21] - The company projects Non-GAAP EPS of $12.75 to $13.05 for FY 2025 and $2.88 to $2.98 for Q2 2025[21]

News Summary Empower Software is the industry's most established and compliant-ready chromatography data system (CDS), widely adopted globally and used to submit data for more than 80% of novel drugs to regulatory authorities.4 The new integration unlocks the ability to use MALS techniques in quality control for biotherapeutics, improving efficiency and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) readiness, while reducing end-user training in compliant settings. "Today's launch of Empower for Multi-Angle Light Scatt ...

Exhibit 99.1 For Immediate Release Contact: Caspar Tudor, Head of Investor Relations – (508) 482-2429 Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results Highlights First Quarter 2025 MILFORD, Mass., May 6, 2025 - Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), today announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2025. Sales for the first quarter of 2025 were $662 million, an increase of 4% as reported, compared to sales of $637 million for the first quarter of 2024, and an increase of 7% ...

Core Insights - Waters Corporation reported first quarter 2025 sales of $662 million, a 4% increase from $637 million in the same quarter of 2024, and a 7% increase in constant currency [1][12] - The company achieved diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.03 on a GAAP basis and $2.25 on a non-GAAP basis, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 2% in non-GAAP EPS, despite a five percentage point negative impact from foreign exchange [2][12] - The company raised its full-year 2025 guidance for constant currency sales growth to a range of +5.0% to +7.0% and non-GAAP EPS guidance to $12.75 to $13.05, indicating an expected year-over-year growth of approximately +8% to +10% [4][5][12] Financial Performance - First quarter 2025 sales growth was driven by an 11% increase in instrument sales in constant currency, particularly strong in the pharmaceutical and industrial markets [3][12] - The company reported net income of $121.4 million for the first quarter, compared to $102.2 million in the same period last year [23] - Operating income for the first quarter was $151.7 million, up from $133.8 million in the prior year [23] Guidance and Outlook - For the second quarter of 2025, Waters Corporation expects constant currency sales growth in the range of +5.0% to +7.0% and reported sales growth of +4.0% to +6.0% [6] - The projected non-GAAP EPS for the second quarter is expected to be between $2.88 and $2.98, representing a year-over-year growth of approximately +10% to +13% [6][24] - The company’s operational actions and improvements in foreign exchange are expected to mitigate the impact of tariffs and policy changes [3][12]

Core Viewpoint - The cruise industry is facing mixed signals, with Carnival's performance uncertain compared to competitors Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings [1][3][12] Group 1: Industry Performance - Royal Caribbean raised its guidance in its latest earnings report, while Norwegian reduced its guidance on net yield growth, indicating potential challenges in revenue generation [2] - Carnival holds a significant market share, with approximately 42% of all cruise passengers sailing on its ships, which positions it as an industry leader [7] - Cabin availability has been limited, with Carnival booking 103% of its capacity in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, allowing it to command higher prices [8] Group 2: Financial Health - Carnival has approximately $27 billion in total debt, a significant burden given its book value of $9.2 billion, which impacts its ability to service and pay down debt [4] - The company has made progress in debt reduction, paying off over $3 billion in fiscal 2024 and another $500 million in the first quarter, indicating it can manage current debt without refinancing [10] - In the fiscal first quarter, Carnival reported revenue of $5.8 billion, a 7% increase year-over-year, despite a quarterly loss of $78 million, suggesting that the loss may be temporary [9] Group 3: Future Outlook - Carnival plans to launch new ships, Festivale in 2027 and Tropicale in 2028, which could enhance its revenue if demand remains strong [5] - The company may need to slow its expansion if economic conditions force it to lower prices to attract customers, but it has demonstrated resilience in maintaining market leadership and expanding its fleet [13] - The stock has increased by around 20% over the last year but has fallen about 35% since late January, resulting in a price-to-earnings ratio of 12, the lowest since returning to profitability [11]

Core Insights - Analysts expect Waters (WAT) to report quarterly earnings of $2.22 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 0.5% [1] - Projected revenues for the quarter are $654.63 million, which is a 2.8% increase from the previous year [1] - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 0.2% higher in the last 30 days, indicating a collective reevaluation by analysts [1][2] Revenue Estimates - 'Net Sales- Water Division' is expected to reach $578.15 million, indicating a year-over-year change of +2.9% [4] - 'Net Sales- TA Division' is projected at $77.60 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +3.5% [4] - 'Net Sales- Product sales' is forecasted to be $379.44 million, suggesting a change of +0.9% year over year [4] Service and Product Sales Estimates - 'Net Sales- Service net sales- TA service' is estimated at $23.34 million, indicating a year-over-year decline of -3.8% [5] - 'Net Sales- Product Net Sales- Chemistry consumables' is expected to reach $138.45 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +3.2% [5] - 'Net Sales- Product Net Sales- TA instrument systems' is projected at $52.82 million, indicating a year-over-year change of +4.2% [6] - 'Net Sales- Service net sales- Waters service' is expected to be $249.33 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +5.5% [6] - 'Net Sales- Product Net Sales- Waters instrument systems' is forecasted at $188.18 million, indicating a year-over-year decline of -1.6% [7] Stock Performance - Waters shares have decreased by -4.1% over the past month, compared to a -0.7% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [8] - The company holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it is expected to closely follow overall market performance in the near term [8]

Core Viewpoint - Baron is an asset management firm that specializes in growth equity investment solutions, emphasizing a long-term and fundamental approach to investing [1] Company Overview - Founded in 1982, Baron has established a reputation for its active growth investing strategy [1] - The firm originated as an equity research company, which remains central to its operations [1] Communication Note - The account mentioned is not managed or monitored by Baron Capital, and inquiries should be directed through official channels [1]