A vs Waters: which stock is doing better?
A and Waters are business rivals. Where they compete: LC, LC-MS instruments, columns and consumables for pharma/biotech/academic labs. Here is how the two stocks, and the businesses behind them, compare over the past year.
Updated Oct 9, 2026
Close call
On Stox’s P3 score, A rates 28 and Waters 27, too close to call. Over the past year A is +21% and Waters +32%, against +16% for the S&P 500. Waters has grown revenue faster, +26% against +8%. Both are the Speculative Pop type.
The past year
A against WAT, each set to $100 a year ago. Select a measure in the table below to chart it for both.
A and WAT side by side
Ahead marks the stronger reading on each line; for the typical day and the deepest fall it marks the steadier stock. Select a row with a chart to see both over the year.
| Measure | A | WAT | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
P3 score Market beat, staying power and business growth combined | 28Weak | 27Weak | A |
Past year Share price change | +21% | +32% | WAT |
Past 3 months Share price change | +27% | +16% | A |
Past month Share price change | +19% | +8% | A |
Market beat Return against the market, past year | 73Strong | 84Strong | WAT |
Staying power How steadily it has led, 52 weeks | 26Weak | 13Weak | A |
Business growth Revenue, margins and cash flow growth | 12Weak | 19Weak | WAT |
Money flow Buying against selling on volume, 60 days | 80Strong | 92Strong | WAT |
Revenue growth Past four quarters against the year before | +8% | +26% | WAT |
Operating margin Operating profit as a share of revenue, past four quarters | 21% | 17% | A |
Typical day Average daily move over the past year | 2.8% | 3.1% | A, calmer |
Deepest fall From a high, past year | −30% | −31% | A, held up |
Market value What the market values the company at | $48.2B | $42.6B | |
Type Its Stox Atlas type | Speculative Pop | Speculative Pop | |
Group Stocks it moves with | Health care | Health care | Same group |
How to read this page
How it’s measured. Scores from Stox rank each stock against about 1,200 large US stocks and funds, where 100 is best; P3 combines market beat, staying power and business growth. Returns are share-price changes. The typical day is the average true range over 14 days as a share of the price, averaged over the past year.
Sources. Daily prices and company financial statements from Financial Modeling Prep; scores and curated rivals from Stox.
A higher score describes a stronger past year, not what comes next.
Rivals are chosen by the markets the two businesses compete in, not by sector labels.
For financial statements, valuation and news, see A and WAT on Stox.
This page is information, not investment advice. About our data and methods ›