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MTD vs WAT
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Mettler-Toledo International (MTD) vs. Waters Corporation (WAT) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- MTD and WAT are leading providers of precision analytical instruments for life sciences and research, sharing sector exposure but differing in product focus.
- MTD delivered a 16% one-year return, outperforming WAT's -12% amid recent market volatility.
- Both stocks trade at similar forward PE ratios (price-to-earnings ratios) around 28-30, reflecting premium valuations in the scientific instruments space.
- Analyst price targets suggest 18% upside for MTD and 25% for WAT, driven by upcoming Q1 2026 earnings.
- Recent three-month performance shows both under pressure, with WAT down 19% versus MTD's 9% decline.
- Tickeron's AI tools highlight relative momentum, with stability favoring MTD in trend consistency.
Introduction
Mettler-Toledo International (MTD) and Waters Corporation (WAT) operate in the competitive scientific and analytical instruments sector, providing essential tools for pharmaceuticals, biotech, and research labs. This comparison analyzes their recent market performance, business drivers, and positioning amid economic uncertainties and sector headwinds like supply chain issues. Traders seeking short-term momentum or investors eyeing long-term growth in life sciences tools will find value in understanding their relative strengths, such as earnings trajectories and analyst sentiment. With both approaching Q1 2026 earnings, the analysis focuses on observable trends to aid informed decision-making in today's volatile environment.
MTD Overview and Recent Performance
Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (MTD) is a global leader in precision instruments and services, including laboratory balances, pipettes, and automated chemistry solutions for pharma and food safety applications. In recent market activity, MTD shares have shown resilience, with one-month returns near flat at +0.03% and a one-year gain of 16.12%, trading around $1,260 with a market capitalization (market cap) of approximately $25 billion. Beta (a measure of stock volatility relative to the market) stands at 1.13-1.31, indicating moderate sensitivity to broader indices. Sentiment has been influenced by anticipation for Q1 2026 earnings, where analysts expect EPS growth, alongside price target adjustments from firms like Barclays and Evercore ISI. Three-month declines of 8.56% reflect sector pressures, but recent outperformance versus peers signals stabilizing momentum.
WAT Overview and Recent Performance
Waters Corporation (WAT) specializes in chromatography, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis systems, serving drug discovery and materials science markets worldwide. Recent weeks have seen WAT stock exhibit one-month gains of about 1%, trading near $307 with a market cap of roughly $30 billion. Its PE ratio hovers at 28, with beta at 0.97-1.14, suggesting lower volatility. Performance has faced headwinds, including a 19% three-month drop and 12% one-year decline, tied to revenue slowdown concerns despite consistent earnings beats. Positive factors include upcoming Q1 earnings on May 5, 2026, with Earnings Surprise Prediction (ESP) optimism and innovations like FDA-cleared self-collection kits boosting sentiment in recent market activity.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
MTD emphasizes precision weighing and lab automation, driving higher margins (around 28%) versus WAT's chromatography focus (26.5% margins), with both benefiting from pharma R&D demand but exposed to China sales volatility. Growth drivers differ: MTD leverages food and industrial diversification, while WAT targets diagnostics expansion. Recent momentum favors MTD's flat one-month stability over WAT's sharper quarterly pullback. Risk factors include high betas and earnings sensitivity for both, with WAT showing higher short interest. Market sentiment tilts toward WAT for upside potential, but MTD edges in moat strength and peer outperformance.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron's AI currently leans toward MTD based on superior one-year trend consistency, lower recent drawdowns, and stronger relative stability in scientific instruments positioning. While WAT offers greater analyst-implied upside, MTD's catalysts like earnings growth probability provide a probabilistic edge in the near term.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is MTD is a Hold and WAT is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
MTD’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileWAT’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- MTD’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- WAT’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
MTD’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WAT’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- MTD’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- WAT’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
MTD (@Medical Specialties) experienced а -0.96% price change this week, while WAT (@Medical Specialties) price change was -2.86% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Medical Specialties industry was -1.68%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +5.76%, and the average quarterly price growth was -4.62%.
Reported Earning Dates
MTD is expected to report earnings on Jul 23, 2026.
WAT is expected to report earnings on Aug 04, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Medical Specialties (-1.68% weekly)Medical specialties are companies that make equipment used by the health care industry. Equipment manufactured and distributed by these companies include dialysis machines, blood analysis equipment, surgical equipment, dental instruments, and diagnostic tools, among other items. Large companies typically aim to produce and distribute high-quality products across a broad market spectrum. Smaller firms are more likely to specialize in a particular market segment. Due to the industry’s close association with medical treatments, they typically have low sensitivity to macroeconomic fluctuations. Within this industry, Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic Plc and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. are some of the companies with multi-billion market capitalizations in the U.S. stock markets.
| MTD | WAT | MTD / WAT | |
| Capitalization | 22.8B | 35.1B | 65% |
| EBITDA | 1.25B | 991M | 127% |
| Gain YTD | -18.983 | -6.011 | 316% |
| P/E Ratio | 26.53 | 45.42 | 58% |
| Revenue | 4.09B | 3.77B | 108% |
| Total Cash | 60.6M | 462M | 13% |
| Total Debt | 2.23B | 5.57B | 40% |
MTD | WAT | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 20 | 79 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 99 Overvalued | 73 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | 80 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 2 | 85 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 54 | 47 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 61 | 22 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
WAT's Valuation (73) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as MTD (99). This means that WAT’s stock grew similarly to MTD’s over the last 12 months.
WAT's Profit vs Risk Rating (80) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as MTD (100). This means that WAT’s stock grew similarly to MTD’s over the last 12 months.
MTD's SMR Rating (2) in the Medical Specialties industry is significantly better than the same rating for WAT (85). This means that MTD’s stock grew significantly faster than WAT’s over the last 12 months.
WAT's Price Growth Rating (47) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as MTD (54). This means that WAT’s stock grew similarly to MTD’s over the last 12 months.
WAT's P/E Growth Rating (22) in the Medical Specialties industry is somewhat better than the same rating for MTD (61). This means that WAT’s stock grew somewhat faster than MTD’s over the last 12 months.
| MTD | WAT | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 71% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 57% | 2 days ago 58% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 61% | 2 days ago 79% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 73% | 2 days ago 64% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 65% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 59% | 2 days ago 61% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 17 days ago 61% | 2 days ago 64% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 10 days ago 65% | 6 days ago 64% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 70% | 2 days ago 67% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 58% | 2 days ago 55% |
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MTD and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, MTD has been closely correlated with A. These tickers have moved in lockstep 71% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if MTD jumps, then A could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To MTD | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTD | 100% | -1.91% | ||
| A - MTD | 71% Closely correlated | -3.12% | ||
| TMO - MTD | 67% Closely correlated | -2.31% | ||
| BRKR - MTD | 67% Closely correlated | -1.90% | ||
| DHR - MTD | 63% Loosely correlated | -1.98% | ||
| AZTA - MTD | 61% Loosely correlated | -1.97% | ||
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WAT and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, WAT has been closely correlated with A. These tickers have moved in lockstep 67% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if WAT jumps, then A could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To WAT | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAT | 100% | -0.98% | ||
| A - WAT | 67% Closely correlated | -3.12% | ||
| RVTY - WAT | 63% Loosely correlated | -3.36% | ||
| TMO - WAT | 59% Loosely correlated | -2.31% | ||
| BRKR - WAT | 58% Loosely correlated | -1.90% | ||
| RGEN - WAT | 56% Loosely correlated | +1.44% | ||
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