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TMO vs WAT
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) vs. Waters Corporation (WAT) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- TMO reported Q1 2026 revenue growth of 6% to $11.01 billion, beating estimates, while WAT prepares for its Q1 earnings on May 5, 2026.
- Both stocks have declined about 19% year-to-date (YTD), but TMO outperforms over one year with +11% return versus WAT's -12%.
- TMO trades at a lower price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 25.8 compared to WAT's 28.5, with a larger market cap of $174 billion versus $30 billion.
- Analyst price targets suggest 32% upside for TMO to $620 versus 25% for WAT to $386.
- TMO shows lower volatility with a beta of 0.88, compared to WAT's 1.14.
Introduction
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) and Waters Corporation (WAT) are leading providers of analytical instruments and services critical to life sciences research, pharmaceuticals, and diagnostics. This comparison examines their recent market performance, financial metrics, and strategic developments in a volatile healthcare sector environment. Investors seeking exposure to scientific tools and biopharma enablers, as well as traders monitoring relative momentum, will find insights into growth drivers, risks, and positioning amid ongoing recovery in biotech demand.
TMO Overview and Recent Performance
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) is a diversified giant in life sciences solutions, spanning instruments, consumables, software, and services for research, analysis, and manufacturing. In recent weeks, shares have traded around $469, down about 4% over the past month amid broader market pressures. Q1 2026 results showed revenue up 6% to $11.01 billion and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $5.44, surpassing estimates, driven by pharma/biotech strength and the Clario acquisition. Key developments include a $1 billion sale of its microbiology business to Astorg and the opening of a U.S. bioprocess design center to boost therapy manufacturing. These moves refocus on high-growth areas, supporting raised full-year guidance and positive analyst sentiment, though YTD declines reflect sector headwinds.
WAT Overview and Recent Performance
Waters Corporation (WAT) specializes in analytical instruments like chromatography and mass spectrometry systems for pharma, food, and environmental testing. Shares hover near $307, up slightly over the past month by 1% despite YTD losses of 19%. Recent highlights feature FDA clearance for its Onclarity HPV Self-Collection Kit, advancing at-home diagnostics, alongside analyst upgrades from Evercore ISI and Barclays. Q4 2025 revenue grew 7% to $3.17 billion annually, with Q1 2026 earnings due May 5 expected at $2.31 EPS. Sentiment is buoyed by innovation in high-margin tools, though one-year underperformance versus peers stems from cyclical demand fluctuations in core markets.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
TMO boasts a broader business model with integrated services and biopharma manufacturing, contrasting WAT's niche focus on precision analytical tools. Growth drivers differ: TMO leverages scale via acquisitions like Clario ($8.9 billion), while WAT emphasizes product innovation such as HPV kits. Recent momentum favors WAT short-term (+1% monthly vs. -4%), but TMO leads annually (+11% vs. -12%). Risk profiles highlight TMO's lower beta (0.88) for stability versus WAT's higher sensitivity (1.14). Both face biotech funding cycles, but TMO's $174 billion market cap offers sector exposure depth, trading at a discount P/E amid similar margins.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron's AI currently leans toward TMO based on superior trend consistency, recent earnings beats, strategic divestitures, and higher analyst upside potential. Its lower volatility and raised guidance position it favorably amid biopharma recovery, though WAT could gain post-earnings if results impress. Relative stability tips the scale probabilistically for TMO 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 TMO 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).
TMO’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileWAT’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- TMO’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.
TMO’s TA Score shows that 2 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WAT’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- TMO’s TA Score: 2 bullish, 8 bearish.
- WAT’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
TMO (@Medical Specialties) experienced а -4.13% price change this week, while WAT (@Medical Specialties) price change was -1.70% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Medical Specialties industry was -1.17%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +8.92%, and the average quarterly price growth was -2.29%.
Reported Earning Dates
TMO is expected to report earnings on Jul 29, 2026.
WAT is expected to report earnings on Aug 04, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Medical Specialties (-1.17% 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.
| TMO | WAT | TMO / WAT | |
| Capitalization | 173B | 34.9B | 496% |
| EBITDA | 11.7B | 991M | 1,181% |
| Gain YTD | -20.164 | -6.011 | 335% |
| P/E Ratio | 25.54 | 45.22 | 56% |
| Revenue | 45.2B | 3.77B | 1,199% |
| Total Cash | 1.12B | 462M | 242% |
| Total Debt | 43.2B | 5.57B | 776% |
TMO | WAT | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 78 | 71 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 12 Undervalued | 73 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 96 | 84 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 62 | 85 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 54 | 48 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 42 | 21 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 75 | 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.
TMO's Valuation (12) in the Medical Specialties industry is somewhat better than the same rating for WAT (73). This means that TMO’s stock grew somewhat faster than WAT’s over the last 12 months.
WAT's Profit vs Risk Rating (84) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as TMO (96). This means that WAT’s stock grew similarly to TMO’s over the last 12 months.
TMO's SMR Rating (62) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as WAT (85). This means that TMO’s stock grew similarly to WAT’s over the last 12 months.
WAT's Price Growth Rating (48) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as TMO (54). This means that WAT’s stock grew similarly to TMO’s over the last 12 months.
WAT's P/E Growth Rating (21) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as TMO (42). This means that WAT’s stock grew similarly to TMO’s over the last 12 months.
| TMO | WAT | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 50% | 1 day ago 68% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 62% | 1 day ago 64% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 56% | 1 day ago 73% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 50% | 1 day ago 67% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 61% | 1 day ago 65% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 61% | 1 day ago 61% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 18 days ago 62% | 3 days ago 64% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 63% | 1 day ago 64% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 57% | 1 day ago 64% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 57% | 1 day ago 55% |
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TMO and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, TMO has been closely correlated with A. These tickers have moved in lockstep 80% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if TMO jumps, then A could also see price increases.