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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 strong second-quarter 2026 results with 10% revenue growth, driving positive momentum in recent weeks, while WAT benefited from acquisition-related expansion in its first-quarter performance.
- Both stocks operate in the life sciences tools and diagnostics sector, with TMO offering broader scale and diversified end markets compared to WAT's more specialized analytical instruments focus.
- Year-to-date performance for both has been relatively flat against broader market gains, though WAT shows stronger one-year returns around 30% versus TMO's approximately 23%.
- TMO demonstrated recent price appreciation following earnings, while WAT awaits its second-quarter report scheduled for early August.
- Sector exposure to laboratory spending and research funding remains a shared driver, with acquisition integration adding a distinct catalyst for WAT.
- Relative positioning favors stability and recent catalysts for TMO in current market activity, balanced against WAT's growth trajectory from strategic expansion.
Introduction
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) and Waters Corporation (WAT) represent prominent players in the life sciences and analytical instrumentation space. This comparison examines their business models, recent stock behavior, and relative positioning amid evolving market conditions. Institutional investors, active traders, and portfolio managers seeking exposure to scientific tools and diagnostics may find the analysis relevant for assessing diversification within the sector. The review highlights contrasts in scale, growth drivers, and momentum without projecting future outcomes.
TMO Overview and Recent Performance
Thermo Fisher Scientific provides a wide array of scientific instruments, reagents, and services supporting research, diagnostics, and pharmaceutical development. In recent market activity, the stock showed resilience following its second-quarter 2026 earnings release, which highlighted revenue growth of 10% to $11.99 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $6.03. This performance contributed to upward price movement in late July. Broader influences include steady demand across academic and biopharma end markets, with year-to-date returns remaining near flat amid mixed sector sentiment. Recent weeks reflected improved trend consistency tied to earnings delivery and operational execution.
WAT Overview and Recent Performance
Waters Corporation specializes in high-performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis systems used in analytical laboratories. Recent performance benefited from the integration of an acquired biosciences business, which boosted first-quarter 2026 reported revenue to $1.267 billion with organic growth of 13%. Adjusted earnings per share rose 20% year-over-year. In recent market activity, the stock has traded with volatility ahead of its upcoming second-quarter report. One-year returns have outpaced those of broader peers in the sector, supported by expansion initiatives, though year-to-date results remain relatively contained.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Thermo Fisher Scientific operates at significantly larger scale with diversified revenue streams across instruments, consumables, and services, providing broader exposure to global research spending. Waters Corporation maintains a narrower focus on precision analytical tools but has accelerated growth through targeted acquisitions. Recent momentum favors TMO following its earnings beat, while WAT draws from integration progress and organic instrument demand. Risk factors include sensitivity to capital expenditure cycles in laboratories for both, with WAT carrying additional integration execution considerations. Sector sentiment remains tied to funding environments and biopharma activity. Market positioning shows WAT with comparatively stronger longer-term returns, offset by TMO's more consistent recent trend stability and earnings visibility.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as earnings delivery, trend consistency in recent weeks, and relative stability, Tickeron’s AI models currently assign a higher probabilistic preference to TMO. This assessment reflects the stock’s post-earnings momentum and broader operational resilience compared with WAT’s positioning ahead of its next report. The evaluation remains probabilistic and subject to evolving market data.
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.
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 Buy 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 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WAT’s TA Score has 6 bullish TA indicator(s).
- TMO’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- WAT’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 2 bearish.
Price Growth
TMO (@Medical Specialties) experienced а +1.06% price change this week, while WAT (@Medical Specialties) price change was +0.70% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Medical Specialties industry was +0.40%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -3.39%, and the average quarterly price growth was +6.80%.
Reported Earning Dates
TMO is expected to report earnings on Oct 28, 2026.
WAT is expected to report earnings on Aug 04, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Medical Specialties (+0.40% 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 | 213B | 37B | 576% |
| EBITDA | 12B | 991M | 1,211% |
| Gain YTD | -0.691 | -0.663 | 104% |
| P/E Ratio | 30.91 | 48.00 | 64% |
| Revenue | 46.3B | 3.77B | 1,228% |
| Total Cash | 4.06B | 462M | 880% |
| Total Debt | 42.5B | 5.57B | 763% |
TMO | WAT | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 37 | 19 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 12 Undervalued | 71 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 83 | 91 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 62 | 85 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 42 | 44 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 34 | 11 | |
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.
TMO's Valuation (12) in the Medical Specialties industry is somewhat better than the same rating for WAT (71). This means that TMO’s stock grew somewhat faster than WAT’s over the last 12 months.
TMO's Profit vs Risk Rating (83) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as WAT (91). This means that TMO’s stock grew similarly to WAT’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.
TMO's Price Growth Rating (42) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as WAT (44). This means that TMO’s stock grew similarly to WAT’s over the last 12 months.
WAT's P/E Growth Rating (11) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as TMO (34). This means that WAT’s stock grew similarly to TMO’s over the last 12 months.
| TMO | WAT | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 59% | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 65% | 4 days ago 72% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 57% | 4 days ago 61% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 68% | 4 days ago 67% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 61% | 4 days ago 63% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 61% | 4 days ago 60% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 62% | 12 days ago 63% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 8 days ago 63% | 8 days ago 64% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 54% | 4 days ago 66% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 58% | N/A |
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