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MTD or STE or WAT
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (MTD) vs. STERIS plc (STE) vs. Waters Corporation (WAT) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- MTD leads YTD performance at -19.35%, with Q1 2026 revenue up 7% to $947 million and adjusted EPS of $8.91 beating estimates, though shares dropped post-earnings.
- STE shows YTD decline of -17.96%, supported by steady Q3 FY26 revenue growth of 9% to $1.5 billion and adjusted EPS of $2.53 in line with expectations.
- WAT trails YTD at -6.50%, but Q1 2026 earnings surprised positively with revenue of $1.27 billion and EPS of $2.70 up 20% year-over-year, boosted by the BD acquisition.
- All three operate in life sciences and healthcare instruments, facing sector headwinds, but recent earnings highlight resilience in lab and sterilization demand.
- MTD boasts the highest market cap at $22.77 billion, followed by WAT ($34.86 billion) and STE ($20.36 billion).
- Relative performance reflects broader market volatility, with analysts maintaining moderate buy ratings across the board.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines MTD, STE, and WAT, three leaders in precision instruments for life sciences, healthcare, and analytical applications. These companies serve overlapping markets including pharmaceuticals, biotech, and research labs, where demand for lab equipment, sterilization solutions, and chromatography systems drives growth. Traders seeking exposure to healthcare innovation and investors tracking relative performance in a volatile sector will find value in analyzing their recent momentum, earnings beats, and positioning amid economic shifts. This review focuses on objective metrics from recent market activity to highlight contrasts in stock behavior and sentiment.
MTD Overview and Recent Performance
Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (MTD) is a global supplier of precision instruments and services, operating in laboratory balances, pipetting solutions, thermal analysis, and industrial scales across segments like U.S., Swiss, Western European, Chinese, and other operations. It caters to pharmaceutical, biotech, food, chemical, and logistics sectors.
In recent weeks, MTD reported Q1 2026 results with net sales up 7% to $947.1 million and adjusted EPS of $8.91, surpassing consensus estimates of $8.70. Local currency sales rose 3%, driven by lab instrument demand. Management raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $46.30-$46.95. Despite these beats, shares fell sharply post-earnings, trading at $1,124.46 with a YTD decline of 19.35%, reflecting broader sector pressures and analyst target adjustments. Sentiment remains supported by consistent outperformance in recent quarters.
STE Overview and Recent Performance
STERIS plc (STE) delivers infection prevention and healthcare products worldwide through Healthcare, Applied Sterilization Technologies (AST), and Life Sciences segments. Offerings include sterilizers, endoscope reprocessors, surgical equipment, contract sterilization, and cleanroom disinfectants for hospitals, pharma manufacturers, and research institutions.
Recent market activity shows STE posting Q3 FY26 revenue growth of 9% to $1.5 billion, with constant currency organic growth at 8%. Adjusted net income reached $249.4 million, or $2.53 per diluted share, matching estimates. The company maintained fiscal 2026 outlook amid strong segment performance. Shares trade at $207.45, down 17.96% YTD, influenced by foreign exchange swings and cost pressures, yet sustained above key moving averages in prior periods. Investor focus remains on upcoming Q4 results.
WAT Overview and Recent Performance
Waters Corporation (WAT) specializes in analytical workflow solutions, including liquid chromatography (LC), mass spectrometry (MS), and thermal analysis instruments via Waters and TA segments. It supports pharma R&D, quality control, environmental testing, and materials science with software integration.
Over recent weeks, WAT delivered Q1 2026 revenue of $1.27 billion, beating estimates despite a year-over-year dip, propelled by the BD Biosciences acquisition. Adjusted EPS rose 20% to $2.70, exceeding forecasts, with raised full-year guidance. Shares at $355.13 reflect a milder YTD drop of 6.50%, buoyed by acquisition synergies in diagnostics. Performance underscores resilience in core LC/MS demand amid lab spending caution.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
MTD, STE, and WAT share exposure to life sciences tools but diverge in focus: MTD's precision weighing and lab analytics emphasize broad industrial/pharma use; STE leads in sterilization and infection control via services; WAT dominates chromatography/MS for drug discovery.
Growth drivers include lab demand recovery for MTD and WAT, versus procedural volumes for STE. Recent momentum favors WAT's acquisition catalyst, while MTD and STE show earnings consistency amid YTD losses. Risks encompass FX volatility (STE), spending cuts (all), and integration hurdles (WAT). Valuation sensitivity is high across, with MTD at premium multiples; sentiment tilts positive on beats but pressured by sector peers.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors WAT due to its recent earnings surprise, acquisition-driven catalysts enhancing diagnostics positioning, and relatively milder YTD drawdown. Strong EPS growth and raised guidance signal trend consistency, though integration risks persist. MTD trails on post-earnings volatility despite beats, while STE offers stability. Probabilistic edge leans to WAT for near-term relative strength in life sciences.
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
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 whileSTE’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s), and WAT’s FA Score reflects 1 green FA rating(s).
- MTD’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- STE’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 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while STE’s TA Score has 6 bullish TA indicator(s), and WAT’s TA Score reflects 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- MTD’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
- STE’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 3 bearish.
- WAT’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
MTD (@Medical Specialties) experienced а +10.39% price change this week, while STE (@Medical/Nursing Services) price change was +6.45% , and WAT (@Medical Specialties) price fluctuated +5.34% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Medical Specialties industry was +8.88%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +11.83%, and the average quarterly price growth was +6.31%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Medical/Nursing Services industry was +2.65%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -0.04%, and the average quarterly price growth was -13.16%.
Reported Earning Dates
MTD is expected to report earnings on Jul 23, 2026.
STE is expected to report earnings on Aug 10, 2026.
WAT is expected to report earnings on Aug 04, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Medical Specialties (+8.88% 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.
@Medical/Nursing Services (+2.65% weekly)The medical/nursing services includes companies that provide medical-related services such as ambulance services, dialysis centers, respiratory therapy, blood testing and rehabilitation services. DaVita Inc., Chemed Corporation and Guardant Health, Inc. are examples of companies in this industry.
| MTD | STE | WAT | |
| Capitalization | 25.5B | 21B | 36.8B |
| EBITDA | 1.25B | 1.59B | 991M |
| Gain YTD | -9.356 | -14.460 | -1.427 |
| P/E Ratio | 27.34 | 25.27 | 45.58 |
| Revenue | 4.09B | 5.94B | 3.77B |
| Total Cash | 60.6M | N/A | 462M |
| Total Debt | 2.23B | 2.09B | 5.57B |
MTD | STE | WAT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 30 | 24 | 70 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 99 Overvalued | 8 Undervalued | 73 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | 76 | 81 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 2 | 67 | 85 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 50 | 60 | 45 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 58 | 83 | 21 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 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.
STE's Valuation (8) in the Medical Specialties industry is somewhat better than the same rating for WAT (73) and is significantly better than the same rating for MTD (99). This means that STE's stock grew somewhat faster than WAT’s and significantly faster than MTD’s over the last 12 months.
STE's Profit vs Risk Rating (76) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as WAT (81) and is in the same range as MTD (100). This means that STE's stock grew similarly to WAT’s and similarly to MTD’s over the last 12 months.
MTD's SMR Rating (2) in the Medical Specialties industry is somewhat better than the same rating for STE (67) and is significantly better than the same rating for WAT (85). This means that MTD's stock grew somewhat faster than STE’s and significantly faster than WAT’s over the last 12 months.
WAT's Price Growth Rating (45) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as MTD (50) and is in the same range as STE (60). This means that WAT's stock grew similarly to MTD’s and similarly to STE’s over the last 12 months.
WAT's P/E Growth Rating (21) in the Medical Specialties industry is somewhat better than the same rating for MTD (58) and is somewhat better than the same rating for STE (83). This means that WAT's stock grew somewhat faster than MTD’s and somewhat faster than STE’s over the last 12 months.
| MTD | STE | WAT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 78% | 2 days ago 73% | 2 days ago 72% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 72% | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 72% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 68% | 2 days ago 52% | 2 days ago 58% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 61% | 2 days ago 71% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 61% | 2 days ago 52% | 2 days ago 65% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 59% | 2 days ago 46% | 2 days ago 61% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 61% | 2 days ago 48% | 3 days ago 64% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 11 days ago 65% | 17 days ago 55% | 10 days ago 64% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 77% | 2 days ago 59% | 2 days ago 77% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 46% | 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% | +1.64% | ||
| A - MTD | 71% Closely correlated | +0.37% | ||
| TMO - MTD | 68% Closely correlated | +1.44% | ||
| BRKR - MTD | 67% Closely correlated | +0.03% | ||
| DHR - MTD | 64% Loosely correlated | +1.75% | ||
| AZTA - MTD | 61% Loosely correlated | +3.59% | ||
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STE and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, STE has been loosely correlated with LH. These tickers have moved in lockstep 50% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if STE jumps, then LH could also see price increases.
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% | -0.66% | ||
| A - WAT | 67% Closely correlated | +0.37% | ||
| RVTY - WAT | 63% Loosely correlated | -0.45% | ||
| TMO - WAT | 59% Loosely correlated | +1.44% | ||
| BRKR - WAT | 58% Loosely correlated | +0.03% | ||
| RGEN - WAT | 56% Loosely correlated | +1.20% | ||
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