WatersWAT -0.66%92 Days Payable is 47.42 as of Mar. 2026, which is 76% above its 10-year median of 26.93. GuruFocus rates WAT with a GF Score™ of 92/100 and a GF Value™ of $417.45 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 191 Medical Diagnostics & Research companies, Waters ranks worse than 67.54% on this metric.
Waters's average Accounts Payable for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $353 Mil. Waters's Cost of Goods Sold for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $679 Mil.
Hence, Waters's Days Payable for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was 47.42.
The historical rank and industry rank for Waters's Days Payable or its related term are showing as below:
WAT'
s Days Payable Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 21.16 Med: 26.93 Max: 44.09
Current: 44.09
During the past 13 years, Waters's highest Days Payable was 44.09. The lowest was 21.16. And the median was 26.93.
WAT's Days Payable is ranked worse than 67.54% of 191
companies
in the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry
Industry Median: 68.87
vs WAT: 44.09
Waters's Days Payable
increased
from Mar. 2025 (33.27) to Mar. 2026 (47.42).
It may suggest that Watersdelayed paying its suppliers.
Waters Days Payable Related Terms
Waters Days Payable Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Waters's Days Payable can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Diagnostics & Research subindustry, Waters's Days Payable, along with its competitors' market caps and Days Payable data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Waters Days Payable vs Medical Diagnostics & Research Industry
For the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry and Healthcare sector, Waters's Days Payable distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Waters's Days Payable falls into.
Days Payable indicates the number of days that the account payable relative to cost of goods sold the company has. An increase of Days Payable may suggest that the company delays paying its suppliers.
Waters's Days Payable for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Waters (WAT) has a Days Payable of 47.42 as of Mar. 2026. Days payable represents the average amount of days a company waits to pay its invoices from suppliers. View historical data on Waters and its competitors. This is 76% above median its historical median of 26.93. Over the past decade, Waters' Days Payable has ranged from 21.16 to 44.09. According to the industry distribution chart, Waters ranks #129 out of 191 companies in the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry, placing it in the top 67.5%.
Is Waters' Days Payable too high?
Waters' current Days Payable of 47.42 is 76% above median its 10-year median of 26.93. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 21.16 to a high of 44.09. The Medical Diagnostics & Research industry median Days Payable is 68.87. Waters' value of 47.42 is 31.1% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Waters ranks #129 out of 191 companies in the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Waters has a GF Score™ of 92/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Waters' Days Payable compare to A and NTRA?
According to the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry distribution chart, Waters ranks #129 out of 191 companies for Days Payable. This places Waters in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Days Payable is 68.87. Waters' value of 47.42 is 31.1% below this benchmark. Historically, Waters' own Days Payable has ranged from 21.16 to 44.09 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 26.93 vs. the industry median of 68.87, Waters has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Days Payable for a Medical Diagnostics & Research company?
The median Days Payable among Medical Diagnostics & Research companies is 68.87, based on 191 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Days Payable significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Days Payable should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Waters's current Days Payable of 47.42 is 31.1% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Days Payable mean?
A high Days Payable can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Days payable represents the average amount of days a company waits to pay its invoices from suppliers. View historical data on Waters and its competitors. For the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry, the median Days Payable is 68.87 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Waters's current Days Payable is 47.42, which is 76% above median its own 10-year median of 26.93. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Waters stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Waters (WAT) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $417.45, compared to a current price of $374.41 — trading 10.3% below its estimated fair value. The current Days Payable is 47.42, which is 76% above median its 10-year median of 26.93 and 31.1% below the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry median of 68.87. Waters' overall GF Score™ is 92/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Days Payable calculated?
Days Payable is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Waters (WAT), the current Days Payable is 47.42 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Waters (WAT) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Waters stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $374.41 is trading 10.3% below its estimated GF Value™ of $417.45.
GuruFocus considers Waters to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for WAT:
Days Payable: 47.42 (76% above median its 10-year median of 26.93)
GF Value™: $417.45 vs. price of $374.41 (10.3% below fair value)
Industry Position: 31.1% below the Medical Diagnostics & Research median (#129 of 191)
No single metric tells the full story. See the WAT stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Waters sells liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis tools. These analytical instruments provide essential information on various products, such as their molecular structures and physical properties, to help clients enhance the health and well-being of end users. In early 2026, Waters merged with BD's life science and diagnostics business, which increased its concentration in diagnostics (versus none now) and discovery-related life science tools.
92GF Score
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