Cash & Equivalents
Waters Corporation Cash & Equivalents decreased by 21.4% to $462.00M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 20.7%, from $382.87M to $462.00M. Over 5 years (FY 2020 to FY 2025), Cash & Equivalents shows an upward trend with a 6.1% CAGR. This decline may warrant attention — for this metric, higher values are generally preferred.
Analysis
How to read this metric
An increase signals improved liquidity and financial flexibility, while a decrease may indicate heavy capital expenditure, debt repayment, or aggressive share buybacks.
Detailed definition
Represents the most liquid assets on the balance sheet, including physical currency and short-term investments with matu...
Peer comparison
Large-cap technology peers often maintain high cash balances to fund rapid innovation and offset the cyclical nature of consumer electronics.
cash_and_equivalentsHistorical Data
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $460.06M | $524.70M | $501.23M | $480.07M | $418.90M | $443.64M | $480.53M | $486.07M | $329.69M | $336.41M | $395.08M | $337.29M | $326.43M | $330.51M | $325.36M | $382.87M | $367.22M | $459.12M | $588.00M | $462.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | +14.1% | -4.5% | -4.2% | -12.7% | +5.9% | +8.3% | +1.2% | -32.2% | +2.0% | +17.4% | -14.6% | -3.2% | +1.3% | -1.6% | +17.7% | -4.1% | +25.0% | +28.1% | -21.4% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -8.9% | -15.4% | -4.1% | +1.2% | -21.3% | -24.2% | -17.8% | -30.6% | -1.0% | -1.8% | -17.6% | +13.5% | +12.5% | +38.9% | +80.7% | +20.7% |
Cash & Equivalents at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Waters Corporation's cash & equivalents?
- Waters Corporation (WAT) reported cash & equivalents of $462.00M in Q1 2026.
- How has Waters Corporation's cash & equivalents changed year-over-year?
- Waters Corporation's cash & equivalents increased by 20.7% year-over-year, from $382.87M to $462.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for Waters Corporation's cash & equivalents?
- Over 5 years (2020 to 2025), Waters Corporation's cash & equivalents has grown at a 6.1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $436.70M to $588.00M.
- What does cash & equivalents mean?
- Money in the bank and very short-term investments that can be turned into cash almost instantly.