ELV vs. WAT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ELV and WAT, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | ELV | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Elevance Health, Inc. | Waters Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Providers & Services | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 66.30 billion USD | 17.67 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | October 30, 2001 | November 17, 1995 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ELV and WAT by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ELV | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 3.86% | 6.77% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -29.34% | -19.05% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -24.60% | -27.77% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -44.01% | -10.97% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 4.01% | 2.79% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -20.19% | -19.99% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.48M | 0.95M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.17M | 0.71M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 51.88% | 41.52% |
| Beta | 0.59 | 1.06 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ELV
12.51%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 26.03%
- Q3
- 13.74%
- Median
- 8.26%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -3.62%
ELV’s Return on Equity of 12.51% is on par with the norm for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
WAT
35.02%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.96%
- Q3
- 11.55%
- Median
- 6.22%
- Q1
- 3.86%
- Min
- -6.95%
WAT’s Return on Equity of 35.02% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ELV
2.83%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.40%
- Q3
- 5.93%
- Median
- 1.96%
- Q1
- 0.93%
- Min
- -6.10%
ELV’s Net Profit Margin of 2.83% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
WAT
21.71%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 27.28%
- Q3
- 16.17%
- Median
- 7.24%
- Q1
- 3.00%
- Min
- -3.05%
A Net Profit Margin of 21.71% places WAT in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ELV
4.43%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.05%
- Q3
- 10.21%
- Median
- 4.22%
- Q1
- 1.98%
- Min
- -4.27%
ELV’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.43% is around the midpoint for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
WAT
27.69%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 33.15%
- Q3
- 19.34%
- Median
- 13.02%
- Q1
- 8.05%
- Min
- -4.38%
An Operating Profit Margin of 27.69% places WAT in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ELV | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 12.51% | 35.02% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 4.51% | 14.40% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 2.83% | 21.71% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 4.43% | 27.69% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | -- | 59.02% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ELV
0.23
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.01
- Q3
- 1.49
- Median
- 1.30
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.17
ELV’s Current Ratio of 0.23 falls into the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
WAT
1.75
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 4.76
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.85
- Q1
- 1.40
- Min
- 0.43
WAT’s Current Ratio of 1.75 aligns with the median group of the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ELV
0.69
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.17
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.00
ELV’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.69 is typical for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
WAT
0.67
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.75
- Q3
- 0.83
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.18
- Min
- 0.00
WAT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.67 is typical for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
ELV
7.67
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 7.15
- Median
- 5.45
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -4.44
ELV’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.67 is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
WAT
11.29
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 29.61
- Q3
- 23.24
- Median
- 6.07
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- -14.08
WAT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 11.29 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ELV | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.23 | 1.75 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.23 | 1.22 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.69 | 0.67 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.67 | 11.29 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ELV
2.31%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 5.38%
- Q3
- 2.22%
- Median
- 0.55%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.31%, ELV offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
WAT
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.80%
- Q3
- 0.78%
- Median
- 0.37%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WAT currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
ELV
28.40%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 186.69%
- Q3
- 74.82%
- Median
- 26.76%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ELV’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.40% is within the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
WAT
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 156.00%
- Q3
- 65.73%
- Median
- 23.81%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WAT has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ELV | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.31% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 28.40% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ELV
12.28
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 55.89
- Q3
- 30.85
- Median
- 21.17
- Q1
- 12.63
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, ELV’s P/E Ratio of 12.28 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
WAT
25.02
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 117.96
- Q3
- 65.59
- Median
- 37.26
- Q1
- 27.51
- Min
- 1.73
In the lower quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, WAT’s P/E Ratio of 25.02 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ELV
0.35
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 1.74
- Median
- 0.67
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
ELV’s P/S Ratio of 0.35 aligns with the market consensus for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
WAT
5.43
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.46
- Q3
- 6.70
- Median
- 4.24
- Q1
- 2.68
- Min
- 0.73
WAT’s P/S Ratio of 5.43 aligns with the market consensus for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ELV
2.01
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.61
- Q3
- 4.32
- Median
- 2.53
- Q1
- 1.14
- Min
- 0.77
ELV’s P/B Ratio of 2.01 is within the conventional range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
WAT
9.62
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.99
- Q3
- 4.69
- Median
- 3.30
- Q1
- 1.88
- Min
- 1.02
At 9.62, WAT’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ELV | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 12.28 | 25.02 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.35 | 5.43 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.01 | 9.62 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 12.44 | 26.72 |