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QGEN vs. WAT: Qiagen vs. Waters Stock Comparison

How do Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT) are both classified in the Life Sciences Tools & Services sub-industry within the broader Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT)
Profile ItemQGENWAT
NameQiagen N.V.Waters Corporation
Country/RegionNetherlandsUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryLife Sciences Tools & ServicesLife Sciences Tools & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryLife Sciences Tools & ServicesLife Sciences Tools & Services
Market Capitalization10.39 billion USD44.93 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 28, 1996November 17, 1995
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

QGEN
WAT
GSPC
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT)
MetricQGENWAT
Total Return (1Y)17.09%27.70%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)10.44%23.32%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-0.72%6.27%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

QGEN
WAT
GSPC
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT)
MetricQGENWAT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)35.52%35.45%
Beta (5Y)0.561.13
Max Drawdown (5Y)-41.97%-36.47%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.68M816.72K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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QGEN and WAT are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT)
MetricQGENWAT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.360.66
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.600.98

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Qiagen (QGEN) at 10.81% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Waters (WAT) at 1.12% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for QGEN.

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

10.81%

Max
109.18%
QGEN
10.81%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.12%

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
WAT
1.12%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Qiagen (QGEN) at 18.20% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Waters (WAT) at 1.76% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

18.20%

QGEN
18.20%
Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.76%

Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
WAT
1.76%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Qiagen (QGEN) at 27.75% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Waters (WAT) at 11.38%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

27.75%

Max
83.12%
QGEN
27.75%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

11.38%

Max
83.12%
Q3
14.77%
WAT
11.38%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT)
MetricQGENWAT
ROE (TTM)10.81%1.12%
ROA (TTM)5.68%2.36%
Net Margin (TTM)18.20%1.76%
Operating Margin (TTM)27.75%11.38%
Gross Margin (TTM)67.06%49.83%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Qiagen (QGEN) at 5.65% and Waters (WAT) at 6.99% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Qiagen (QGEN) at 409.76% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than Waters (WAT) at 0.47%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT)
MetricQGENWAT
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.65%6.99%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.81%2.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)409.76%0.47%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.19%-2.84%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: Qiagen (QGEN) shows current ratio of 2.63 against its industry benchmark, while Waters (WAT) has no reading this period.

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.63

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
QGEN
2.63
Q1
2.47
Min
0.10

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
Min
0.10
WAT
--
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): WAT does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; QGEN is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Qiagen (QGEN) at 0.47 and Waters (WAT) at 0.34 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.47

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
QGEN
0.47
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.34

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
WAT
0.34
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT)
MetricQGENWAT
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.63--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.470.34
Net Debt / EBITDA1.083.23

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Waters (WAT) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Qiagen (QGEN) reports a yield of 0.71%, ranking against industry peers normally.

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.71%

QGEN
0.71%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

WAT
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Waters (WAT) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Qiagen (QGEN) reports a payout of 18.21%, ranking against industry peers normally.

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

18.21%

QGEN
18.21%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

WAT
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT)
MetricQGENWAT
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.71%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)18.21%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Qiagen (QGEN) at 27.21 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Waters (WAT) at 191.46 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for WAT’s trailing earnings.

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

27.21

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
QGEN
27.21
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

191.46

WAT
191.46
Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Qiagen (QGEN) at 4.91 and Waters (WAT) at 8.01 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

4.91

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
QGEN
4.91
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

8.01

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
WAT
8.01
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Qiagen (QGEN) at 2.99 and Waters (WAT) at 2.94 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.99

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
QGEN
2.99
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.94

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
WAT
2.94
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
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Qiagen (QGEN) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Qiagen (QGEN) and Waters (WAT)
MetricQGENWAT
P/E Ratio (TTM)27.21191.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.918.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.992.94
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.62%--