SNN vs. WAT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at SNN and WAT, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
SNN trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, WAT is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | SNN | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Smith & Nephew plc | Waters Corporation |
| Country | United Kingdom | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 16.19 billion USD | 17.79 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | November 16, 1999 | November 17, 1995 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of SNN 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 | SNN | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.60% | 0.41% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 30.35% | -14.21% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 34.08% | -20.91% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 18.10% | -11.05% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 18.97% | 3.53% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 39.50% | -19.42% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 3.24M | 0.59M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.40M | 0.69M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 34.25% | 38.80% |
| Beta | 1.16 | 1.06 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
SNN
9.09%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 34.53%
- Q3
- 19.38%
- Median
- 9.52%
- Q1
- 4.86%
- Min
- -7.58%
SNN’s Return on Equity of 9.09% is on par with the norm for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies 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)
SNN
8.26%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 23.34%
- Q3
- 13.06%
- Median
- 9.53%
- Q1
- 5.96%
- Min
- -3.87%
SNN’s Net Profit Margin of 8.26% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies 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)
SNN
12.75%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 29.44%
- Q3
- 17.80%
- Median
- 13.95%
- Q1
- 8.73%
- Min
- -3.56%
SNN’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.75% is around the midpoint for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies 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 | SNN | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 9.09% | 35.02% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 4.67% | 14.40% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 8.26% | 21.71% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.75% | 27.69% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 70.04% | 59.02% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
SNN
3.00
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 3.05
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.49
- Min
- 0.86
SNN’s Current Ratio of 3.00 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
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)
SNN
0.62
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.49
- Q3
- 0.71
- Median
- 0.45
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.00
SNN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.62 is typical for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies 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)
SNN
4.80
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 58.29
- Q3
- 25.56
- Median
- 9.06
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- -28.92
SNN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 4.80 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
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 | SNN | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 3.00 | 1.75 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.40 | 1.22 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.62 | 0.67 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 4.80 | 11.29 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
SNN
2.03%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.05%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.71%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.03%, SNN offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies 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)
SNN
66.60%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 160.00%
- Q3
- 72.47%
- Median
- 27.49%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
SNN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 66.60% is within the typical range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies 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 | SNN | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.03% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 66.60% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
SNN
32.78
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 73.48
- Q3
- 51.69
- Median
- 34.31
- Q1
- 25.74
- Min
- 11.47
SNN’s P/E Ratio of 32.78 is within the middle range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
WAT
26.76
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 26.76 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
SNN
2.71
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 9.53
- Q3
- 5.26
- Median
- 3.39
- Q1
- 2.13
- Min
- 0.00
SNN’s P/S Ratio of 2.71 aligns with the market consensus for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
WAT
5.81
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 5.81 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)
SNN
2.38
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 10.85
- Q3
- 5.98
- Median
- 3.48
- Q1
- 2.43
- Min
- 0.69
SNN’s P/B Ratio of 2.38 is in the lower quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
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 | SNN | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 32.78 | 26.76 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.71 | 5.81 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.38 | 9.62 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 20.20 | 28.57 |