UTHR vs. WAT: United Therapeutics vs. Waters Stock Comparison
How do United Therapeutics (UTHR) 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
United Therapeutics (UTHR) and Waters (WAT) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but UTHR is classified in Biotechnology while WAT is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.
| Profile Item | UTHR | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Name | United Therapeutics Corporation | Waters Corporation |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Biotechnology | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Biotechnology | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 23.94 billion USD | 44.93 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 17, 1999 | November 17, 1995 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | UTHR | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 28.77% | 27.70% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 37.63% | 23.32% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 23.78% | 6.27% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | UTHR | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 35.00% | 35.45% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.49 | 1.13 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -33.00% | -36.47% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 694.55K | 816.72K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | UTHR | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.70 | 0.66 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 1.29 | 0.98 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 19.13% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Waters (WAT) at 1.12% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for UTHR.
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
19.13%
- Max
- 109.18%
- UTHR
- 19.13%
- 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%
Net Margin (TTM)
United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 38.61% 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.
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
38.61%
- UTHR
- 38.61%
- 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%
Operating Margin (TTM)
United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 28.99% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Waters (WAT) at 11.38%, which runs around its industry’s norm.
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
28.99%
- Max
- 83.12%
- UTHR
- 28.99%
- 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%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | UTHR | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 19.13% | 1.12% |
| ROA (TTM) | 10.91% | 2.36% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 38.61% | 1.76% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 28.99% | 11.38% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 86.34% | 49.83% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 10.61% 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.
EPS Growth
Both United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 13.07% and Waters (WAT) at 0.47% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | UTHR | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 10.61% | 6.99% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 18.02% | 2.12% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 13.07% | 0.47% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 22.92% | -2.84% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: United Therapeutics (UTHR) shows current ratio of 4.61 against its industry benchmark, while Waters (WAT) has no reading this period.
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.61
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- UTHR
- 4.61
- 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
- --
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Waters (WAT) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34 against its industry range, while United Therapeutics (UTHR) reports no figure this period.
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
--
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
- UTHR
- --
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
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | UTHR | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 4.61 | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | 0.34 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -1.53 | 3.23 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither United Therapeutics (UTHR) nor Waters (WAT) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- UTHR
- 0.00%
- 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%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither United Therapeutics (UTHR) nor Waters (WAT) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- UTHR
- 0.00%
- 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%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | UTHR | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 21.22 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.
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
21.22
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- UTHR
- 21.22
- 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
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 7.51 and Waters (WAT) at 8.01 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
7.51
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- UTHR
- 7.51
- Median
- 7.30
- 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
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 3.80 and Waters (WAT) at 2.94 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
3.80
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- UTHR
- 3.80
- Median
- 3.25
- 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
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | UTHR | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 21.22 | 191.46 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 7.51 | 8.01 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 3.80 | 2.94 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.90% | -- |