Natera (NTRA) vs Waters (WAT)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Natera (NTRA) has outperformed Waters (WAT) over the past year, gaining 134.7% versus a gain of 37.0%. Over five years, NTRA leads with a +257.1% price change compared with +26.5% for WAT. Natera is the larger company by market cap ($55.90 billion vs $42.00 billion), about 1.3 times the size.
Waters converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 20.3% versus -9.0%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | NTRA | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $387.83 | $427.73 |
| Market cap | $55.90B | $42.00B |
| 1-day change | -1.96% | -1.89% |
| YTD return | +72.67% | +14.79% |
| 1-year return | +134.71% | +36.95% |
| 5-year return | +257.10% | +26.48% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 108.29 |
| Forward P/E | — | 25.86 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-1.35 | $3.95 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $2.31B | $3.17B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +35.90% | +6.99% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $-208.16M | $642.63M |
| Gross margin | — | 59.28% |
| Operating margin | -13.44% | 25.36% |
| Net margin | -9.03% | 20.30% |
| 52-week high | $437.41 | $454.54 |
| 52-week low | $167.99 | $282.77 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -11.34% | -5.90% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | -2.68% | +5.97% |
| Average volume | 1.44M | 769.63K |
| Shares outstanding | 144.14M | 98.19M |
| Employees | 6,135 | 16,000 |
| Sector | Health Care | Industrials |
| Industry | Medical Specialities | Biotechnology: Laboratory Analytical Instruments |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- NTRA has outperformed WAT by 97.8 percentage points over the past year.
- Waters is more profitable, keeping 20.3 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus -9.0 cents for Natera.
- Natera grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+35.90% vs +6.99%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Natera in Health Care and Waters in Industrials.
About Natera
NTRA stock →Natera, Inc., a diagnostics company, engages in the development and commercialization of molecular testing services worldwide. It offers Signatera, a personalized ctDNA blood test for MRD assessment, early recurrence monitoring, and evaluation of treatment response in patients previously diagnosed with cancer; Latitude, a blood-based MRD test for colorectal cancer; Altera, a tissue based comprehensive genomic profiling test; and Empower, a hereditary cancer screening test.
Health Care · Medical Specialities · 6,135 employees
About Waters
WAT stock →Waters Corporation provides analytical workflow solutions in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. The company operates through two segments, Waters and TA.
Industrials · Biotechnology: Laboratory Analytical Instruments · 16,000 employees
NTRA vs WAT FAQ
Which is bigger, Natera or Waters?
Natera (NTRA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $55.90B compared with $42.00B for Waters (WAT).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, NTRA or WAT?
NTRA returned +134.71% over the past 12 months, compared with +36.95% for WAT (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are Natera and Waters in the same industry?
No. Natera is in the Health Care sector, while Waters is in Industrials.