Critical Contrast: Waters (NYSE:WAT) and Adagio Medical (NASDAQ:ADGM)
by Tristan Rich · The Markets DailyWaters (NYSE:WAT – Get Free Report) and Adagio Medical (NASDAQ:ADGM – Get Free Report) are both medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends and risk.
Volatility & Risk
Waters has a beta of 1.2, indicating that its stock price is 20% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Adagio Medical has a beta of 0.04, indicating that its stock price is 96% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares Waters and Adagio Medical”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Waters | $3.17 billion | 9.43 | $642.63 million | $10.77 | 28.25 |
| Adagio Medical | $600,000.00 | 46.27 | -$25.08 million | ($1.73) | -0.72 |
Waters has higher revenue and earnings than Adagio Medical. Adagio Medical is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Waters, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Profitability
This table compares Waters and Adagio Medical’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Waters | 20.30% | 34.79% | 16.29% |
| Adagio Medical | N/A | -312.04% | -66.00% |
Institutional and Insider Ownership
94.0% of Waters shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 48.1% of Adagio Medical shares are held by institutional investors. 0.6% of Waters shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 5.2% of Adagio Medical shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent recommendations for Waters and Adagio Medical, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Waters | 0 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 2.70 |
| Adagio Medical | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2.00 |
Waters currently has a consensus price target of $390.44, suggesting a potential upside of 28.34%. Adagio Medical has a consensus price target of $4.00, suggesting a potential upside of 220.00%. Given Adagio Medical’s higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Adagio Medical is more favorable than Waters.
Summary
Waters beats Adagio Medical on 12 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Waters
Waters Corporation provides analytical workflow solutions in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. It operates through two segments: Waters and TA. The company designs, manufactures, sells, and services high and ultra-performance liquid chromatography, as well as mass spectrometry (MS) technology systems and support products, including chromatography columns, other consumable products, and post-warranty service plans. It also designs, manufactures, sells, and services thermal analysis, rheometry, and calorimetry instruments; and develops and supplies software-based products that interface with its instruments, as well as other manufacturers' instruments. In addition, the company offers MS technology instruments are used in drug discovery and development comprising clinical trial testing, the analysis of proteins in disease processes, nutritional safety analysis, and environmental testing. Further, the company provides thermal analysis, rheometry, and calorimetry instruments for use in predicting the suitability and stability of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, water, polymers, metals, and viscous liquids for various industrial, consumer good, and healthcare products, as well as for life science research. Its products are used by clinical, pharmaceutical, biochemical, industrial, nutritional safety, environmental, academic, and governmental customers working in research and development, quality assurance, and other laboratory applications. The company was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Milford, Massachusetts.
About Adagio Medical
Adagio Medical Holdings, Inc., a developmental stage medical device company, focuses on the development and commercialization of ablation technologies for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. It offers treatment for cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and ventricular tachycardia. The company’s product portfolio includes iCLAS atrial ultra-low temperature cryoablation (ULTC) catheter and accessories; vCLAS ventricular ULTC catheter; and Cryopulse atrial pulsed-field cryoablation catheter and accessories. The company is based in Laguna Hills, California.