Waters CorporationWAT
NYSE•Healthcare•Diagnostics & Research
Understand cash generation quality and how management allocates capital.
Free cash flow was $-42.00M in the latest quarter (116.2% decrease YoY). FCF margin is -1.1%. Shares outstanding increased by 138090.4% year-over-year, indicating dilution (potentially from stock compensation or capital raises). Free cash flow is the lifeblood of a business — it funds dividends, buybacks, debt reduction, and reinvestment without relying on external capital.
Free cash flow, earnings quality, and capital allocation