WAT Waters Corp

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) reported today first quarter 2015 sales of $460 million, an increase of 7% in comparison to sales of $431 million in the first quarter of 2014. Foreign currency translation reduced sales growth by 8%. On a GAAP basis, earnings per diluted share (EPS) for the first quarter of 2015 were $1.15 compared to $0.82 for the first quarter of 2014. On a non-GAAP basis, including the adjustments in the attached reconciliation, EPS were up 32% to $1.21 compared to $0.92 in the prior year quarter. A description and reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP EPS is attached and can be found on the Company’s website at http://www.waters.com under the caption "Investors".

Commenting on the quarter, Douglas A. Berthiaume, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Broad-based end customer, product and geographical demand characterized our exceptional organic revenue growth in the first quarter. In addition, increased operating margins contributed to strong double-digit growth in our adjusted earnings per share and solid cash generation.”

As communicated in a prior press release, Waters Corporation will webcast its first quarter 2015 financial results conference call this morning, April 28, 2015 at 8:30 a.m. eastern time. To listen to the call, connect to www.waters.com, choose “Investor Relations” and click on the “Live Webcast”. A replay will be available through May 5, 2015 at midnight eastern time, similarly by webcast and also by phone at 203-369-3616.

About Waters Corporation

For over 50 years, Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) has created business advantages for laboratory-dependent organizations by delivering practical and sustainable innovation to enable significant advancements in such areas as healthcare delivery, environmental management, food safety and water quality worldwide.

Pioneering a connected portfolio of separations science, laboratory information management, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis, Waters technology breakthroughs and laboratory solutions provide an enduring platform for customer success.

With revenue of $1.99 billion in 2014, Waters is driving scientific discovery and operational excellence for customers worldwide.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

This release may contain “forward-looking” statements regarding future results and events. For this purpose, any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words, “feels”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “expects”, “intends”, “suggests”, “appears”, “estimates”, “projects”, and similar expressions, whether in the negative or affirmative, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The Company’s actual future results may differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements within this release for a variety of reasons, including and without limitation, uncertainties relating to organizational/leadership transition plans; the impact on demand among the Company’s various market sectors from economic, sovereign and political uncertainties; fluctuations in expenditures by the Company’s customers, in particular large pharmaceutical companies; introduction of competing products by other companies and loss of market share; pressures on prices from competitors and/or customers; regulatory, economic and competitive obstacles to new product introductions; other changes in demand from the effect of mergers and acquisitions by the Company’s customers; increased regulatory burdens as the Company’s business evolves, especially with respect to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, among others; shifts in taxable income in jurisdictions with different effective tax rates; the outcome of tax examinations or changes in respective country legislation affecting the Company’s effective tax rate; the ability to access capital, maintain liquidity and service our debt in volatile market conditions, particularly in the U.S., as a large portion of the Company’s cash is held and operating cash flows are generated outside the U.S.; environmental and logistical obstacles affecting the distribution of products; risks associated with lawsuits and other legal actions, particularly involving claims for infringement of patents and other intellectual property rights; and foreign exchange rate fluctuations potentially affecting translation of the Company’s future non-U.S. operating results. Such factors and others are discussed more fully in the sections entitled “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” of the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” discussions are incorporated by reference in this release. The forward-looking statements included in this release represent the Company’s estimates or views as of the date of this release report and should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s estimates or views as of any date subsequent to the date of this release.

        Waters Corporation and SubsidiariesCondensed Unclassified Consolidated Balance Sheets(In thousands and unaudited)             April 4, 2015 December 31, 2014     Cash, cash equivalents and investments 2,109,045 2,055,388 Accounts receivable 394,370 433,616 Inventories 257,530 246,430 Property, plant and equipment, net 316,814 321,583 Intangible assets, net 213,108 232,371 Goodwill 350,021 354,838 Other assets 231,838 233,708 Total assets 3,872,726 3,877,934     Notes payable and debt 1,485,316 1,465,243 Other liabilities 525,170 518,025 Total liabilities 2,010,486 1,983,268   Total equity 1,862,240 1,894,666 Total liabilities and equity 3,872,726 3,877,934               Waters Corporation and SubsidiariesConsolidated Statements of Operations(In thousands, except per share data)(Unaudited)   (Unaudited) Three Months Ended April 4, 2015 March 29, 2014   Net sales $ 460,404 $ 430,508 Cost of sales 189,246 187,719   Gross profit 271,158 242,789   Selling and administrative expenses 119,751 126,635 Research and development expenses 28,951 24,746 Purchased intangibles amortization 2,474 2,647   Operating income 119,982 88,761   Interest expense, net (6,635 ) (6,031 )   Income from operations before income taxes 113,347 82,730   Provision for income tax expense 17,286 12,428   Net income $ 96,061 $ 70,302     Net income per basic common share $ 1.16 $ 0.83   Weighted-average number of basic common shares 83,025 84,977     Net income per diluted common share $ 1.15 $ 0.82   Weighted-average number of diluted common shares and equivalents 83,752 85,873  

Waters Corporation and SubsidiariesQuarterly Reconciliation of GAAP to Adjusted Non-GAAP Financials(in thousands, except per share data)

The 2015 and 2014 adjusted amounts presented below are used by the management of the Company to measure operating performance against prior periods and forecasts and are not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). These Non-GAAP amounts should be considered supplemental to, and not a substitute for, financial performance in accordance with GAAP. The Company believes that the use of Non-GAAP measures, such as Adjusted Non-GAAP Earnings Per Share (EPS) and Adjusted Non-GAAP Operating Income, help management and investors gain a better understanding of our core operating results, and is consistent with how management measures performance for purposes of executive compensation and forecasts the Company’s performance. The reconciliation identifies items management has excluded as non-operational items. Management has excluded the following items:

• Purchased Intangibles Amortization was excluded to allow for comparisons of operating results that are consistent over periods of time.
• Restructuring Costs, Asset Impairments, Acquisition-Related Costs and Other One-Time Costs were excluded as the Company believes that costs to consolidate operations, reduce overhead and complete acquisitions are infrequent or unusual and are not indicative of normal operating costs.
• Infrequent Income Tax Items were excluded as these costs and benefits are typically the result of audit examination settlements, updates in management's assessment of ongoing examinations or other unusual tax items and are not indicative of the Company’s normal or future income tax expense.

            (Unaudited) Three Months Ended April 4, 2015 March 29, 2014   GAAP Selling and Administrative Expenses (including Purchased Intangibles Amortization) $ (122,225 ) $ (129,282 ) Purchased Intangibles Amortization 2,474 2,647 Restructuring Costs, Asset Impairments, Acquisitions & Other One-Time Costs           1,272         8,318   Adjusted Non-GAAP Selling & Administrative Expenses         $ (118,479 )     $ (118,317 )     GAAP Operating Income $ 119,982 $ 88,761 Purchased Intangibles Amortization 2,474 2,647 Restructuring Costs, Asset Impairments, Acquisitions & Other One-Time Costs           1,272         8,318   Adjusted Non-GAAP Operating Income         $ 123,728       $ 99,726       GAAP Provision for Income Tax Expense $ (17,286 ) $ (12,428 ) Purchased Intangibles Amortization (704 ) (743 ) Restructuring Costs, Asset Impairments, Acquisitions & Other One-Time Costs (363 ) (2,760 ) Infrequent Income Tax Items           2,406         857   Adjusted Non-GAAP Provision for Income Tax Expense         $ (15,947 )     $ (15,074 )     GAAP Net Income $ 96,061 $ 70,302 Purchased Intangibles Amortization 1,770 1,904 Restructuring Costs, Asset Impairments, Acquisitions & Other One-Time Costs 909 5,558 Infrequent Income Tax Items           2,406         857   Adjusted Non-GAAP Net Income         $ 101,146       $ 78,621       GAAP EPS $ 1.15 $ 0.82 Purchased Intangibles Amortization 0.02 0.02 Restructuring Costs, Asset Impairments, Acquisitions & Other One-Time Costs 0.01 0.06 Infrequent Income Tax Items           0.03         0.01   Adjusted Non-GAAP EPS         $ 1.21       $ 0.92    

Waters CorporationJohn Lynch, 508-482-2314Vice President, Treasurer and Investor Relations