WATERS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
INDEX
PART I
Item 1.
Item 2.
Item 3.
Item 4.
PART II
Item 1A.
Item 6.
Item 2: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Business Overview
The Company has two operating segments: WatersTM and TATM. Waters products and services primarily consist of high-performance liquid chromatography (“HPLC”), ultra-performance liquid chromatography (“UPLCTM” and, together with HPLC, referred to as “LC”), mass spectrometry (“MS”) and precision chemistry consumable products and related services. TA products and services primarily consist of thermal analysis, rheometry and calorimetry instrument systems and service sales. The Company’s products are used by pharmaceutical, biochemical, industrial, nutritional safety, environmental, academic and government customers. These customers use the Company’s products to detect, identify, monitor and measure the chemical, physical and biological composition of materials and to predict the suitability and stability of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, water, polymers, metals and viscous liquids in various industrial, consumer goods and healthcare products.
COVID-19 Pandemic
Both the Company’s domestic and international operations have been and continue to be affected by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic that has led to volatility and uncertainty in the U.S. and international markets. The Company is actively managing its business to respond to the COVID-19 impact; however, the Company cannot reasonably estimate the length or severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the effect of the emergence of variants of the virus, or the related response, or the extent to which the disruption may materially impact the Company’s business, consolidated financial position, consolidated results of operations or consolidated cash flows in the future.
The COVID-19 pandemic has not had a material impact on the Company’s manufacturing facilities or those of the third parties to whom it outsources certain manufacturing processes, the distribution centers where the inventory is managed or the operations of its logistics and other service providers.
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Financial Overview
The Company’s operating results are as follows for the three months ended April 1, 2023 and April 2, 2022 (dollars in thousands, except per share data):
Revenues:
Product sales
Service sales
Total net sales
Costs and operating expenses:
Cost of sales
Selling and administrative expenses
Research and development expenses
Purchased intangibles amortization
Acquired in-process research and development
Operating income
Operating income as a % of sales
Other income, net
Interest expense, net
Income before income taxes
Provision for income taxes
Net income
Net income per diluted common share
Percentage not meaningful
The Company’s net sales decreased 1% in the first quarter of 2023 driven by weaker customer demand for our instrument systems as compared to the first quarter of 2022. Foreign currency translation decreased total sales growth by 4% in the first quarter of 2023 as the significant U.S. dollar strengthening that began in March of 2022 annualized, negatively impacting our sales and operating profits. In addition, the Company’s first quarter of 2023 had one less calendar day than the first quarter of 2022. At current foreign currency exchange rates, the Company expects that foreign currency translation would be neutral to sales for the remainder of 2023. Over the two-year period comparing the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2021, the Company’s net sales grew 6% annually.
Instrument system sales decreased 7% primarily on weaker customer demand in the U.S., Europe and China in the first quarter of 2023 as compared to the instrument system sales increase of 24% in the first quarter of 2022, which was broad-based across all existing and newly introduced LC, LC-MS and Thermal Analysis instrument systems. Foreign currency translation decreased instrument system sales growth by 4% in the first quarter of 2023. Recurring revenues (combined sales of precision chemistry consumables and services) increased 4% in the first quarter of 2023, with foreign currency translation decreasing sales growth by 4%.
Operating income was $174 million in the first quarter of 2023, a decrease of 11% as compared to $195 million in the first quarter of 2022. This decrease was primarily a result of higher salary expenses related to merit compensation and additional headcount increases, Wyatt acquisition due diligence costs and the negative effect of foreign currency translation which lowered operating income by approximately $16 million and $4 million during the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively.
The Company generated $197 million and $198 million of net cash flows provided by operating activities in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Net cash used in investing activities included capital expenditures related to property, plant, equipment and software capitalization of $34 million and $28 million in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively.
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On February 14, 2023, the Company entered into an agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding equity interests of Wyatt Technology for $1.4 billion in cash at closing, subject to customary adjustments. Wyatt Technology is a pioneer in innovative light scattering and field-flow fractionation instruments, software, accessories and services. The Company will finance this acquisition through cash on its balance sheet and existing borrowing capacity that is available on its revolving credit facility. The agreement contains certain customary termination rights, including the right of the sellers to terminate this transaction if it has not been completed by June 14, 2023, subject to automatic extension to August 14, 2023 if certain regulatory approvals are not obtained by such date. If this were to occur, the Company would be required to pay the sellers a one-time fee in the amount of $15 million if the agreement is validly terminated and not consummated in accordance with the closing conditions set forth in the agreement. This transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
In January 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the Company to repurchase up to $4 billion of its outstanding common stock over a two-year period. In December 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the extension of the share repurchase program through January 21, 2023. In December 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors amended and extended this repurchase program’s term by one year such that it shall now expire on January 21, 2024 and increased the total authorization level by $750 million to $4.8 billion. During the three months ended April 1, 2023 and April 2, 2022, the Company repurchased $58 million and $160 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock, respectively, under the share repurchase programs. While the Company believes that it has the financial flexibility to fund these share repurchases, as well as to invest in research, technology and business acquisitions, given current cash levels and debt borrowing capacity, it has temporarily suspended its share repurchases due to its recently announced agreement to acquire Wyatt Technology.
On March 3, 2023, the Company entered into an agreement to amend the credit agreement governing its revolving credit facility (the “2023 Amendment”). The 2023 Amendment increases the borrowing capacity by $200 million to an aggregate total borrowing capacity of $2.0 billion.
Results of Operations
Sales by Geography
Geographic sales information is presented below for the three months ended April 1, 2023 and April 2, 2022 (dollars in thousands):
Net Sales:
Asia:
China
Japan
Asia Other
Total Asia
Americas:
United States
Americas Other
Total Americas
Europe
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Geographically, the Company’s sales decline in the first quarter of 2023 can be attributed to the sales growth in Asia Other and Americas Other being offset by lower customer demand for our instrument systems in the U.S., Europe and China. Sales growth in the first quarter of 2023 was negatively impacted by foreign currency translation across most major regions, decreasing total sales growth by 4% in the first quarter of 2023 as the impact of the U.S. dollar strengthening that began in March 2022 annualized. The geographies that were the most negatively impacted by the strengthening of the U.S. dollar in the first quarter of 2023 were Europe and Japan, as the weakening of the euro and Japanese yen lowered sales growth in Europe and Japan by 4% and 13%, respectively, in the quarter.
Sales by Trade Class
Net sales by customer class are presented below for the three months ended April 1, 2023 and April 2, 2022 (dollars in thousands):
Pharmaceutical
Industrial
Academic and government
Sales to pharmaceutical customers decreased 7% in the first quarter of 2023 primarily due to a slower release of capital budgets by our customers and foreign currency translation decreasing pharmaceutical sales growth by 3%. Combined sales to industrial customers, which include material characterization, food, environmental and fine chemical markets, were flat in the first quarter of 2023, with foreign currency translation decreasing sales growth by 3%. Combined sales to academic and government customers increased 38% in the first quarter of 2023, with foreign currency translation decreasing academic and government sales growth by 7%. Sales to our academic and government customers are highly dependent on when institutions receive funding to purchase our instrument systems and, as such, sales can vary significantly from period to period.
Waters Products and Services Net Sales
Net sales for Waters products and services were as follows for the three months ended April 1, 2023 and April 2, 2022 (dollars in thousands):
Waters instrument systems
Chemistry consumables
Total Waters product sales
Waters service
Total Waters net sales
Waters products and service sales decreased 2% in the first quarter of 2023, with the effect of foreign currency translation decreasing Waters sales growth by 4%. Waters instrument system sales decreased 10% in the first quarter of 2023 due to weaker customer demand in the U.S., Europe and China. The increase in Waters chemistry consumables sales was primarily due to the continued strong demand in most major geographies, driven by the uptake in columns and application-specific testing kits to pharmaceutical customers, partially offset by the negative impact from foreign currency translation which decreased sales growth by 4%. Waters service sales increased in the first quarter of 2023 due to higher service demand billing, particularly in China and Europe, partially offset by the negative impact from foreign currency translation which decreased service sales growth by 5%.
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TA Product and Services Net Sales
Net sales for TA products and services were as follows for the three months ended April 1, 2023 and April 2, 2022 (dollars in thousands):
TA instrument systems
TA service
Total TA net sales
TA instrument system and service sales increased 6% and 8% in the first quarter of 2023, respectively, with foreign currency translation decreasing instrument system and service sales growth by 4% and 2%, respectively. The sales growth was primarily driven by strong customer demand for our thermal analysis instruments and services, particularly in the U.S. and Europe.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales were flat in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the first quarter of 2022, primarily due to the change in sales mix and the favorable impact from foreign currency translation which decreased costs by 1%. Cost of sales is affected by many factors, including, but not limited to, foreign currency translation, product mix, product costs of instrument systems and amortization of software platforms. At current foreign currency exchange rates, the Company expects foreign currency translation to be neutral to gross profit during 2023.
Selling and Administrative Expenses
Selling and administrative expenses increased 16% in the first quarter of 2023. This increase includes the Wyatt acquisition due diligence costs, which increased expenses by 6%. The remaining increase is attributed to investment in headcount to support higher-growth adjacencies, annual merit compensation increases, normalization of travel expenses to pre-COVID levels and timing of investments associated with product launch. The effect of foreign currency translation decreased selling and administrative expenses by 3% in the first quarter of 2023.
As a percentage of net sales, selling and administrative expenses were 26.6% and 22.8% for the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Research and Development Expenses
Research and development expenses increased 5% in the first quarter of 2023. The increase in research and development expenses in the first quarter of 2023 was impacted by additional headcount, higher salary expenses attributable to merit compensation increases and costs associated with new products and the development of new technology initiatives. The impact of foreign currency exchange decreased expenses by 4% in the first quarter of 2023.
Acquired In-Process Research & Development
In 2022, the Company completed an asset acquisition in which the CDMS technology assets of Megadalton were acquired for approximately $10 million in total purchase price, of which $5 million was paid at closing and the remaining $4 million will be paid in the future at various dates through 2029.
Other Income, net
During the first quarter of 2022, the Company sold an equity investment for $7 million in cash and recorded a gain on the sale of approximately $4 million in other income, net on the statement of operations. The Company also incurred $4 million in losses on an equity investment within other income, net on the statement of operations.
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Interest Expense, net
Net interest expense in the first quarter of 2023 increased $1 million, which was primarily attributable to higher debt levels and higher interest rates on our variable rate debt balances.
Provision for Income Taxes
The four principal jurisdictions in which the Company manufactures are the U.S., Ireland, the U.K. and Singapore, where the statutory tax rates were 21%, 12.5%, 25% and 17%, respectively, as of April 1, 2023. The Company has a Development and Expansion Incentive in Singapore that provides a concessionary income tax rate of 5% on certain types of income for the period April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2026. The effect of applying the concessionary income tax rate rather than the statutory tax rate to income from qualifying activities in Singapore increased the Company’s net income by $3 million and $5 million and increased the Company’s net income per diluted share by $0.05 and $0.08 for the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively.
The Company’s effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2023 and 2022 was 14.7% and 14.4%, respectively. The income tax provision includes a $2 million and a $4 million income tax benefit related to stock-based compensation for the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively. The remaining differences between the effective tax rates can primarily be attributed to differences in the proportionate amounts of pre-tax income recognized in jurisdictions with different effective tax rates.
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in thousands):
Depreciation and amortization
Stock-based compensation
Deferred income taxes
Acquired in-process research and development and other non-cash items
Change in accounts receivable
Change in inventories
Change in accounts payable and other current liabilities
Change in deferred revenue and customer advances
Other changes
Net cash provided by operating activities
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
Net cash used in financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash Flow from Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities was $197 million and $198 million during the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively. The decrease in 2023 operating cash flow was primarily a result of lower net income and higher inventory levels, offset by higher cash collections in 2023 compared to 2022. The changes within net cash provided by operating activities include the following significant changes in the sources and uses of net cash provided by operating activities, aside from the changes in net income:
The changes in accounts receivable were primarily attributable to timing of payments made by customers and timing of sales. Days sales outstanding was 91 days at April 1, 2023 and 81 days at April 2, 2022.
The increase in inventory can primarily be attributed to higher material costs as well as an increase in safety stock levels to help mitigate any future supply chain issues.
Net cash provided from deferred revenue and customer advances results from annual increases in new service contracts as a higher installed base of customers renew annual service contracts.
Other changes were attributable to variation in the timing of various provisions, expenditures, prepaid income taxes and accruals in other current assets, other assets and other liabilities.
Cash Flow from Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities totaled $34 million in the first quarter of 2023 and net cash provided by investing activities totaled $19 million in the first quarter of 2022. Additions to fixed assets and capitalized software were $34 million and $28 million in the first three months of 2023 and 2022, respectively. The cash flows from investing activities in 2023 and 2022 include $4 million and $6 million, respectively, of capital expenditures related to the major expansion of the Company’s precision chemistry consumable operations in the United States. The Company has incurred costs of $236 million on this facility through the end of the first quarter of 2023 and anticipates spending approximately $16 million to complete this new state-of-the-art facility for the remainder of 2023.
During the first three months of 2023 and 2022, the Company purchased $1 million and $9 million of investments, respectively, while $1 million and $54 million of investments matured, respectively, and were used for financing activities described below.
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During the first quarter of 2022, the Company paid $5 million for the CDMS technology and intellectual property right asset from Megadalton, and the Company is required to make an additional $4 million of guaranteed payments at various dates in the future through 2029. The total purchase price of approximately $10 million was accounted for as Acquired In-Process Research and Development and expensed as part of costs and operating expenses in the statement of operations in 2022.
Cash Flow from Financing Activities
The Company entered into a credit agreement in September 2021 governing the Company’s five-year, $1.8 billion revolving facility that matures in September 2026. On March 3, 2023 the Company entered into an agreement to amend such credit agreement. The 2023 Amendment increases the borrowing capacity by $200 million to an aggregate borrowing capacity of $2.0 billion. As of April 1, 2023, the Company had a total of $1.5 billion in outstanding debt, which consisted of $1.3 billion in outstanding senior unsecured notes and $175 million borrowed under its credit agreement. The Company’s net debt borrowings decreased by $95 million and $70 million during the three months ended 2023 and 2022, respectively.
As of April 1, 2023, the Company has entered into three-year interest rate cross-currency swap derivative agreements with a notional value $585 million to hedge the variability in the movement of foreign currency exchange rates on a portion of its euro-denominated and yen-denominated net asset investments. As a result of entering into these agreements, the Company lowered net interest expense by approximately $3 million and $2 million in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively. The Company anticipates that these swap agreements will lower net interest expense by approximately $10 million in 2023.
In January 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the Company to repurchase up to $4 billion of its outstanding common stock over a two-year period. This new program replaced the remaining amounts available from the pre-existing program. In December 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the extension of the share repurchase program through January 21, 2023. In December 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors amended and extended this repurchase program’s term by one year such that it shall now expire on January 21, 2024 and increased the total authorization level to $4.8 billion, an increase of $750 million. During the three months ended April 1, 2023 and April 2, 2022, the Company repurchased $58 million and $160 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock, respectively, under the share repurchase program. In addition, the Company repurchased $11 million and $10 million of common stock related to the vesting of restricted stock units during the three months ended April 1, 2023 and April 2, 2022, respectively. While the Company believes that it has the financial flexibility to fund these share repurchases, as well as to invest in research, technology and business acquisitions, given current cash levels and debt borrowing capacity, it has temporarily suspended its share repurchases due to its recently announced agreement to acquire Wyatt Technology.
The Company received $2 million and $13 million of proceeds from the exercise of stock options and the purchase of shares pursuant to the Company’s employee stock purchase plan during the first three months of 2023 and 2022, respectively.
The Company had cash, cash equivalents and investments of $487 million as of April 1, 2023. The majority of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents are generated from foreign operations, with $313 million held by foreign subsidiaries at April 1, 2023, of which $188 million was held in currencies other than U.S. dollars.
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Contractual Obligations, Commercial Commitments, Contingent Liabilities and Dividends
A summary of the Company’s contractual obligations and commercial commitments is included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023. The Company reviewed its contractual obligations and commercial commitments as of April 1, 2023 and determined that there were no material changes outside the ordinary course of business from the information set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K.
From time to time, the Company and its subsidiaries are involved in various litigation matters arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company believes that it has meritorious arguments in its current litigation matters and that any outcome, either individually or in the aggregate, will not be material to the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
During fiscal year 2023, the Company expects to contribute a total of approximately $3 million to $6 million to its defined benefit plans.
The Company has not paid any dividends and has no plans, at this time, to pay any dividends in the future.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
The Company has not created, and is not party to, any special-purpose or off-balance sheet entities for the purpose of raising capital, incurring debt or operating parts of its business that are not consolidated (to the extent of the Company’s ownership interest therein) into the consolidated financial statements. The Company has not entered into any transactions with unconsolidated entities whereby it has subordinated retained interests, derivative instruments or other contingent arrangements that expose the Company to material continuing risks, contingent liabilities or any other obligation under a variable interest in an unconsolidated entity that provides financing, liquidity, market risk or credit risk support to the Company.
The Company enters into standard indemnification agreements in its ordinary course of business. Pursuant to these agreements, the Company indemnifies, holds harmless and agrees to reimburse the indemnified party for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party, generally the Company’s business partners or customers, in connection with patent, copyright or other intellectual property infringement claims by any third party with respect to its current products, as well as claims relating to property damage or personal injury resulting from the performance of services by the Company or its subcontractors. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification agreements is unlimited. Historically, the Company’s costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims relating to such indemnity agreements have been minimal and management accordingly believes the estimated fair value of these agreements is immaterial.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
In the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023, the Company’s most critical accounting policies and estimates upon which its financial status depends were identified as those relating to revenue recognition, valuation of long-lived assets, intangible assets and goodwill, income taxes, uncertain tax positions, litigation and business combinations and asset acquisitions. The Company reviewed its policies and determined that those policies remain the Company’s most critical accounting policies for the three months ended April 1, 2023. The Company did not make any changes in those policies during the three months ended April 1, 2023.
New Accounting Pronouncements
Please refer to Note 12, Recent Accounting Standard Changes and Developments, in the Condensed Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including the information incorporated by reference herein, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
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Statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of the words “feels”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “expects”, “may”, “will”, “would”, “intends”, “suggests”, “appears”, “estimates”, “projects”, “should” and similar expressions, whether in the negative or affirmative. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the Company, including, and without limitation:
foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations potentially affecting translation of the Company’s future non-U.S. operating results, particularly when a foreign currency weakens against the U.S. dollar;
current global economic, sovereign and political conditions and uncertainties, including the effect of new or proposed tariff or trade regulations, changes in inflation and interest rates, the impacts and costs of war, in particular as a result of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the possibility of further escalation resulting in new geopolitical and regulatory instability, the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union and the Chinese government’s ongoing tightening of restrictions on procurement by government-funded customers;
the Company’s ability to access capital, maintain liquidity and service the Company’s debt in volatile market conditions;
risks related to the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects;
changes in timing and demand for the Company’s products among the Company’s customers and various market sectors, particularly as a result of fluctuations in their expenditures or ability to obtain funding, as in the cases of academic, governmental and research institutions;
the introduction of competing products by other companies and loss of market share, as well as pressures on prices from customers and/or competitors;
changes in the competitive landscape as a result of changes in ownership, mergers and continued consolidation among the Company’s competitors;
regulatory, economic and competitive obstacles to new product introductions, lack of acceptance of new products and inability to grow organically through innovation;
rapidly changing technology and product obsolescence;
risks associated with previous or future acquisitions, strategic investments, joint ventures and divestitures, including risks associated with contingent purchase price payments and expansion of our business into new or developing markets;
risks associated with unexpected disruptions in operations;
failure to adequately protect the Company’s intellectual property, infringement of intellectual property rights of third parties and inability to obtain licenses on commercially reasonable terms;
the Company’s ability to acquire adequate sources of supply and its reliance on outside contractors for certain components and modules, as well as disruptions to its supply chain;
risks associated with third-party sales intermediaries and resellers;
the impact and costs in connection with shifts in taxable income in jurisdictions with different effective tax rates, the outcome of ongoing and future tax examinations and changes in legislation affecting the Company’s effective tax rate;
the Company’s ability to attract and retain qualified employees and management personnel;
risks associated with cybersecurity and technology, including attempts by third parties to defeat the security measures of the Company and its third-party partners;
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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, and in connection with government contracts;
regulatory, environmental and logistical obstacles affecting the distribution of the Company’s products, completion of purchase order documentation and the ability of customers to obtain letters of credit or other financing alternatives;
risks associated with litigation and other legal and regulatory proceedings; and
the impact and costs incurred from changes in accounting principles and practices; the impact and costs of changes in statutory or contractual tax rates in jurisdictions in which the Company operates, specifically as it relates to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in the U.S.; and shifts in taxable income among jurisdictions with different effective tax rates.
Certain of these and other factors are discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” under Part I, Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements, whether because of these factors or for other reasons. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included in this report. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Item 3: Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
The Company is exposed to the risk of interest rate fluctuations from the investments of cash generated from operations. Investments with maturities greater than 90 days are classified as investments and are held primarily in U.S. dollar-denominated treasury bills and commercial paper, bank deposits and corporate debt securities. As of April 1, 2023, the Company estimates that a hypothetical adverse change of 100 basis points across all maturities would not have a material effect on the fair market value of its portfolio.
The Company is also exposed to the risk of exchange rate fluctuations. The Company maintains cash balances in various operating accounts in excess of federally insured limits, and in foreign subsidiary accounts in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. As of April 1, 2023 and December 31, 2022, $313 million out of $487 million and $472 million out of $481 million, respectively, of the Company’s total cash, cash equivalents and investments were held by foreign subsidiaries. In addition, $188 million out of $487 million and $336 million out of $481 million of cash, cash equivalents and investments were held in currencies other than the U.S. dollar at April 1, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. As of April 1, 2023, the Company had no holdings in auction rate securities or commercial paper issued by structured investment vehicles.
Assuming a hypothetical adverse change of 10% in year-end exchange rates (a strengthening of the U.S. dollar), the fair market value of the Company’s cash, cash equivalents and investments held in currencies other than the U.S. dollar as of April 1, 2023 would decrease by approximately $19 million, of which the majority would be recorded to foreign currency translation in other comprehensive income within stockholders’ equity.
There have been no other material changes in the Company’s market risk during the three months ended April 1, 2023. For information regarding the Company’s market risk, refer to Item 7A of Part II of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023.
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Item 4: Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The Company’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer (principal executive officer and principal financial officer), with the participation of management, evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Based on this evaluation, the Company’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of April 1, 2023 (1) to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its chief executive officer and chief financial officer, to allow timely decisions regarding the required disclosure and (2) to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
No change was identified in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the quarter ended April 1, 2023 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Part II: Other Information
Item 1: Legal Proceedings
There have been no material changes in the Company’s legal proceedings during the three months ended April 1, 2023 as described in Item 3 of Part I of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023.
Item 1A: Risk Factors
Information regarding risk factors of the Company is set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” under Part I, Item 1A in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023. The Company reviewed its risk factors as of April 1, 2023 and determined that there were no material changes from the ones set forth in the Form 10-K. Note, however, the discussion of certain factors under the subheading “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in Part I, Item 2 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. These risks are not the only ones facing the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to the Company or that the Company currently deems to be immaterial may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and operating results.
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Item 2: Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer
The following table provides information about purchases by the Company during the three months ended April 1, 2023 of equity securities registered by the Company under the Exchange Act (in thousands, except per share data):
Period
January 1, 2023 to January 28, 2023
January 29, 2023 to February 25, 2023
February 26, 2023 to April 1, 2023
Total
The Company repurchased approximately 36 thousand shares of common stock at a cost of $11 million related to the vesting of restricted stock during the first three months of 2023.
In January 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the Company to repurchase up to $4 billion of its outstanding common stock in open market or private transactions over a two-year period. This program replaced the remaining amounts available under the pre-existing authorization. In December 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the extension of the share repurchase program through January 21, 2023. In December 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors amended and extended this repurchase program’s term by one year such that it shall now expire on January 21, 2024 and increased the total authorization to $4.8 billion, an increase of $750 million. The size and timing of these purchases, if any, will depend on our stock price and market and business conditions, as well as other factors.
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Item 6: Exhibits
Description of Document
This exhibit shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any filing, except to the extent the Company specifically incorporates it by reference.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
WATERS CORPORATION
/s/Amol Chaubal
Amol Chaubal
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)
(Principal Accounting Officer)
Date: May 9, 2023
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