What Happened?
Shares of water management manufacturer Watts Water (NYSE:WTS) jumped 10.2% in the morning session after the company reported strong fourth-quarter results that exceeded analysts' EPS expectations, with organic revenue slightly surpassing Wall Street's estimates. Margin expansion contributed to the earnings beat as improved pricing and productivity offset volume declines, inflation, and acquisition-related costs. The improved margins likely reassured investors, easing concerns over weak top-line growth. Notably, sales dropped 1% y/y on a reported basis and 5% organically, largely due to fewer shipping days. Looking ahead, sales guidance for 2025 was mixed, with projected revenue growth ranging from -3% to +2%, and adjusted operating margin is expected to be mostly flat. Overall, this quarter had some key positives.
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What The Market Is Telling Us
Watts Water Technologies’s shares are not very volatile and have only had 2 moves greater than 5% over the last year. Moves this big are rare for Watts Water Technologies and indicate this news significantly impacted the market’s perception of the business.
Watts Water Technologies is up 15% since the beginning of the year, and at $230.57 per share, has set a new 52-week high. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Watts Water Technologies’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $2,145.
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