Compare Stocks › META vs WAT
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) vs Waters Corporation (WAT)
META
Meta Platforms, Inc.
$606.70
VS
WAT
Waters Corporation
$299.57
Rewards
META
- ★Meta Platforms, Inc. has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
- ★Gross margin of 82.0% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
- ★Meta Platforms, Inc. scores 80/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.
WAT
- ★Waters Corporation has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
- ★Waters Corporation scores 89/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with margin stability as the strongest competitive dimension.
- ★Return on equity has consistently exceeded 20% over 4 years, indicating efficient use of shareholder capital.
Risks
META
- ⚠PEG ratio of 2.41 indicates the stock is expensive relative to its expected growth — the market may be pricing in more growth than analysts project.
- ⚠14 insider sales totaling $9.6M with no purchases in the past 3 months — insiders are reducing their exposure.
WAT
- ⚠Despite buyback spending, shares outstanding increased in 3 out of 4 years — stock-based compensation is offsetting repurchases.
- ⚠FCF yield of 1.5% is below 3%, meaning the market is pricing in substantial future growth to justify the current price.
Key Valuation Metrics
Learn more →META
WAT
Valuation
$46.11B
Free Cash Flow
$427.16M
3.00%
FCF Yield
1.45%
25.84
Trailing P/E
27.87
16.91
Forward P/E
18.40
Quality & Moat
21.70%
ROIC
20.56%
27.83%
ROE
25.09%
82.00%
Gross Margin
59.28%
2.41
PEG Ratio
N/A
Balance Sheet Safety
0.39
Debt / Equity
0.60
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
0.03
Net Debt / EBITDA
0.87
0.35%
Dividend Yield
N/A
META: 9Ties: 1WAT: 0
METAWAT
Historical Fundamentals
Learn more →META
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.
WAT
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.
$1 Retained Earnings Test
Learn more →META
$8.94
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$151.52B
Δ Market Cap
+$1.36T
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
WAT
$1.23
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Value Creator
Σ Retained
$1.92B
Δ Market Cap
+$2.37B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis
Learn more →META
40.4% Margin of Safety
Price is 40.4% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $606.70
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $1017.63
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
WAT
63.6% Overvalued
Price is 63.6% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $299.57
Strongly undervalued
Fairly valued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $183.15
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth
Learn more →META
What growth rate is the market pricing in at $607?
+11.0%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +14.7%
The market implies +11.0% Owner Earnings growth, below historical trends — potential opportunity.
Standard FCF implies a more demanding +14.7%, reflecting heavy growth investment expected to generate future returns.
WAT
What growth rate is the market pricing in at $300?
+19.4%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +25.1%
The market implies +19.4% Owner Earnings growth, above historical trends.
Standard FCF implies a demanding +25.1%, reflecting heavy growth investment.
Economic Moat Score
Learn more →META
80/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
Wide moat driven primarily by roic consistency. Reinvestment Efficiency is the area most vulnerable to competitive pressure.
Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 5 years of fundamental data.
WAT
89/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. Margin Stability is the standout factor.
Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
Forensic Accounting
Learn more →META
-3.04
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone
M-Score Trend
Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
WAT
-2.37
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone
M-Score Trend
Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
Ownership Breakdown
Learn more →META
Insiders 0.1%Institutions 78.7%Retail & Other 21.2%
No. of Institutional Holders6,572
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
WAT
Insiders 0.1%Institutions 60.7%Retail & Other 39.1%
No. of Institutional Holders1,190
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
Insider Buying Activity
Learn more →META
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
WAT
1
Buys (3M)
1
Buys (12M)
Total value (12M): $306,340
FEARON RICHARD H
Director
$306,340
@ $306.34 · 2026-03-06
FEARON RICHARD H
Director
$332,900
@ $332.90 · 2024-05-28
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.
Insider Selling Activity
Learn more →META
14
Sells (3M)
65
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $53.89M
KIMMITT ROBERT M
Director
$366,572
@ $632.02 · 2026-03-16
BOSWORTH ANDREW
Chief Technology Officer
$5.11M
@ $631.24 · 2026-02-18
KIMMITT ROBERT M
Director
$370,724
@ $639.18 · 2026-02-17
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$342,869
@ $663.19 · 2026-02-09
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$369,448
@ $714.60 · 2026-02-02
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$343,805
@ $665.00 · 2026-01-26
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$314,517
@ $608.35 · 2026-01-20
KIMMITT ROBERT M
Director
$358,602
@ $618.28 · 2026-01-15
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$337,601
@ $653.00 · 2026-01-12
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$336,262
@ $650.41 · 2026-01-05
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$341,860
@ $658.69 · 2025-12-30
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$340,258
@ $658.14 · 2025-12-29
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$342,218
@ $659.38 · 2025-12-23
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$341,794
@ $661.11 · 2025-12-22
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$333,836
@ $643.23 · 2025-12-16
KIMMITT ROBERT M
Director
$374,680
@ $646.00 · 2025-12-15
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$333,982
@ $646.00 · 2025-12-15
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$344,699
@ $664.16 · 2025-12-09
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$346,199
@ $669.63 · 2025-12-08
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$333,312
@ $642.22 · 2025-12-02
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$330,379
@ $639.03 · 2025-12-01
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$323,929
@ $624.14 · 2025-11-25
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$309,445
@ $598.54 · 2025-11-24
ANDERSON AARON
Officer
$429,502
@ $591.60 · 2025-11-18
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$307,040
@ $591.60 · 2025-11-18
BOSWORTH ANDREW
Chief Technology Officer
$6.94M
@ $593.31 · 2025-11-18
KIMMITT ROBERT M
Director
$365,610
@ $609.35 · 2025-11-17
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$1.90M
@ $608.60 · 2025-11-17
BOSWORTH ANDREW
Chief Technology Officer
$3.09M
@ $609.46 · 2025-11-14
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$326,227
@ $631.00 · 2025-11-10
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$325,596
@ $631.00 · 2025-11-10
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$325,932
@ $628.00 · 2025-11-04
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$339,152
@ $656.00 · 2025-11-03
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$390,807
@ $753.00 · 2025-10-28
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$387,528
@ $749.57 · 2025-10-27
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$382,176
@ $736.37 · 2025-10-21
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$372,912
@ $721.30 · 2025-10-20
KIMMITT ROBERT M
Director
$333,391
@ $716.97 · 2025-10-15
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$367,374
@ $707.85 · 2025-10-14
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$368,797
@ $713.34 · 2025-10-13
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$372,113
@ $716.98 · 2025-10-07
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$364,387
@ $704.81 · 2025-10-06
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$384,838
@ $741.50 · 2025-09-30
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$387,088
@ $748.72 · 2025-09-29
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$399,215
@ $769.20 · 2025-09-23
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$403,948
@ $781.33 · 2025-09-22
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$398,156
@ $767.16 · 2025-09-16
KIMMITT ROBERT M
Director
$352,224
@ $757.47 · 2025-09-15
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$391,612
@ $757.47 · 2025-09-15
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$393,142
@ $757.50 · 2025-09-09
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$390,671
@ $755.65 · 2025-09-08
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$375,471
@ $726.25 · 2025-09-02
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$376,924
@ $726.25 · 2025-09-02
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$389,494
@ $750.47 · 2025-08-26
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$390,392
@ $755.11 · 2025-08-25
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$2.44M
@ $780.95 · 2025-08-18
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$402,225
@ $775.00 · 2025-08-18
BOSWORTH ANDREW
Chief Technology Officer
$13.02M
@ $777.15 · 2025-08-18
KIMMITT ROBERT M
Director
$364,709
@ $784.32 · 2025-08-15
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$398,090
@ $770.00 · 2025-08-11
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$399,836
@ $776.38 · 2025-08-05
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$393,054
@ $760.26 · 2025-08-04
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$373,607
@ $719.86 · 2025-07-29
OLIVAN JAVIER
Chief Operating Officer
$369,655
@ $715.00 · 2025-07-28
NEWSTEAD JENNIFER
Officer
$371,656
@ $716.10 · 2025-07-22
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
WAT
0
Sells (3M)
0
Sells (12M)
KUEBLER CHRISTOPHER A
Director
$1.45M
@ $361.64 · 2024-05-15
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.
🎭 Mr. Market's Mood
Learn more →META
😐Neutral(44/100)
"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"
Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
WAT
😨Fear(35/100)
"Market is pessimistic — investigate whether fears are temporary or structural"
Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
⚖️ Buffett Signal
Learn more →META
⚪Awaiting DCF Data
The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.
DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (44)
WAT
⚪Awaiting DCF Data
The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.
DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Fear (35)