WAB vs. WAT
WAB (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation) and WAT (Waters Corporation) are both stocks. WAB operates in Railroads (Industrials), while WAT operates in Diagnostics & Research (Healthcare). Over the past 10 years, WAB returned 15.37%/yr vs 10.21%/yr for WAT. At a 0.33 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
WAB vs. WAT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, WAB achieves a 29.97% return, which is significantly higher than WAT's -5.68% return. Over the past 10 years, WAB has outperformed WAT with an annualized return of 15.37%, while WAT has yielded a comparatively lower 10.21% annualized return.
WAB
- 1D
- 1.07%
- 1M
- 7.93%
- YTD
- 29.97%
- 6M
- 25.13%
- 1Y
- 39.07%
- 3Y*
- 40.05%
- 5Y*
- 28.53%
- 10Y*
- 15.37%
WAT
- 1D
- 0.79%
- 1M
- 4.64%
- YTD
- -5.68%
- 6M
- -6.74%
- 1Y
- 4.56%
- 3Y*
- 11.30%
- 5Y*
- 0.64%
- 10Y*
- 10.21%
WAB vs. WAT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WAB Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation | 29.97% | 13.15% | 50.14% | 27.96% | 9.07% | 26.53% | -5.23% | 11.46% | -13.26% | -1.36% |
WAT Waters Corporation | -5.68% | 2.39% | 12.68% | -3.90% | -8.06% | 50.59% | 5.89% | 23.85% | -2.35% | 43.75% |
Correlation
The correlation between WAB and WAT is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.39 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 17, 1995 | 0.33 |
The correlation between WAB and WAT shifts across timeframes, from 0.33 (all time) to 0.44 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
WAB:
$47.24B
WAT:
$29.43B
WAB:
$7.07
WAT:
$6.88
WAB:
39.12
WAT:
52.07
WAB:
4.11
WAT:
6.20
WAB:
4.24
WAT:
1.92
WAB:
$11.51B
WAT:
$3.77B
WAB:
$3.89B
WAT:
$2.07B
WAB:
$2.33B
WAT:
$924.47M
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Return for Risk
WAB vs. WAT — Risk / Return Rank
WAB
WAT
WAB vs. WAT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation (WAB) and Waters Corporation (WAT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| WAB | WAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.51 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.87 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.06 | +0.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.95 | 0.15 | +2.81 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.53 | 0.29 | +6.25 |
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Drawdowns
WAB vs. WAT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum WAB drawdown since its inception was -71.85%, smaller than the maximum WAT drawdown of -80.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WAB and WAT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| WAB | WAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -71.85% | -80.12% | +8.27% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.29% | -31.32% | +18.03% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -23.55% | -33.45% | +9.90% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -23.55% | -44.27% | +20.72% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -64.08% | -44.27% | -19.81% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -15.65% | +15.65% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -23.94% | -23.96% | +0.02% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.99% | 15.83% | -9.84% |
Volatility
WAB vs. WAT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation (WAB) is 7.20%, while Waters Corporation (WAT) has a volatility of 10.39%. This indicates that WAB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than WAT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| WAB | WAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.20% | 10.39% | -3.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.16% | 29.70% | -11.54% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.14% | 38.89% | -14.75% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.86% | 33.59% | -7.73% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.36% | 30.82% | +0.54% |
Dividends
WAB vs. WAT - Dividend Comparison
WAB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.40%, while WAT has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WAB Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation | 0.40% | 0.47% | 0.42% | 0.54% | 0.60% | 0.52% | 0.66% | 0.62% | 0.68% | 0.54% | 0.43% | 0.39% |
WAT Waters Corporation | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
WAB vs. WAT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation and Waters Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
WAB vs. WAT - Profitability Comparison
WAB - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation reported a gross profit of 1.06B and revenue of 2.95B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 36.0%.
WAT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Waters Corporation reported a gross profit of 595.00M and revenue of 1.27B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 47.0%.
WAB - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation reported an operating income of 517.00M and revenue of 2.95B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.5%.
WAT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Waters Corporation reported an operating income of -47.00M and revenue of 1.27B, resulting in an operating margin of -3.7%.
WAB - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation reported a net income of 362.00M and revenue of 2.95B, resulting in a net margin of 12.3%.
WAT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Waters Corporation reported a net income of -72.00M and revenue of 1.27B, resulting in a net margin of -5.7%.
Frequently Asked Questions
WAB and WAT have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
WAT has higher volatility (10.39%) compared to WAB (7.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WAB dropped -71.85% vs WAT's -80.12%.
WAB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.63 vs 0.12), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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