Form 8-K - Current report

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

Form 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): August 13, 2024

Waters Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

01-14010

13-3668640

(Commission

File Number)

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)


34 Maple Street, Milford, Massachusetts		01757
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

(508) 478-2000

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2 below):

☐	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading
Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

WAT

New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 5.02

Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On August 13, 2024, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Waters Corporation (the “Company”) increased the size of the Board from 9 to 10 members and appointed Heather Knight to the Board, effective August 14, 2024, to fill the vacancy so created. Ms. Knight will serve as a director until the Company’s 2025 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2025 AGM”) or until her earlier resignation, death, or removal.

The Board has determined that Ms. Knight meets the independence standards established under the New York Stock Exchange corporate governance listing standards.

Ms. Knight will receive the standard compensation paid by the Company to all of its non-employee directors and as described under “Director Compensation” in the Company’s Proxy Statement for its 2024 annual meeting of stockholders filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 12, 2024. Upon the effective date of her initial appointment to the Board, Ms. Knight will be awarded an initial equity grant valued at $91,666, comprised of 50% of such value in the form of a restricted stock award and 50% of such value in the form of a non-qualified stock option award, both of which will vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant. Ms. Knight will also be entitled to a prorated cash retainer for her service for the period until the 2025 AGM of $54,130 as well as board meeting fees and expenses.

Item 7.01

Regulation FD Disclosure.

On August 14, 2024, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Ms. Knight to the Board. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.

The information in this Item 7.01 (including Exhibit 99.1) being furnished pursuant to this Item 7.01 shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits


Number		Description of Exhibits

99.1		Press release dated August 14, 2024.

104		The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated: August 14, 2024


WATERS CORPORATION

By:		/s/ Keeley A. Aleman
Name:		Keeley A. Aleman
Title:		Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Waters Corporation Appoints Heather Knight to

Board of Directors

MILFORD, Mass., August 14, 2024 – Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) today announced the appointment of Heather Knight to its Board of Directors effective August 14, 2024. Ms. Knight currently serves as Executive Vice President and Group President, Medical Products and Therapies at Baxter International.

“Heather is an accomplished leader who brings decades of experience across the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, with a proven track record for driving growth and innovation,” said Dr. Flemming Ornskov, Chair of the Board. “Her experience enriches the diverse skills and backgrounds of our Board members, which is instrumental in our oversight of the strategy and in enhancing shareholder value.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Heather to our Board of Directors,” said Dr. Udit Batra, President and CEO, Waters Corporation. “Her commitment to operational excellence coupled with her global experience driving commercial execution and portfolio innovation across the MedTech industry will be complementary to our Board. I look forward to collaborating with her as we advance our growth strategy.”

“It’s an honor to join the Waters Board of Directors at such an exciting time,” commented Heather Knight, Executive Vice President and Group President of Medical Products and Therapies at Baxter International. “I’ve long admired the company and look forward to contributing to its success.”

Ms. Knight currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Group President of Medical Products and Therapies at Baxter International. She brings nearly three decades of global business and commercial leadership experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, and a proven track record of driving strong execution, business transformation, and portfolio innovation. She holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of Buffalo.

About Waters Corporation (www.waters.com)

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT), a global leader in analytical instruments and software, has pioneered chromatography, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials, food, and environmental sciences for more than 65 years. With approximately 7,500 employees worldwide, Waters operates directly in 35 countries, including 15 manufacturing facilities, and with products available in more than 100 countries.

# # #

Contact:

Kevin Kempskie

Senior Director Public Relations

Waters Corporation

pr@waters.com

+1.508.478.2000

Document and Entity Information	Aug. 13, 2024
Cover [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	WATERS CORP /DE/
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Central Index Key	0001000697
Document Type	8-K
Document Period End Date	Aug. 13, 2024
Entity Incorporation State Country Code	DE
Entity File Number	01-14010
Entity Tax Identification Number	13-3668640
Entity Address, Address Line One	34 Maple Street
Entity Address, City or Town	Milford
Entity Address, State or Province	MA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	01757
City Area Code	(508)
Local Phone Number	478-2000
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre Commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre Commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Security 12b Title	Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Trading Symbol	WAT
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false