Waters layoffs, on the record
Every job cut, severance charge and restructuring Waters reported in its annual reports, 2023 to 2025, quoted from the filings. Headcount went from approximately 7,900 to approximately 7,900.
Headcount, as reported
| Annual report | Employees | As of |
|---|---|---|
| 10-K for 2023 | approximately 7,900 | December 31, 2023 |
| 10-K for 2024 | approximately 7,600 | — |
| 10-K for 2025 | approximately 7,900 | December 31, 2025 |
Job cuts, severance and restructuring
Our summaryWaters made organizational changes to better align resources with growth and innovation strategies, resulting in a worldwide workforce reduction affecting about 5% of employees.
Word for word“In July 2023, the Company made organizational changes to better align its resources with its growth and innovation strategies, resulting in a worldwide workforce reduction that impacted approximately 5% of the Company’s employees.” 10-K for 2023
Our summaryWaters recorded severance-related costs tied to the workforce reduction in selling and administrative expenses, with the remainder to be paid in the first half of 2024.
Word for word“During 2023, the Company incurred $ 26 million of severance-related costs in connection with this reduction, which was recorded in selling and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of operations.” 10-K for 2023
Our summaryWaters estimated annual savings from the workforce reduction.
Word for word“The Company estimates that the savings from this reduction in workforce will be approximately $48 million on an annual basis.” 10-K for 2023
Our summaryWaters implemented a reduction in workforce affecting about 2% of its employees, mainly in China, due to lower customer demand.
Word for word“In March 2024, the Company implemented a reduction in workforce that impacted approximately 2 % of the Company’s employees, primarily in China, where there had been a significant decline in sales as a result of lower customer demand.” 10-K for 2024
Our summaryWaters paid severance-related costs for the March 2024 and July 2023 workforce reductions.
Word for word“D uring 2024, the Company paid $ 15 million of severance-related costs in connection with the workforce reduction that occurred in March 2024 and July 2023.” 10-K for 2024
Our summaryWaters recorded severance costs tied to a 2023 workforce reduction, which reduced 2024 operating income comparisons.
Word for word“Operating income of $818 million in 2023 declined $55 million from the operating income of $873 million in 2022 as a result of the $26 million severance costs associated with the workforce reductions and the additional expenses associated with the Wyatt acquisition relating to purchased intangible amortization of $27 million, retention agreement costs of $19 million and due diligence costs of $13 million.” 10-K for 2024
Our summaryThe company paid severance-related costs during 2024 for the March 2024 and July 2023 workforce reductions.
Word for word“During 2024, the Company paid $ 15 million of severance-related costs in connection with the workforce reduction that occurred in March 2024 and July 2023.” 10-K for 2025
Our summaryThe company incurred severance costs in 2023 for a workforce reduction.
Word for word“Operating income of $826 million in 2024 increased $8 million from operating income of $818 million in 2023 primarily due to cost savings from recent workforce reductions and the absence of the $26 million severance costs associated with the workforce reduction incurred in 2023, which were offset by higher annual incentive compensation, a full year of amortization associated with the Wyatt acquisition and the impact of merit increases on the Company’s annual payroll in 2024.” 10-K for 2025
| Fiscal year ended | Severance costs | Restructuring charges |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-12-31 | $26 million | $8 million |
Waters has filed no restructuring notice (Form 8-K, Item 2.05) since 2016. Companies file one only for a cut they judge material, so many announced layoffs never appear as one. This page shows what the company reported to the SEC, not news reports or state layoff notices.
Read from Waters’s annual reports (10-K for 2025, 10-K for 2024, 10-K for 2023) and the financial data it files with the SEC, as of 2026-02-23. Every quotation is word for word from the filing linked beside it; how these pages are built and checked. The full record is in its company data sheet.