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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 11-K
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
     
þ
  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
   
 
  For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006
OR
     
o
  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
   
 
  For the transition period from __________ to __________.
Commission File Number: 01-14010
A.   Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different from that of the issuer name below:
Waters Employee Investment Plan
B.   Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the address of its principal executive office:
Waters Corporation
34 Maple Street
Milford, Massachusetts 01757
 
 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Signatures
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits
as of December 31, 2006 and 2005
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits
for the Year Ended December 31, 2006
Notes to Financial Statements
For the Year Ended December 31, 2006
Form 5500 — Schedule H, Line 4i
Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)
as of December 31, 2006
EX-23.1 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm


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Required Information
Financial Statements and Supplemental Schedule
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits as of December 31, 2006 and 2005
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits for the year ended December 31, 2006
Form 5500 — Schedule H, Line 4i — Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) as of December 31, 2006
Exhibit
         
Designation
  Description   Method of Filing
 
       
Exhibit 23.1
  Consent of Carlin, Charron & Rosen, LLP   Filed with this Report
Signatures
The Plan. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the trustees (or other persons who administer the employee benefit plan) have duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
         
  Waters Employee Investment Plan
 
 
Date: June 15, 2007  By:   /s/ John Ornell    
    John Ornell   
    Employee Benefits Administration Committee   
 

 


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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AND
SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2006 AND 2005
AND FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2006
WITH
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 


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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE
as of December 31, 2006 and 2005
and for the year ended December 31, 2006
 
         
    Page Number  
 
       
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
    1  
 
       
Financial Statements:
       
 
       
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits as of December 31, 2006 and 2005
    2  
 
       
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits for the year ended December 31, 2006
    3  
 
       
Notes to Financial Statements
    4 - 9  
 
       
Supplemental Schedule *:
       
 
       
Form 5500 - Schedule H, Line 4i — Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) as of December 31, 2006
    10  
* Other supplemental schedules required by Section 2520.103-10 of the Department of Labor’s Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 have been omitted because they are not applicable.

 


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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Participants and Administrator of
Waters Employee Investment Plan
We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of Waters Employee Investment Plan (the Plan) as of December 31, 2006 and 2005 and the related statement of changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 2006. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of the Plan as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 2006, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental schedule of assets held at end of year as of December 31, 2006 is presented for the purpose of additional analysis and is not a required part of the basic financial statements but is supplementary information required by the Department of Labor’s Rules and Regulations for Reporting under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The supplemental schedule is the responsibility of the Plan’s management. The supplemental schedule has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the basic 2006 financial statement and, in our opinion, is fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the basic 2006 financial statement taken as a whole.
/s/ Carlin, Charron & Rosen, LLP
Westborough, Massachusetts
June 13, 2007

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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits
as of December 31, 2006 and 2005
 
                 
    December 31,  
    2006     2005  
 
               
Assets
               
Investments, at fair value
               
Waters Corporation Stock Fund
  $ 27,503,329     $ 24,209,196  
Mutual funds
    214,488,961       183,909,963  
Self-Directed Brokeragelink Option:
               
Common stock
    10,585,157       9,409,512  
Mutual funds
    4,880,514       4,384,972  
Other investments
    284,943       357,944  
Cash and cash equivalents
    3,074,452       2,110,450  
Common collective trust
    1,316,983       744,538  
 
           
 
               
Total investments
    262,134,339       225,126,575  
 
               
Participant loans
    4,873,880       4,670,862  
 
           
 
               
Total assets
    267,008,219       229,797,437  
 
               
Liabilities
               
Accrued expenses
          5,607  
 
           
 
               
Net assets reflecting all assets at fair value
    267,008,219       229,791,830  
 
               
Adjustment from fair value to contract value for fully benefit-responsive investment contracts
    13,237       8,452  
 
           
 
               
Net assets available for benefits
  $ 267,021,456     $ 229,800,282  
 
           
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements

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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits
for the Year Ended December 31, 2006
 
         
Additions
       
Net investment income:
       
Net appreciation in fair value of investments (Note 4)
  $ 14,615,448  
Interest income
    1,278,650  
Dividend income
    16,759,873  
 
     
 
    32,653,971  
 
     
 
       
Contributions:
       
Employer’s contributions
    3,443,826  
Employees’ contributions
    12,421,077  
Rollovers
    765,773  
 
     
 
    16,630,676  
 
     
 
       
Total additions
    49,284,647  
 
     
 
       
Deductions
       
Benefits paid directly to beneficiaries and participants
    11,041,591  
Rollovers to the Company’s defined benefit plan
    986,973  
Administrative expenses
    34,909  
 
     
 
       
Total deductions
    12,063,473  
 
     
 
       
Net increase
    37,221,174  
 
       
Net assets available for benefits:
       
Beginning of year
    229,800,282  
 
     
 
       
End of year
  $ 267,021,456  
 
     
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements

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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
Notes to Financial Statements
For the Year Ended December 31, 2006
 
1.   Description of Plan
The following description of Waters Employee Investment Plan (the “Plan”) provides only general information. Participants should refer to the Plan document for a more complete description of the Plan’s provisions.
General
The Plan, effective August 19, 1994, was created to provide an opportunity for eligible employees of Waters Technologies Corporation (“Waters” or the “Company”) and any eligible legally affiliated company (“Waters Company”) to provide for their future financial security through participation in a systematic savings program to which each participating employer (the “Employer” or “Employers”) also contributes. The Plan is a defined contribution plan covering substantially all employees of the Company and its affiliates who work in the United States. The Plan is designed to take advantage of provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “IRC”), which allow a participant to elect to reduce taxable compensation (subject to certain limitations) with the amount of such reduction being contributed to the Plan by the Employer on behalf of the electing participant. The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”).
In February 2006, the Company acquired the net assets of the food safety business of VICAM Limited Partnership (“VICAM”). In April 2006, the Company’s Board of Directors voted to provide eligibility and vesting credit to individuals previously employed by VICAM, effective February 27, 2006.
Eligibility
Employees are eligible to participate in the Plan immediately upon their date of hire or rehire. The Employer does not begin to match employee contributions until employees have completed one year of service.
Contributions
Participants may elect to voluntarily contribute to the Plan from 1% to 30% of their annual compensation, on a before-tax basis, up to $15,000 for 2006. Effective April 1, 2003, participants who are over age 50, or who will reach age 50 during the year, may elect to make an additional pre-tax contribution to the Plan of up to $5,000 for 2006, provided their regular pre-tax contributions reach either the Plan’s limit of 30% of eligible earnings or the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) dollar limit of $15,000 for 2006. As of December 31, 2006, participants had twenty-six investment options in which to direct the investment of their contributions and Company contributions. Each investment option offers a different level of risk and expected rate of return.
For contribution purposes, compensation includes salary, lump sum cash payments of merit pay increases, commissions, overtime pay, shift differentials, short-term disability pay, unused vacation pay, bonuses paid under the performance bonus plan and management incentive bonuses or certain other designated incentive plans. The Employer will match 50% of the first 6% of compensation contributed by the participant upon completion of a one-year service requirement. The Employer matching contribution follows the investment elections selected by the participant for employee contributions. Contributions and compensation considered for matching contribution purposes are subject to certain limitations.

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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
Notes to Financial Statements
For the Year Ended December 31, 2006
 
Participant Accounts
Each participant’s account is credited with the participant’s contributions, any applicable Employer matching contributions and an allocation of Plan earnings, and is charged with an allocation of administrative expenses to the extent that they are paid by the Plan. Certain administrative expenses are charged directly against participants’ accounts. Allocations of earnings and expenses are based on the participant account balances, as defined. The benefit to which a participant is entitled is the benefit that can be provided from the participant’s account balance.
Vesting
Participants are fully vested, at all times, in their contributions as well as Employer matching contributions, plus actual earnings thereon.
Rollover Election
Employees may make an eligible rollover contribution to the Plan at any time. Employees may irrevocably elect to roll over all or any portion of a distribution from the Waters Employee Investment Plan to the Waters Retirement Plan following termination (other than for death or disability).
Administration
Fidelity is the trustee and custodian for the Plan and Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company (“FIIOC”) is the record keeper for the plan.
Benefits
Benefits are paid in one lump sum upon death, disability, retirement or termination. Participants who are actively employed and have attained the age of 59 1/2 may withdraw all or any portion of their account balance for any reason. The Plan also provides for certain hardship withdrawals upon approval by the Plan Administrator, a representative of the Company’s management.
Administrative Expenses
Certain administrative expenses, including loan maintenance, brokerage account fees and in-service withdrawal fees, are paid by the participants. Other expenses, such as legal, audit and consulting fees, incurred in the administration of the Plan are paid by the Company.
Loans
Participants in the Plan may borrow from their account balance. A participant may borrow an amount greater than or equal to $1,000 but not to exceed the lesser of (a) $50,000 minus the largest outstanding loan balance in the twelve months preceding the loan request or (b) 50% of the total account balance minus current outstanding loan balances.
Principal is repaid through payroll deductions for a period of up to five years, except for loans made for purchasing or constructing a principal residence for which the repayment term may be up to 20 years. The loans bear interest at a fixed rate equal to the prime rate on the first business day of the calendar quarter in which the loan is funded and are collateralized by the participants’ account balances. During 2006, interest rates on outstanding loans ranged from 4.0% to 9.5%.

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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
Notes to Financial Statements
For the Year Ended December 31, 2006
 
2.    Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Accounting
The financial statements of the Plan are prepared on the accrual basis of accounting in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Benefits payable at year end are not accrued as they are considered to be a component of net assets available for benefits.
Investment Valuation
Investments in mutual funds are stated at fair value based on quoted market prices, which represents the net asset value of shares held by the Plan at year end.
Investments in the Waters Corporation Stock Fund (“Stock Fund”) are stated at fair value based on the quoted market price on the last business day of the year for Company’s common stock and the fair value of short-term liquid investments included in the fund.
Investments in common collective trusts are stated at estimated fair value, which represents the net asset value of shares held by the Plan at year end.
Other investment securities are stated at fair value based on their quoted market prices on the last business day of the year.
Participant loans are valued at cost, which approximates fair value.
Investment Transactions and Investment Income
Investment transactions are accounted for on a trade-date basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date.
The Plan presents in the statement of changes in net assets the net appreciation or depreciation in the fair value of its investments that consists of the realized gains or losses and unrealized appreciation or depreciation on those investments.
Contributions
Employer and employee contributions are recorded in the period in which payroll deductions are made from the employee’s compensation.
Benefit Payments
Benefit distributions are recorded when paid.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the Plan’s financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Plan administrator to make significant estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of net assets available for benefits at the date of the financial statements and the changes in net assets available for benefits during the reporting period and, when applicable, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
Notes to Financial Statements
For the Year Ended December 31, 2006
 
Risks and Uncertainties
The Plan provides for various investment options in any combination of stocks, bonds, fixed income securities, mutual funds and other investment securities. Investment securities are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, market and credit risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such changes could materially affect participants’ account balances and the amounts reported in the statements of net assets available for benefits.
3.    Investments
Investments that represent 5 percent or more of the Plan’s net assets at December 31 are as follows:
                 
    2006     2005  
Investments at fair value as determined by quoted market price:
               
Fidelity Diversified International Fund
  $ 30,079,482     $ 22,511,485  
Fidelity Puritan Fund
    27,555,352       24,304,695  
Waters Corporation Stock Fund
    27,503,329       24,209,196  
Fidelity Magellan Fund
    25,783,428       28,895,166  
Fidelity Growth Company Fund
    15,853,554       13,552,118  
Fidelity Low-Priced Stock Fund
    19,905,538       16,801,825  
Fidelity Retirement Government Money Market Portfolio
    18,012,888       16,183,726  
Fidelity Growth & Income Portfolio
          12,710,467  
AIM Constellation Fund A
          12,061,249  
4.      Net Appreciation in Fair Value
     Net appreciation in fair value for the year ending December 31, 2006 is as follows:
         
Waters Corporation Stock Fund
  $ 6,766,791  
Common Stock
    850,412  
Mutual Funds
    6,096,605  
Other
    901,640  
 
     
 
       
Net appreciation in fair value of investments
  $ 14,615,448  
 
     
5.      Common Collective Trust
The Plan invests in the Fidelity Managed Income Portfolio, which is a common collective trust. It is a commingled pool of the Fidelity Group Trust for Employee Benefit Plans and is managed by Fidelity Management Trust Company (“Fidelity”), which is also the trustee of the Plan. This fund seeks to preserve principal investments while earning interest income. This fund will try to maintain a net asset value of $1 per unit. The portfolio invests in investment contracts issued by insurance companies and other financial institutions, and in fixed income securities. A portion of the portfolio is invested in a money market fund to provide daily liquidity. Investment contracts provide for the payment of a specified rate of interest to the portfolio and for the repayment of principal when the contract matures.

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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
Notes to Financial Statements
For the Year Ended December 31, 2006
 
All investment contracts and fixed income securities purchased for the portfolio must satisfy the credit quality standards of Fidelity.
The fair value of the investment contract at December 31, 2006 and 2005 was $1,316,983 and $744,538, respectively. The average yield and crediting interest rates were approximately 3.94% and 4.27% for 2006. The crediting interest rate is based on a formula agreed upon with the issuer, but may not be less than 0%. Such interest rates are reviewed on a quarterly basis for resetting.
Certain events, such as the premature termination of the contract by the Plan or the termination of the Plan, would limit the Plan’s ability to transact at contract value with Fidelity. The Plan administrator believes the occurrence of such events that would also limit the Plan’s ability to transact at contract value with Plan participants is not probable.
6.    Related-Party Transactions
Certain Plan investments are shares of mutual funds or common collective trusts managed by an affiliate of Fidelity, a subsidiary of which is the trustee of the Plan and, therefore, these transactions qualify as party-in-interest transactions. Fees paid by the Plan to Fidelity or its affiliates for administrative services amounted to $34,909 for the year ended December 31, 2006. Transactions with respect to participant loans and the Stock Fund also qualify as party-in-interest transactions.
During the year ended December 31, 2006, the Plan purchased units in the Stock Fund in the amount of $1,167,568; sold units in the Stock Fund in the amount of $4,694,988; and had net investment appreciation of $6,766,791, administrative expenses of $14,789 and interest and dividend income of $69,551. The total value of the Plan’s investment in the Stock Fund was $27,503,329 and $24,209,196 at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
7.    Plan Amendment and Termination
Effective January 1, 2006, the Plan was amended to prohibit prefunding of the Plan, including participant deferrals and Employer match, unless for a bona fide reason. Effective January 1, 2007, the Plan was amended to expand the definition of hardship distributions to include burial or funeral expenses for a participant’s parent, spouse, child or dependent and expenses to repair damage to a participant’s principal residence. Also effective January 1, 2007, non-spousal beneficiaries of a deceased participant shall be eligible to directly roll over the deceased participant’s interest in the Plan to an Individual Retirement Account. Additionally, effective January 1, 2007, the Plan has amended to remove the ability of the Waters Technologies Corporation Employee Benefits Administration Committee to limit or restrict a participant’s ability to change the allocation of the participant’s total account among the investment funds and/or withdraw balances from the various investment funds.
The Company expects to continue the Plan indefinitely; however, it has the right to modify, amend or terminate the Plan at any time subject to the provisions of the IRC and ERISA. No such modification or amendment, however, shall have the effect of retroactively changing or depriving participants or beneficiaries of rights already accrued under the Plan. If the Plan is terminated, participants will remain 100% vested in their account balances.

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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
Notes to Financial Statements
For the Year Ended December 31, 2006
 
8.    Tax Status
The IRS has determined and informed the Company by a letter dated April 8, 2002, that the Plan and related trust are designed in accordance with applicable sections of the IRC. The Plan has been amended since receiving the determination letter. A new letter has not been applied for. The Plan Administrator believes that the Plan is designed and is currently being operated in accordance with all applicable requirements of the IRC. Therefore, no provision for income taxes has been included in the Plan’s financial statements.

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WATERS EMPLOYEE INVESTMENT PLAN
Form 5500 — Schedule H, Line 4i
Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)
as of December 31, 2006
                     
EIN:     04-3234558            
Plan Number 002                
(a)   (b)   (c)   (d)   (e)
    Identity of issue, borrower,   Description of investment including maturity date,       Current
    lessor or similar party   rate of interest, collateral, par, or maturity value   Cost   value
Common stock fund                
 
  Fidelity Management Trust
Company (FMTC)
  Cash   N/A   $ 783,485  
*
  FMTC   Waters Corporation Common Stock   N/A     26,719,844  
 
                   
 
       Total common stock fund             27,503,329  
 
                   
Mutual Funds                
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Puritan Fund   N/A     27,555,352  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Magellan Fund   N/A     25,783,428  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Growth Company Fund   N/A     15,853,554  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Growth & Income Portfolio   N/A     12,081,992  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Intermediate Bond Fund   N/A     8,365,037  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Low-Priced Stock Fund   N/A     19,905,538  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Diversified International Fund   N/A     30,079,482  
 
  FMTC   AIM Constellation Fund A   N/A     11,404,508  
 
  FMTC   Washington Mutual Investors Fund   N/A     2,229,478  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity U.S. Bond Index Fund   N/A     5,225,149  
*
  FMTC   Spartan U.S. Equity Index Fund   N/A     5,724,843  
 
  FMTC   Templeton Developing Markets Trust A   N/A     7,326,683  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Retirement Government Money Market Portfolio   N/A     18,012,888  
 
  FMTC   Davis New York Venture Fund   N/A     6,352,789  
 
  FMTC   American Beacon Small Cap Value Fund   N/A     2,768,145  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Freedom Income Fund   N/A     369,684  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Freedom 2000 Fund   N/A     249,567  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Freedom 2010 Fund   N/A     3,813,603  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Freedom 2020 Fund   N/A     4,752,081  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Freedom 2030 Fund   N/A     3,130,288  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Freedom 2040 Fund   N/A     1,858,130  
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Freedom 2050 Fund   N/A     20,687  
 
  FMTC   Rainier Small/Mid Cap Fund   N/A     1,626,055  
 
                   
 
       Total mutual funds             214,488,961  
 
                   
Participant loans                
 
  Participant loans   Interest rate ranging from 4.0% to 9.5%       4,873,880  
 
                   
Self-directed funds                
 
  FMTC   Self-Directed Brokeragelink Option   N/A     18,825,066  
 
                   
Common collective trusts                
*
  FMTC   Fidelity Managed Income Portfolio   N/A     1,330,220  
 
                   
 
                   
 
       Total investments           $ 267,021,456  
 
                   
*   Party-in-interest
The registered independent accounting firm’s report should be read with this supplementary schedule

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