XML 34 R52.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Debt (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Feb. 28, 2015
Jun. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2013
Debt [Line Items]            
Payments on debt $ 239,776,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt $ 886,644,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt $ 32,107,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt      
Notes payable and debt 225,243,000us-gaap_DebtCurrent 133,346,000us-gaap_DebtCurrent        
Long-term debt 1,240,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent 1,190,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent        
Total debt 1,465,243,000us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations 1,323,346,000us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations        
Senior unsecured notes - Series A [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Stated interest rate on debt instrument 3.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesAaMember
         
Payments on debt       100,000,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesAaMember
   
Notes payable and debt 100,000,000us-gaap_DebtCurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesAaMember
         
Long-term debt   100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesAaMember
       
Senior unsecured notes - Series B [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Stated interest rate on debt instrument 5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesBMember
         
Long-term debt 100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesBMember
100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesBMember
       
Senior unsecured notes - Series C [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Stated interest rate on debt instrument 2.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesCMember
         
Long-term debt 50,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesCMember
50,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesCMember
       
Senior unsecured notes - Series D [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Stated interest rate on debt instrument 3.22%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesDMember
         
Long-term debt 100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesDMember
100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesDMember
       
Senior unsecured notes - Series E [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Stated interest rate on debt instrument 3.97%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesEMember
         
Long-term debt 50,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesEMember
50,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesEMember
       
Senior unsecured notes - Series F [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Face value of debt         100,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesFMember
 
Debt term         7 years  
Stated interest rate on debt instrument 3.40%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesFMember
         
Long-term debt 100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesFMember
         
Senior unsecured notes - Series G [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Face value of debt         50,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesGMember
 
Debt term         10 years  
Stated interest rate on debt instrument 3.92%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesGMember
         
Long-term debt 50,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesGMember
         
Senior unsecured notes - Series H [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Face value of debt         50,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesHMember
 
Debt term         10 years  
Interest rate terms on debt *Series H senior unsecured notes bear interest at 3 month LIBOR for that floating rate interest period plus 1.25%.          
Long-term debt 50,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesHMember
         
Foreign subsidiary lines of credit [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Notes payable and debt 243,000us-gaap_DebtCurrent
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
8,346,000us-gaap_DebtCurrent
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
       
Weighted-average interest rate 1.48%us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
2.00%us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
       
Line of credit maximum borrowing capacity 88,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
87,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
       
Unsecured debt [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Call feature on debt instrument The Company may prepay all or some of the senior unsecured notes at any time in an amount not less than 10% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding, plus the applicable make-whole amount or prepayment premium for Series H senior unsecured notes. In the event of a change in control of the Company (as defined in the note purchase agreement), the Company may be required to prepay the senior unsecured notes at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest.          
Debt covenant description These senior unsecured notes require that the Company comply with an interest coverage ratio test of not less than 3.50:1 for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters and a leverage ratio test of not more than 3.50:1 as of the end of any fiscal quarter.          
Long-term debt 600,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember
400,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember
       
Credit Agreement dated June 2013 [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Interest rate terms on debt The interest rates applicable to the 2013 Credit Agreement are, at the Company’s option, equal to either the alternate base rate calculated daily (which is a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the prime rate in effect on such day, (b) the federal funds effective rate in effect on such day plus 1/2% per annum, or (c) the adjusted LIBO rate on such day (or if such day is not a business day, the immediately preceding business day) for a deposit in U.S. dollars with a maturity of one month plus 1% per annum) or the applicable 1, 2, 3 or 6 month adjusted LIBO rate, in each case, plus an interest rate margin based upon the Company’s leverage ratio, which can range between 0 to 12.5 basis points for alternate base rate loans and between 75 basis points and 112.5 basis points for adjusted LIBO rate loans.          
Debt facility fee The facility fee on the 2013 Credit Agreement ranges between 12.5 basis points and 25 basis points.          
Debt covenant description The 2013 Credit Agreement requires that the Company comply with an interest coverage ratio test of not less than 3.50:1 as of the end of any fiscal quarter for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters and a leverage ratio test of not more than 3.50:1 as of the end of any fiscal quarter.          
Long-term debt 740,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementDatedJune2013Member
790,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementDatedJune2013Member
       
Unused borrowing capacity 533,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnusedBorrowingCapacityAmount
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementDatedJune2013Member
483,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnusedBorrowingCapacityAmount
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementDatedJune2013Member
       
Credit Agreement dated June 2013 [Member] | Term loan facility [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Face value of debt           300,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_TermLoanFacilityMember
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementDatedJune2013Member
Credit Agreement dated June 2013 [Member] | Revolving facilities [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Face value of debt           1,100,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_RevolvingFacilitiesMember
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementDatedJune2013Member
Notes payable and debt 125,000,000us-gaap_DebtCurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_RevolvingFacilitiesMember
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementDatedJune2013Member
125,000,000us-gaap_DebtCurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_RevolvingFacilitiesMember
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementDatedJune2013Member
       
Long-term debt $ 440,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wat_RevolvingFacilitiesMember
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementDatedJune2013Member
         
Credit agreement and unsecured debt [Member]            
Debt [Line Items]            
Weighted-average interest rate 2.31%us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementAndUnsecuredDebtMember
1.94%us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
/ wat_DebtTypeAxis
= wat_CreditAgreementAndUnsecuredDebtMember