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Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Activity of Company's Allowance for Doubtful Accounts | The following is a summary of the activity of the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 (in thousands):
|  | Balance at Beginning of Period |  |  | Additions |  |  | Deduction |  |  | Balance at End of Period |
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
December 31, 2018 |  | $ | 6,109 |  |  | $ | 6,333 |  |  | $ | (4,779 | ) |  | $ | 7,663 |
December 31, 2017 |  | $ | 5,141 |  |  | $ | 3,752 |  |  | $ | (2,784 | ) |  | $ | 6,109 |
December 31, 2016 |  | $ | 4,617 |  |  | $ | 2,399 |  |  | $ | (1,875 | ) |  | $ | 5,141 |
Summary of Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis | The following table represents the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2018 (in thousands):
|  | Total at December 31, 2018 |  |  | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) |  |  | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) |  |  | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) |
Assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Treasury securities |  | $ | 164,315 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 164,315 |  |  | $ | — |
Foreign government securities |  |  | 3,463 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 3,463 |  |  |  | — |
Corporate debt securities |  |  | 723,059 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 723,059 |  |  |  | — |
Time deposits |  |  | 108,638 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 108,638 |  |  |  | — |
Waters 401(k) Restoration Plan assets |  |  | 33,104 |  |  |  | 33,104 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |
Foreign currency exchange contracts |  |  | 503 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 503 |  |  |  | — |
Interest rate cross-currency swap agreements |  |  | 1,093 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 1,093 |  |  |  | — |
Total |  | $ | 1,034,175 |  |  | $ | 33,104 |  |  | $ | 1,001,071 |  |  | $ | — |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingent consideration |  | $ | 2,476 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 2,476 |
Foreign currency exchange contracts |  |  | 224 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 224 |  |  |  | — |
Total |  | $ | 2,700 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 224 |  |  | $ | 2,476 |
The following table represents the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2017 (in thousands):
|  | Total at December 31, 2017 |  |  | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) |  |  | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) |  |  | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) |
Assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Treasury securities |  | $ | 591,988 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 591,988 |  |  | $ | — |
Foreign government securities |  |  | 6,952 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 6,952 |  |  |  | — |
Corporate debt securities |  |  | 1,975,160 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 1,975,160 |  |  |  | — |
Time deposits |  |  | 371,511 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 371,511 |  |  |  | — |
Equity securities |  |  | 147 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 147 |  |  |  | — |
Waters 401(k) Restoration Plan assets |  |  | 35,645 |  |  |  | 35,645 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |
Foreign currency exchange contracts |  |  | 566 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 566 |  |  |  | — |
Total |  | $ | 2,981,969 |  |  | $ | 35,645 |  |  | $ | 2,946,324 |  |  | $ | — |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingent consideration |  | $ | 3,247 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 3,247 |
Foreign currency exchange contracts |  |  | 182 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 182 |  |  |  | — |
Total |  | $ | 3,429 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 182 |  |  | $ | 3,247 |
Fair Value of Forward Foreign Exchange Contracts | The Company’s foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate cross-currency swap agreements included in the consolidated balance sheets are classified as follows (in thousands):
|  | December 31, 2018 |  |  | December 31, 2017 |
|  | Notional Value |  |  | Fair Value |  |  | Notional Value |  |  | Fair Value |
Foreign currency exchange contracts: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other current assets |  | $ | 112,212 |  |  | $ | 503 |  |  | $ | 110,759 |  |  | $ | 566 |
Other current liabilities |  | $ | 40,175 |  |  | $ | 224 |  |  | $ | 37,104 |  |  | $ | 182 |
Interest rate cross-currency swap agreements: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other assets |  | $ | 300,000 |  |  | $ | 1,093 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |
Accumulated other comprehensive income |  |  |  |  |  | $ | (1,093 | ) |  |  |  |  |  | $ | — |
Gains (Losses) on Foreign Exchange Contracts | The following is a summary of the activity included in the statements of comprehensive income related to the foreign currency exchange contracts (in thousands):
|  | Financial Statement Classification |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | Year Ended December 31, |
|  | 2018 |  |  | 2017 |  |  | 2016 |
Foreign currency exchange contracts: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Realized (losses) gains on closed contracts |  | Cost of sales |  | $ | (6,684 | ) |  | $ | 3,894 |  |  | $ | (10,401 | )
Unrealized (losses) gains on open contracts |  | Cost of sales |  |  | (105 | ) |  |  | 1,054 |  |  |  | (883 | )
Cumulative net pre-tax (losses) gains |  | Cost of sales |  | $ | (6,789 | ) |  | $ | 4,948 |  |  | $ | (11,284 | )
Interest rate cross-currency swap agreements: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest earned |  | Interest income |  | $ | 2,713 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |
Unrealized gains on open contracts |  | Stockholders’ equity |  | $ | 1,093 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |
Summary of Activity of Company's Accrued Warranty Liability | The following is a summary of the activity of the Company’s accrued warranty liability for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 (in thousands):
|  | Balance at Beginning of Period |  |  | Accruals for Warranties |  |  | Settlements Made |  |  | Balance at End of Period |
Accrued warranty liability: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
December 31, 2018 |  | $ | 13,026 |  |  | $ | 5,033 |  |  | $ | (5,759 | ) |  | $ | 12,300 |
December 31, 2017 |  | $ | 13,391 |  |  | $ | 8,746 |  |  | $ | (9,111 | ) |  | $ | 13,026 |
December 31, 2016 |  | $ | 13,349 |  |  | $ | 9,755 |  |  | $ | (9,713 | ) |  | $ | 13,391 |

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