XML 81 R55.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.1

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 28, 2020 | Mar. 30, 2019
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |
Income tax holiday amount | $ 2 | $ 4
Income tax holiday per share benefit | $ 0.04 | $ 0.06
Effective income tax rate | 7.40% | 7.10%
Increase in effective tax rate percentage points | (7.10%) | (2.90%)
Effect of stock-based compensation | $ 2 | $ 7
2017 Tax Act |  | $ 3
Effective tax rate reconciliation restructuring charges | 4 |
Maximum [Member] |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |
Expected change in unrecognized tax benefits in the next twelve months | $ 1 |
United States [Member] |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |
Statutory tax rate | 21.00% |
Ireland [Member] |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |
Statutory tax rate | 12.50% |
U.K [Member] |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |
Statutory tax rate | 19.00% |
Singapore [Member] |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |
Statutory tax rate | 17.00% |
Singapore [Member] | Contractual Tax Rate Singapore [Member] |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |
Marginal effective income tax rate | 0.00% |

X
- Definition Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32687-109319 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32698-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of income taxes from which a reporting entity is exempt or for which it will receive a reduction in income taxes as a result of the income tax holiday granted by the taxing jurisdiction. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 11.C) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116825942&loc=d3e330215-122817 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayAggregateDollarAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Per share amount effect of the income tax benefit resulting from the income tax holidays granted by taxing jurisdictions. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 11.C) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116825942&loc=d3e330215-122817 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayIncomeTaxBenefitsPerShare
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:perShareItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to other deductions. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32687-109319 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32698-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationDeductionsOther
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to nondeductible restructuring charges. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32698-109319 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32687-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseRestructuringCharges
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of the unrecognized tax benefit of a position taken for which it is reasonably possible that the total amount thereof will significantly increase or decrease within twelve months of the balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32718-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleAmountOfUnrecordedBenefit
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of income tax expense (benefit) from effect of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32639-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_TaxCutsAndJobsActOf2017IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Income taxes. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wat_IncomeTaxesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | wat_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of tax paid on an additional dollar of income. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wat_MarginalEffectiveIncomeTaxRate
Namespace Prefix: | wat_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage point change in effective tax rate relating to infrequent income tax items. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wat_PercentagePointChangeInEffectiveTaxRateRelatingToInfrequentIncomeTaxItems
Namespace Prefix: | wat_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage of statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss). + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wat_StatutoryTaxRate
Namespace Prefix: | wat_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_US
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_IE
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_GB
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_SG
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=wat_ContractualTaxRateSingaporeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |