Waters Corporation announced a $17.5 billion acquisition of Becton Dickinson's Biosciences and Diagnostics Solutions division, aiming to significantly expand its presence in clinical diagnostics and molecular testing markets. The transaction is positioned to double Waters’ total addressable market to approximately $40 billion and enhance its offerings in flow cytometry, mass spectrometry, and microbiology. Analysts view the move as Waters' strategic response to recent competitive advances by Bruker in molecular diagnostics. The deal underscores a growing trend of consolidation among instrumentation companies seeking to broaden their clinical diagnostics footprint and capitalize on high-growth, regulated markets with recurring revenues.