West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. $WST Shares Sold by Pictet Asset Management Holding SA

Pictet Asset Management Holding SA lowered its position in West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:WST) by 20.0% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 151,997 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after selling 38,116 shares during the quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA’s holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services were worth $41,820,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC acquired a new stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Private Trust Co. NA boosted its position in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 156.4% in the 4th quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 100 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. boosted its position in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 1,842.9% in the 3rd quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 136 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 129 shares in the last quarter. MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in the 2nd quarter worth about $47,000. Finally, Pilgrim Partners Asia Pte Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in the 3rd quarter worth about $47,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.90% of the company’s stock.

West Pharmaceutical Services Stock Up 1.1%

Shares of NYSE:WST opened at $295.20 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.04, a current ratio of 2.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. has a 52-week low of $202.79 and a 52-week high of $322.34. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $256.08 and its 200-day simple moving average is $263.00. The company has a market capitalization of $20.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.47, a P/E/G ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 1.15.

West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.68 by $0.45. West Pharmaceutical Services had a return on equity of 19.03% and a net margin of 16.85%.The business had revenue of $844.90 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $779.68 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.45 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 21.0% on a year-over-year basis. West Pharmaceutical Services has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.400-8.750 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.050-2.120 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. will post 8.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 29th will be paid a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 29th. West Pharmaceutical Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 11.76%.

West Pharmaceutical Services declared that its board has authorized a share buyback program on Tuesday, February 17th that authorizes the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the medical instruments supplier to buy up to 5.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are typically an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from $275.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday. Morgan Stanley set a $315.00 price objective on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in a research report on Monday. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in a research report on Friday, April 24th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $340.00 price objective on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Monday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $322.89.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other West Pharmaceutical Services news, VP Annette F. Favorite sold 2,817 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, April 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.20, for a total transaction of $859,748.40. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 16,828 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,135,905.60. This represents a 14.34% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CAO Chad Winters sold 896 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, April 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $300.67, for a total value of $269,400.32. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 1,523 shares in the company, valued at approximately $457,920.41. This represents a 37.04% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.60% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting West Pharmaceutical Services

Here are the key news stories impacting West Pharmaceutical Services this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company beat quarterly estimates, reported strong revenue growth and set FY2026 EPS guidance (8.40–8.75) — analysts have been updating estimates upward, supporting the re-rating of WST. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Just Beat Analyst Forecasts, And Analysts Have Been Updating Their Predictions
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded WST to a Rank #1 (Strong Buy), increasing near-term buyer interest and momentum flows into the stock. West Pharmaceutical (WST) Upgraded to Strong Buy: Here’s What You Should Know
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks also highlighted WST as a top momentum pick and placed it on its Best Momentum Stocks list, which can attract short-term trading demand. Are You Looking for a Top Momentum Pick? Why West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) is a Great Choice
• Positive Sentiment: Press coverage frames the recent rally as a sustained re-rating after strong quarterly results, helping sentiment and investor interest. From Slide to Surge: How West Pharmaceutical Services Reclaimed Its Mojo in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Management will present at upcoming investor conferences (Bank of America Global Healthcare, William Blair), which gives investors additional access to management commentary and could prolong attention on the name. West to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale — CAO Chad Winters sold 896 shares at ~$300.67 (≈$269.4k); his ownership fell ~37%. Insider selling can create short-term concern on insider conviction. Chad Winters Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale — VP Annette F. Favorite sold 2,817 shares at ~$305.20 (≈$859.7k); her ownership dropped ~14%. Larger-dollar insider sales may temper sentiment despite company fundamentals. Annette F. Favorite Form 4

West Pharmaceutical Services Company Profile

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc is a global developer and manufacturer of components, systems and services that enable the containment and delivery of injectable drugs. The company focuses on high-quality packaging and delivery solutions for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, producing primary drug packaging components and specialized drug delivery devices used for vaccines, biologics and other injectable therapies. West is known for its elastomeric closures, seals and polymer components that maintain sterility and compatibility with sensitive drug formulations.

In addition to component manufacturing, West provides engineered delivery systems and support services across the product lifecycle.