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Exton, Pennsylvania-based West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST) designs, manufactures, and sells containment and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products. Valued at $14.7 billion by market cap, the company’s technologies include the design and manufacture of packaging components, research and development of drug delivery systems, and contract laboratory services and other services. The leading manufacturer of containment and delivery systems is expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2025 before the market opens on Thursday, Apr. 24.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect WST to report a profit of $1.30 per share on a diluted basis, down 16.7% from $1.56 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company beat the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion.
For the full year, analysts expect WST to report EPS of $6.44, down 4.6% from $6.75 in fiscal 2024. However, its EPS is expected to rise 9.9% year over year to $7.08 in fiscal 2026.
WST stock has considerably underperformed the S&P 500’s ($SPX) 2.1% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares down 47.7% during this period. Similarly, it significantly underperformed the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLV) 4.7% dip over the same time frame.
On Feb. 13, WST shares fell by a notable 38.2% after reporting its Q4 results. Its adjusted EPS of $1.82 topped Wall Street expectations of $1.75. The company’s revenue was $748.8 million, surpassing Wall Street forecasts of $739.6 million. WST expects full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $6 to $6.20, and expects revenue in the range of $2.88 billion to $2.91 billion.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on WST stock is bullish, with a “Strong Buy” rating overall. Out of 11 analysts covering the stock, 10 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, and one give a “Hold.” WST’s average analyst price target is $298.33, indicating an ambitious potential upside of 46.4% from the current levels.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
