Hsbc Holdings PLC Acquires 27,745 Shares of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. $WST

Key Points

• Hsbc Holdings PLC increased its stake in West Pharmaceutical Services by 23.3% in the fourth quarter, buying 27,745 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 146,872 shares valued at about $40.4 million.
• West Pharmaceutical Services reported strong quarterly results, with EPS of $2.13 beating estimates and revenue of $844.9 million topping expectations; revenue also rose 21% year over year.
• Analysts remain generally positive on the stock, with a consensus Buy rating and an average price target of $340.09, while Wolfe Research set a higher target of $375.00.

Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:WST - Free Report) by 23.3% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 146,872 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock after purchasing an additional 27,745 shares during the quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC owned 0.20% of West Pharmaceutical Services worth $40,425,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of WST. Elyxium Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in West Pharmaceutical Services during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC bought a new position in West Pharmaceutical Services in the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Bayban acquired a new position in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Private Trust Co. NA boosted its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 156.4% in the fourth quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 100 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the period. Finally, DV Equities LLC bought a new stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. 93.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

West Pharmaceutical Services Stock Up 1.9%

WST stock opened at $336.09 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $23.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.93, a P/E/G ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 1.18. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. has a twelve month low of $206.80 and a twelve month high of $336.82. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $308.92 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $274.16. 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 (NYSE:WST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.68 by $0.45. The company had revenue of $844.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $779.67 million. West Pharmaceutical Services had a return on equity of 19.03% and a net margin of 16.85%.The business's revenue was up 21.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.45 EPS. 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. Analysts anticipate that West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. will post 8.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WST has been the topic of several research reports. Evercore reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Zacks Research upgraded West Pharmaceutical Services from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. Weiss Ratings raised West Pharmaceutical Services from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Citigroup reissued a "buy" rating on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Wolfe Research began coverage on West Pharmaceutical Services in a report on Monday, June 1st. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $375.00 price target on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $340.09.

Insider Buying and Selling at West Pharmaceutical Services

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

About West Pharmaceutical Services

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.

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