West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:WST – Get Free Report) shares gapped up before the market opened on Thursday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The stock had previously closed at $286.44, but opened at $327.50. West Pharmaceutical Services shares last traded at $350.50, with a volume of 288,188 shares.
The medical instruments supplier reported $1.85 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.51 by $0.34. The business had revenue of $746.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $709.62 million. West Pharmaceutical Services had a return on equity of 19.17% and a net margin of 18.25%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.16 EPS.
West Pharmaceutical Services Increases Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 20th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 13th will be given a dividend of $0.21 per share. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.27%. This is a boost from West Pharmaceutical Services’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, November 13th. West Pharmaceutical Services’s dividend payout ratio is presently 11.08%.
Insider Transactions at West Pharmaceutical Services
Institutional Trading of West Pharmaceutical Services
Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in West Pharmaceutical Services in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC acquired a new position in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services during the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Crewe Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 322.7% during the 2nd quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC now owns 93 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the period. ORG Partners LLC increased its position in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 820.0% during the 1st quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 138 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $55,000 after purchasing an additional 123 shares during the period. Finally, Quest Partners LLC increased its position in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 5,633.3% during the 2nd quarter. Quest Partners LLC now owns 172 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $57,000 after purchasing an additional 169 shares during the period. 93.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
West Pharmaceutical Services Trading Down 6.9 %
The company has a market capitalization of $22.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.62, a PEG ratio of 10.21 and a beta of 1.01. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $300.51 and a 200-day moving average price of $322.27. The company has a current ratio of 2.34, a quick ratio of 1.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03.
About West Pharmaceutical Services
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc designs, manufactures, and sells containment and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in two segments, Proprietary Products and Contract-Manufactured Products.
Recommended Stories
- Five stocks we like better than West Pharmaceutical Services
- The How and Why of Investing in Gold Stocks
- Texas Roadhouse Stock Steering for New Highs This Year
- Basic Materials Stocks Investing
- Monopar Therapeutics Skyrockets 400% on Licensing Deal
- How to invest in marijuana stocks in 7 stepsĀ
- Tractor Supply Stock Pulls Back: A Prime Buying Opportunity
Receive News & Ratings for West Pharmaceutical Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for West Pharmaceutical Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.