Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC Trims Stock Position in West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:WST)

Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC reduced its stake in West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:WST) by 0.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 28,813 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after selling 94 shares during the quarter. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC’s holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services were worth $9,438,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Quadrant Capital Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 5.4% during the fourth quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 626 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $205,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares during the period. Baron Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 1.9% in the fourth quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,926 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $631,000 after acquiring an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC boosted its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 18.9% in the fourth quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 239 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $78,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Lake Street Advisors Group LLC increased its stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 5.8% during the fourth quarter. Lake Street Advisors Group LLC now owns 711 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $233,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares during the period. Finally, Cornerstone Planning Group LLC raised its holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services by 57.1% during the fourth quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 110 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. 93.90% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

West Pharmaceutical Services Trading Down 5.6 %

Shares of WST stock opened at $190.12 on Wednesday. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $188.35 and a fifty-two week high of $394.42. The company has a quick ratio of 2.23, a current ratio of 2.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $242.46 and a 200-day simple moving average of $292.57. The stock has a market cap of $13.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.42, a P/E/G ratio of 6.74 and a beta of 1.22.

West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The medical instruments supplier reported $1.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.75 by $0.07. West Pharmaceutical Services had a net margin of 17.03% and a return on equity of 18.60%. The company had revenue of $748.80 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $739.59 million. On average, analysts forecast that West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. will post 6.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 7th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 30th will be paid a $0.21 dividend. This represents a $0.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.44%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 30th. West Pharmaceutical Services’s payout ratio is 12.56%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Evercore ISI started coverage on West Pharmaceutical Services in a report on Tuesday, March 18th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $275.00 price objective on the stock. Bank of America upped their price objective on West Pharmaceutical Services from $350.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, December 13th. UBS Group upgraded West Pharmaceutical Services from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $350.00 to $390.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Wolfe Research started coverage on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in a research report on Friday, December 13th. They set a “peer perform” rating on the stock. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $400.00 price target for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $332.50.

West Pharmaceutical Services Company Profile

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.