Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB Cuts Stake in West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:WST)

Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB lowered its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:WST) by 0.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 9,264 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after selling 45 shares during the period. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB’s holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services were worth $3,035,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC purchased a new stake in West Pharmaceutical Services during the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in West Pharmaceutical Services during the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new stake in West Pharmaceutical Services in the 3rd quarter worth $41,000. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services by 60.8% in the 4th quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 209 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $68,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hilltop National Bank increased its position in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 47.9% in the fourth quarter. Hilltop National Bank now owns 216 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $71,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares during the period. 93.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WST has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. UBS Group upgraded shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $350.00 to $390.00 in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Wolfe Research began coverage on West Pharmaceutical Services in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They set a “peer perform” rating on the stock. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. They set a “buy” rating and a $400.00 price objective on the stock. StockNews.com raised shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Bank of America upped their target price on West Pharmaceutical Services from $350.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, December 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $403.75.

West Pharmaceutical Services Stock Down 2.7 %

Shares of West Pharmaceutical Services stock opened at $321.50 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $23.28 billion, a PE ratio of 47.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 19.31 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 2.23 and a current ratio of 3.00. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $332.31 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $314.55. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. has a 52-week low of $265.00 and a 52-week high of $413.56.

West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 11th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 7th will be issued a dividend of $0.21 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 7th. This represents a $0.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.26%. West Pharmaceutical Services’s payout ratio is 12.46%.

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.