West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST) Upgraded at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Friday morning.

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on WST. Wolfe Research began coverage on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in a report on Friday, December 13th. They issued a “peer perform” rating on the stock. Bank of America lifted their price objective on West Pharmaceutical Services from $350.00 to $355.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, December 13th. UBS Group raised 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 research note on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on West Pharmaceutical Services in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $400.00 price target on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $430.20.

West Pharmaceutical Services Price Performance

Shares of NYSE WST opened at $341.88 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $331.42 and a 200 day moving average price of $314.23. West Pharmaceutical Services has a 1-year low of $265.00 and a 1-year high of $413.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 3.00 and a quick ratio of 2.23. The company has a market cap of $24.76 billion, a PE ratio of 50.72, a P/E/G ratio of 19.71 and a beta of 1.00.

West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 11th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th will be issued a $0.21 dividend. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.25%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 7th. West Pharmaceutical Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 12.46%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On West Pharmaceutical Services

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC purchased a new position in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in the third quarter valued at $30,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in West Pharmaceutical Services in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC increased its holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services by 57.1% during the 4th quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 110 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new position in West Pharmaceutical Services during the third quarter worth about $41,000. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lifted its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 60.8% in the fourth quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 209 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $68,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. 93.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.