Valued at $16 billion by market cap, West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST) is a leading global manufacturer of packaging and delivery systems for injectable drugs. Headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania, the company serves pharmaceutical and biotech clients worldwide with products like rubber stoppers, seals, and auto-injectors. 

The company is ready to announce its fiscal second-quarter earnings for 2025 before the market opens on Thursday, Jul. 24. Ahead of the event, analysts expect WST to report a profit of $1.51 per share on a diluted basis, down marginally from $1.52 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company beat the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion. 

For the current year, analysts expect WST to report EPS of $6.28, down 7% from $6.75 in fiscal 2024. However, its EPS is expected to rise 14.2% year over year to $7.17 in fiscal 2026. 

WST shares have lagged well behind broader market benchmarks over the past 52 weeks, plunging 30.7%, a stark contrast to the S&P 500’s ($SPX) 13.4% gains. The stock also fared worse than the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLV), which declined a more modest 5.4% during the same period.

On April 24, WST shares fell 3.5% after the company reported its first-quarter results. While revenue inched up to $698 million, reflecting 2.1% organic growth, adjusted EPS of $1.45 topped analyst expectations of $1.23. Despite the stock’s drop, management raised its full-year outlook, projecting revenue between $2.945 and $2.975 billion and adjusted EPS in the range of $6.15 to $6.35, accounting for an expected $20–25 million impact from tariffs.

Analysts’ consensus opinion on WST stock is very bullish, with a “Strong Buy” rating overall. Out of 13 analysts covering the stock, 10 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, one gives a “Moderate Buy,” and two suggest “Hold.” 

WST’s average analyst price target is $279.55, indicating an ambitious potential upside of 25.8% from the current levels.