We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
WST Likely to Beat Q1 Earnings Estimates: How to Play the Stock?
Read MoreHide Full Article
Key Takeaways
West Pharmaceutical Services is set to report Q1 2026 results with revenues seen at $770-$790M.
WST growth is driven by HVP Components, fueled by GLP-1 demand, biologics recovery and upgrades.
Contract Manufacturing is expected to rebound, with early Dublin program contributions emerging.
West Pharmaceutical Services (WST - Free Report) is scheduled to release first-quarter 2026 results on April 23, before the opening bell. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 11.48%. WST’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 17.39%.
Q1 Estimates
Per management, the company expects first-quarter revenues to be in the range of $770-$790 million, implying 5-7% organic sales growth. Also, adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) are expected to be in the range of $1.65-$1.70.
Currently, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $774.47 million, indicating growth of 11% year over year. The consensus mark for earnings is pinned at $1.68 per share, indicating an improvement of 15.9%.
Our model estimates total revenues to be $770.8 million, implying a 4.6% organic improvement year over year. The adjusted EPS is estimated to be $1.66. While the Proprietary Products segment sales are anticipated to be $623.5 million (organic growth of 4.9%), Contract-Manufactured Products segmental sales are likely to be $147.2 million. Operating profit for the Proprietary Products segment is expected to increase 4.5%, while that of the Contract-Manufactured Products segment is projected to decline 6.8%.
Factors to Note
West Pharmaceutical Services entered first-quarter 2026 with solid operational momentum following a strong finish to 2025, positioning the company for continued growth across its high-value product (HVP) portfolio.
The HVP Components segment likely remained the key driver of first-quarter performance. The segment delivered robust double-digit growth in 2025, driven by GLP-1 demand, a recovery in biologics, and Annex 1-related upgrades. Management commentary suggests that non-GLP-1 HVP components could emerge as a more meaningful growth contributor in early 2026, supported by improving biologics demand and a growing pipeline of regulatory-driven conversions. Demand continues to outpace supply in certain regions, indicating sustained order strength in the first quarter.
GLP-1-related demand is expected to have remained a supportive, albeit moderating, growth lever. While growth rates are projected to have normalized from the elevated levels in 2025, management remains confident that both injectable and oral GLP-1 formats might have expanded the overall market instead of cannibalizing demand. Early-stage penetration and expanding indications should have underpinned continued volume growth in elastomer components in the first quarter.
The HVP Delivery Devices segment is likely to have delivered sequential improvement, supported by continued strength in Crystal Zenith and administration systems, though year-over-year performance may have been weaker due to prior-year incentive payments. Meanwhile, the Standard Products segment is expected to have remained relatively stable, with incremental conversion to higher-margin HVP offerings acting as a structural tailwind for mix and profitability.
Contract Manufacturing performance in the first quarter is expected to have rebounded following temporary disruptions last quarter, with profitability likely normalizing toward mid- to high-teens levels. Early contributions from the Dublin drug-handling program should have begun materializing, though the ramp is expected to be gradual through the year.
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for WST this earnings season. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat, which is the case here.
Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, is +0.17%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Here are some other medical product stocks worth considering, as these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this reporting cycle.
Henry Schein (HSIC - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.28% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
HSIC’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 2.14%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HSIC’s first-quarter EPS indicates an improvement of 4.4% from the year-ago reported figure.
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.88% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The company is set to release first-quarter fiscal 2026 results on April 23.
TMO’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 2.78%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TMO’s first-quarter EPS implies an improvement of 1% from the year-ago reported figure.
IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.77% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The company is slated to release first-quarter 2026 results on May 05.
IDXX’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 6.11%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for IDXX’s first-quarter EPS calls for a gain 15.5% from the year-ago reported figure.
Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)
Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report
predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
WST Likely to Beat Q1 Earnings Estimates: How to Play the Stock?
Key Takeaways
West Pharmaceutical Services (WST - Free Report) is scheduled to release first-quarter 2026 results on April 23, before the opening bell. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 11.48%. WST’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 17.39%.
Q1 Estimates
Per management, the company expects first-quarter revenues to be in the range of $770-$790 million, implying 5-7% organic sales growth. Also, adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) are expected to be in the range of $1.65-$1.70.
Currently, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $774.47 million, indicating growth of 11% year over year. The consensus mark for earnings is pinned at $1.68 per share, indicating an improvement of 15.9%.
Our model estimates total revenues to be $770.8 million, implying a 4.6% organic improvement year over year. The adjusted EPS is estimated to be $1.66. While the Proprietary Products segment sales are anticipated to be $623.5 million (organic growth of 4.9%), Contract-Manufactured Products segmental sales are likely to be $147.2 million. Operating profit for the Proprietary Products segment is expected to increase 4.5%, while that of the Contract-Manufactured Products segment is projected to decline 6.8%.
Factors to Note
West Pharmaceutical Services entered first-quarter 2026 with solid operational momentum following a strong finish to 2025, positioning the company for continued growth across its high-value product (HVP) portfolio.
The HVP Components segment likely remained the key driver of first-quarter performance. The segment delivered robust double-digit growth in 2025, driven by GLP-1 demand, a recovery in biologics, and Annex 1-related upgrades. Management commentary suggests that non-GLP-1 HVP components could emerge as a more meaningful growth contributor in early 2026, supported by improving biologics demand and a growing pipeline of regulatory-driven conversions. Demand continues to outpace supply in certain regions, indicating sustained order strength in the first quarter.
GLP-1-related demand is expected to have remained a supportive, albeit moderating, growth lever. While growth rates are projected to have normalized from the elevated levels in 2025, management remains confident that both injectable and oral GLP-1 formats might have expanded the overall market instead of cannibalizing demand. Early-stage penetration and expanding indications should have underpinned continued volume growth in elastomer components in the first quarter.
The HVP Delivery Devices segment is likely to have delivered sequential improvement, supported by continued strength in Crystal Zenith and administration systems, though year-over-year performance may have been weaker due to prior-year incentive payments. Meanwhile, the Standard Products segment is expected to have remained relatively stable, with incremental conversion to higher-margin HVP offerings acting as a structural tailwind for mix and profitability.
Contract Manufacturing performance in the first quarter is expected to have rebounded following temporary disruptions last quarter, with profitability likely normalizing toward mid- to high-teens levels. Early contributions from the Dublin drug-handling program should have begun materializing, though the ramp is expected to be gradual through the year.
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. price-eps-surprise | West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Quote
Earnings Beat Likely
Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for WST this earnings season. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat, which is the case here.
Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, is +0.17%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: The company carries a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Other Stocks Worth a Look
Here are some other medical product stocks worth considering, as these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this reporting cycle.
Henry Schein (HSIC - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.28% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
HSIC’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 2.14%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HSIC’s first-quarter EPS indicates an improvement of 4.4% from the year-ago reported figure.
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.88% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The company is set to release first-quarter fiscal 2026 results on April 23.
TMO’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 2.78%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TMO’s first-quarter EPS implies an improvement of 1% from the year-ago reported figure.
IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.77% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The company is slated to release first-quarter 2026 results on May 05.
IDXX’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 6.11%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for IDXX’s first-quarter EPS calls for a gain 15.5% from the year-ago reported figure.