WST's Q4 Earnings & Sales Beat, SmartDose Sale by Mid-2026, Stock Up

Core Insights - West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST) reported adjusted fourth-quarter 2025 earnings per share (EPS) of $2.04, a 12.1% increase year over year, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11.5% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $805 million in the fourth quarter, reflecting a 7.5% year-over-year growth, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.4% [2] - Full-year 2025 revenues reached $3.07 billion, marking a 6.3% increase from 2024, with organic revenues up 4.3% year over year [3] Financial Performance - Adjusted EPS for the full year was $7.29, an 8% increase from 2024 [1] - GAAP EPS for the fourth quarter was $1.82, a 2.2% improvement from the previous year [1] - Gross profit for the quarter increased by 11.1% to $303.9 million, with a gross margin expansion of 130 basis points to 37.8% [10] Segment Performance - Proprietary Products segment reported revenues of $661.8 million, up 7.8% year over year, with high-value products accounting for 48% of net sales [7][8] - Contract-Manufactured Products segment revenues totaled $143.2 million, reflecting a 6.2% year-over-year increase [9] Guidance and Outlook - For Q1 2026, WST expects sales between $770 million and $790 million, with EPS projected in the range of $1.65-$1.70 [14] - Full-year 2026 revenues are anticipated to be between $3.21 billion and $3.27 billion, with organic net sales expected to grow 5-7% [15] - Adjusted EPS for 2026 is projected to be in the range of $7.85-$8.20 [16] Strategic Insights - The company attributes its strong performance to consistent execution of its growth strategy, particularly in the high-value product segment [18] - Management expects the momentum to continue into 2026, focusing on operational discipline and growth sustainability [18] - The guidance reflects steady demand fundamentals and favorable currency tailwinds [19]