Volatility is a statistical measure of the dispersion of returns for a given security or market index, it shows how the price swings around its mean. The volatility here is measured as the annualized standard deviation between monthly returns from the security over the past year. In most cases, the higher the volatility, the riskier the security.
West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST) Volatility Explanation
Volatility is a statistical measure of the dispersion of returns for a given security or market index. It’s often measured as standard deviation or variance of historical returns over a certain period. The volatility here is measured as the annualized standard deviation between monthly returns from the security over the past year.
Volatility reflects the uncertainty or risk of a security’s value. Generally speaking, a higher volatility suggests a higher risk, because it implies a wider fluctuation around average price. This means the price of the security can change dramatically in either direction within a short period. Conversely, a lower volatility means that the security's price is more steady, which suggests a lower risk.
Another measurement of relative volatility is Beta. Beta is a measure of systematic risk of a security or a portfolio in comparison to the market as a whole. Beta is usually compared to 1. A beta of greater than 1 indicates that the security's price will be more volatile than the market.
West Pharmaceutical Services Volatility Related Terms
WST vs RMD, MDLN, SOLV: Volatility Comparison
For the Medical Instruments & Supplies subindustry, West Pharmaceutical Services's Volatility, along with its competitors' market caps and Volatility data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
West Pharmaceutical Services Volatility vs Medical Devices & Instruments Industry
For the Medical Devices & Instruments industry and Healthcare sector, West Pharmaceutical Services's Volatility distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where West Pharmaceutical Services's Volatility falls into.
West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST) Volatility Calculation
The annualized volatility is calculated as following:
σA
=
σM
*
√12
=
√ 1/(n-1) ∑(Ri - R')^2
*
√12
Where: σM is the monthly volatility, n is the number of months in the period, Ri is the security's historical monthly returns and R' is the arithmetic mean of monthly returns.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) has a Volatility of 29.47% as of Jun. 24, 2026. Volatility is measured as the annualized standard deviation between monthly returns from the security over the past year. View historical data on West Pharmaceutical Services and its competitors.
Is West Pharmaceutical Services' Volatility too high?
West Pharmaceutical Services' current Volatility is 29.47%. Overall, West Pharmaceutical Services has a GF Score™ of 95/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does West Pharmaceutical Services' Volatility compare to RMD and MDLN?
West Pharmaceutical Services' Volatility of 29.47% can be compared against companies in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Volatility for a Medical Devices & Instruments company?
A good Volatility depends on the Medical Devices & Instruments industry context. However, Volatility should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Volatility mean?
A high Volatility can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Volatility is measured as the annualized standard deviation between monthly returns from the security over the past year. View historical data on West Pharmaceutical Services and its competitors. West Pharmaceutical Services's current Volatility is 29.47%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is West Pharmaceutical Services stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $361.52, compared to a current price of $340.41 — trading 5.8% below its estimated fair value. The current Volatility is 29.47%. West Pharmaceutical Services' overall GF Score™ is 95/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Volatility calculated?
Volatility is calculated from a company's financial statements. For West Pharmaceutical Services (WST), the current Volatility is 29.47% as of Jun. 24, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, West Pharmaceutical Services stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $340.41 is trading 5.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of $361.52.
GuruFocus considers West Pharmaceutical Services to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for WST:
Volatility: 29.47%
GF Value™: $361.52 vs. price of $340.41 (5.8% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the WST stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
West Pharmaceutical Services is based in Pennsylvania and is a key supplier to firms in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and generic drug industries. West sells elastomer-based packaging components (including stoppers, seals, and plungers), nonglass containment solutions, and auto-injectors for injectable drugs, which include large-molecule biologics, peptides such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, and small-molecule drugs. The company reports in two segments: proprietary products (about 80% of total revenue) and contract-manufactured products (about 20% of total revenue). It generates approximately 55% of its revenue from international markets and 45% from the United States.
95GF Score
Get the complete analysis for WST
Volatility is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
WST has been successfully added to your 