ALNY vs. WST: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals vs. West Pharmaceutical Services Stock Comparison
How do Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but ALNY is classified in Biotechnology while WST is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.
| Profile Item | ALNY | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Biotechnology | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Biotechnology | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 20.89 billion USD | 27.85 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 1, 2004 | March 17, 1980 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -64.57% | 51.68% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -1.58% | 7.13% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -3.13% | 0.05% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 54.08% | 31.45% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.45 | 1.13 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -68.25% | -59.29% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.90M | 603.86K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -1.27 | 1.51 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -1.45 | 2.35 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both companies show strong equity returns, but Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 138.07% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 21.23% also sits in the top quartile.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
138.07%
- ALNY
- 138.07%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
WST
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
21.23%
- Max
- 109.18%
- WST
- 21.23%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 52.85% and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 18.81% keep an unusually large share of revenue as bottom-line profit — each net margin clears its industry’s benchmark range.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
52.85%
- ALNY
- 52.85%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
WST
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
18.81%
- WST
- 18.81%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 23.72% and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 25.37% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
23.72%
- Max
- 83.12%
- ALNY
- 23.72%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
WST
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
25.37%
- Max
- 83.12%
- WST
- 25.37%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | WST |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 138.07% | 21.23% |
| ROA (TTM) | 9.51% | 11.89% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 52.85% | 18.81% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 23.72% | 25.37% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 77.28% | 37.59% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 65.19% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 6.25% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for ALNY.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) reports EPS growth of 1.49%, ranked against its industry; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 65.19% | 6.25% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 52.98% | 2.12% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | 1.49% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -4.23% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 2.48 and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 2.82 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
2.48
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- ALNY
- 2.48
- Q1
- 2.47
- Min
- 0.10
WST
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
2.82
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- WST
- 2.82
- Q1
- 2.47
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 0.11 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 0.83 uses more debt funding than most peers.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.83
- Max
- 1.42
- ALNY
- 0.83
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
WST
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.11
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- WST
- 0.11
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.48 | 2.82 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.83 | 0.11 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -0.57 | -0.16 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) reports a yield of 0.22%, ranking against industry peers normally.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- ALNY
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WST
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.22%
- WST
- 0.22%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) reports a payout of 9.88%, ranking against industry peers normally.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- ALNY
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WST
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
9.88%
- WST
- 9.88%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.22% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 9.88% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 7.88 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 44.87 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
7.88
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- ALNY
- 7.88
- Min
- 0.07
WST
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
44.87
- Max
- 85.34
- WST
- 44.87
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 4.17 and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 8.20 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.17
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- ALNY
- 4.17
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
WST
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
8.20
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- WST
- 8.20
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 5.79 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 9.40 carries an above-peer premium to book — WST is pricier on assets.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.79
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- ALNY
- 5.79
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
WST
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
9.40
- Max
- 13.53
- WST
- 9.40
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | WST |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 7.88 | 44.87 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.17 | 8.20 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 5.79 | 9.40 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.57% | 1.24% |