CAH vs. WST: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CAH and WST, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | CAH | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Cardinal Health, Inc. | West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Providers & Services | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 36.52 billion USD | 17.72 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 4, 1983 | March 17, 1980 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CAH and WST by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | CAH | WST |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.82% | 0.07% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -0.59% | 13.42% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 20.64% | 23.74% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 39.31% | -18.33% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -1.46% | 2.98% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 29.32% | -24.78% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 3.13M | 0.54M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.31M | 0.75M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 23.34% | 53.57% |
| Beta | 0.73 | 1.06 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CAH
37.17%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 26.03%
- Q3
- 13.74%
- Median
- 8.26%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -3.62%
CAH’s Return on Equity of 37.17% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
WST
17.66%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.96%
- Q3
- 11.55%
- Median
- 6.22%
- Q1
- 3.86%
- Min
- -6.95%
In the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, WST’s Return on Equity of 17.66% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CAH
0.70%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.40%
- Q3
- 5.93%
- Median
- 1.96%
- Q1
- 0.93%
- Min
- -6.10%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, CAH’s Net Profit Margin of 0.70% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
WST
16.48%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 27.28%
- Q3
- 16.17%
- Median
- 7.24%
- Q1
- 3.00%
- Min
- -3.05%
A Net Profit Margin of 16.48% places WST in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CAH
1.02%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.05%
- Q3
- 10.21%
- Median
- 4.22%
- Q1
- 1.98%
- Min
- -4.27%
CAH’s Operating Profit Margin of 1.02% is in the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
WST
19.65%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 33.15%
- Q3
- 19.34%
- Median
- 13.02%
- Q1
- 8.05%
- Min
- -4.38%
An Operating Profit Margin of 19.65% places WST in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CAH | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 37.17% | 17.66% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.23% | 13.10% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 0.70% | 16.48% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 1.02% | 19.65% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 3.67% | 35.27% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CAH
0.94
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.01
- Q3
- 1.49
- Median
- 1.30
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.17
CAH’s Current Ratio of 0.94 falls into the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
WST
2.78
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 4.76
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.85
- Q1
- 1.40
- Min
- 0.43
WST’s Current Ratio of 2.78 is in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
CAH
5.65
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.17
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 5.65, CAH operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Health Care Providers & Services industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
WST
0.07
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.75
- Q3
- 0.83
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.18
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, WST’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.07 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
CAH
10.77
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 7.15
- Median
- 5.45
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -4.44
CAH’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 10.77 is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
WST
130.12
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 29.61
- Q3
- 23.24
- Median
- 6.07
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- -14.08
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 130.12, WST demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CAH | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.94 | 2.78 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.44 | 2.08 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 5.65 | 0.07 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 10.77 | 130.12 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CAH
1.37%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 5.38%
- Q3
- 2.22%
- Median
- 0.55%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAH’s Dividend Yield of 1.37% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Providers & Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
WST
0.35%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.80%
- Q3
- 0.78%
- Median
- 0.37%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WST’s Dividend Yield of 0.35% is consistent with its peers in the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CAH
31.65%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 186.69%
- Q3
- 74.82%
- Median
- 26.76%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAH’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 31.65% is within the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
WST
12.32%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 156.00%
- Q3
- 65.73%
- Median
- 23.81%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WST’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 12.32% is within the typical range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CAH | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.37% | 0.35% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 31.65% | 12.32% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CAH
23.18
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 55.89
- Q3
- 30.85
- Median
- 21.17
- Q1
- 12.63
- Min
- 0.00
CAH’s P/E Ratio of 23.18 is within the middle range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
WST
35.08
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 117.96
- Q3
- 65.59
- Median
- 37.26
- Q1
- 27.51
- Min
- 1.73
WST’s P/E Ratio of 35.08 is within the middle range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CAH
0.16
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 1.74
- Median
- 0.67
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, CAH’s P/S Ratio of 0.16 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
WST
5.78
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.46
- Q3
- 6.70
- Median
- 4.24
- Q1
- 2.68
- Min
- 0.73
WST’s P/S Ratio of 5.78 aligns with the market consensus for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
CAH
14.54
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.61
- Q3
- 4.32
- Median
- 2.53
- Q1
- 1.14
- Min
- 0.77
At 14.54, CAH’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
WST
5.37
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.99
- Q3
- 4.69
- Median
- 3.30
- Q1
- 1.88
- Min
- 1.02
WST’s P/B Ratio of 5.37 is in the upper tier for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | CAH | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 23.18 | 35.08 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.16 | 5.78 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 14.54 | 5.37 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 8.85 | 49.74 |