RPRX vs. WST: Royalty Pharma vs. West Pharmaceutical Services Stock Comparison
How do Royalty Pharma (RPRX) 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
Royalty Pharma (RPRX) and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but RPRX is classified in Pharmaceuticals while WST is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.
West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) has more than two decades of public-market history since March 17, 1980, whereas Royalty Pharma (RPRX) listed on June 16, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | RPRX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Royalty Pharma plc Class A Ordinary Shares | 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 | Pharmaceuticals | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 38.70 billion USD | 27.85 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 16, 2020 | March 17, 1980 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | RPRX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 81.08% | 51.68% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 39.21% | 7.13% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 14.22% | 0.05% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | RPRX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 22.05% | 31.45% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.36 | 1.13 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -41.98% | -59.29% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 3.10M | 603.86K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | RPRX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 3.48 | 1.51 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 5.72 | 2.35 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 12.09% and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 21.23% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.
RPRX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
12.09%
- Max
- 109.18%
- RPRX
- 12.09%
- 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 25.70% 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.
RPRX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
25.70%
- RPRX
- 25.70%
- 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 81.32% 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.
RPRX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
81.32%
- Max
- 83.12%
- RPRX
- 81.32%
- 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 | RPRX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 12.09% | 21.23% |
| ROA (TTM) | 5.43% | 11.89% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 25.70% | 18.81% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 81.32% | 25.37% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 99.79% | 37.59% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 5.06% and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 6.25% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
Both Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 23.09% and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 1.49% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | RPRX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 5.06% | 6.25% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 2.06% | 2.12% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 23.09% | 1.49% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 161.10% | -4.23% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 2.82 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 1.29 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for RPRX.
RPRX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.29
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- RPRX
- 1.29
- 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 0.88 uses more debt funding than most peers.
RPRX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.88
- Max
- 1.42
- RPRX
- 0.88
- 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 | RPRX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.29 | 2.82 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.88 | 0.11 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 4.76 | -0.16 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 1.37% and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 0.22% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.
RPRX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.37%
- RPRX
- 1.37%
- 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)
Both Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 60.46% and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 9.88% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.
RPRX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
60.46%
- RPRX
- 60.46%
- 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 | RPRX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.37% | 0.22% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 60.46% | 9.88% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 43.99 and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) at 44.87 sit in the richer earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, so investors are paying more for TTM earnings than they pay for typical peers.
RPRX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
43.99
- Max
- 85.34
- RPRX
- 43.99
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 14.79 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.
RPRX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
14.79
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- RPRX
- 14.79
- Median
- 7.30
- 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)
Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 4.39 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.
RPRX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.39
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- RPRX
- 4.39
- 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 | RPRX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 43.99 | 44.87 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 14.79 | 8.20 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 4.39 | 9.40 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -1.16% | 1.24% |