LIVE
DHR
Danaher Corporation · Healthcare / Life Science Tools
$177.17
+6.06% this month
VERSUS
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COMPARE
WST
West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. · Healthcare / Drug Packaging & Delivery
$327.95
+7.90% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
DHR
3
WST
2
Comparison scoreboard
DHR LEADS 3/5AI Score
DHR 50.3
WST ✓53.6
1Y Return
DHR -9.49%
WST ✓+50.39%
Fwd P/E
DHR ✓19.47
WST 34.41
Target Up.
DHR ✓+34.56%
WST +9.11%
Op. Margin
DHR ✓22.94%
WST 21.70%
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
DHR vs WST Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
DHR and WST are both life science infrastructure plays embedded in biologic drug manufacturing, but at different points in the supply chain. DHR (Cytiva) provides the manufacturing equipment and consumables that produce biologic drugs. WST provides the containment packaging that holds and delivers those drugs. Both benefit from GLP-1, mRNA, and cell therapy growth. DHR is recovering from a destocking cycle; WST is potentially entering one. Both have extraordinary switching costs and premium valuations.
DHR vs WST — Danaher (bioprocessing instruments and consumables through Cytiva with dominant market share in biologic drug manufacturing equipment) versus West Pharmaceutical Services (injectable drug containment and delivery components embedded in FDA process validations, benefiting from GLP-1 and biologics volume growth).
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
DHR holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. WST has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+50.39% vs -9.49%), though DHR trades at the lower forward P/E (19.47x vs 34.41x). On fundamentals, WST is growing revenue faster (21.00%), while DHR maintains the higher operating margin (22.94%) — a classic growth-versus-profitability split. Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for DHR (+34.56%) than for WST (+9.11%).
Normalized 1Y performance
DHR
WST
Recent returns
DHR
WST
Analyst price targets & sentiment
DHR · 23 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Strong Buy (1.4/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$210.00
analyst high$310.00
analyst mean$242.35
current price$177.17
+34.6% upside to analyst mean
WST · 11 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Strong Buy (1.3/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$245.00
analyst mean$358.79
current price$327.95
+9.1% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
DHR may suit investors who:
- →believe Cytiva's bioprocessing destocking is ending and want to buy the recovery before revenue inflection — DHR's 2025-2026 bioprocessing normalization creates earnings growth momentum
- →value the Danaher Business System as a sustainable competitive advantage for consistent margin improvement across diversified life science businesses
- →want pure-play biologic drug manufacturing infrastructure exposure with the dominant market position in single-use consumables
- →are comfortable with premium valuation and the transition risk from legendary management to new leadership maintaining DBS culture
WST may suit investors who:
- →want exposure to GLP-1 injectable volume growth — every Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro injection uses a West stopper, and global GLP-1 demand is enormous
- →value West's unmatched switching cost moat from FDA process validation embedding — West's packaging specifications are literally in regulatory filings, making switching to competitors nearly impossible
- →are long-term holders comfortable with premium valuation reflecting WST's unique position in drug regulatory infrastructure
- →prefer packaging/delivery system exposure (WST) over manufacturing equipment/consumables (DHR) within biologic drug supply chain infrastructure
Performance & AI score
| Metric | DHR | WST |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 50.3 | 53.6 |
| AI rank | #448 | #299 |
| Latest close | $177.17 | $327.95 |
| 1M return | +6.06% | +7.90% |
| 6M return | -20.42% | +21.86% |
| 1Y return | -9.49% | +50.39% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | DHR | WST |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $9.11K (-8.9%) started 2025-06-18 | $15.05K (+50.5%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $7.86K (-21.4%) started 2021-06-21 | $9.35K (-6.5%) started 2021-06-21 |
| 10Y ago | $61.46K (+514.6%) started 2016-06-20 | $46.93K (+369.3%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | DHR | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $127.47B | $23.23B |
| Trailing P/E | 34.84 | 44.08 |
| Forward P/E | 19.47 | 34.41 |
| Price/Sales | 5.89 | 5.57 |
| EV/Revenue | 5.71 | 7.15 |
| Analyst target | $242.35 | $358.79 |
| Target upside | +34.56% | +9.11% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | DHR | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 3.70% | 21.00% |
| Earnings growth | 9.80% | 56.10% |
| EPS growth | +9.80% | +56.10% |
| FCF margin | +18.44% | +8.56% |
| Operating margin | 22.94% | 21.70% |
| Profit margin | 14.89% | 16.85% |
| ROIC proxy | 7.08% | 19.13% |
| Return on equity | 7.08% | 19.13% |
| Dividend yield | 0.89% | 0.27% |
| Beta | 0.83 | 1.18 |
| Debt/equity | 37.17 | 10.73 |
| Current ratio | 1.87 | 2.71 |
| Quick ratio | 1.40 | 1.81 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
DHR max drawdown33.11%
WST max drawdown24.83%
DHR max wkly drop8.99%
WST max wkly drop15.30%
5Y risk snapshot
DHR max drawdown44.20%
WST max drawdown59.29%
DHR max wkly drop14.50%
WST max wkly drop39.71%
10Y risk snapshot
DHR max drawdown44.20%
WST max drawdown59.29%
DHR max wkly drop14.50%
WST max wkly drop39.71%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | DHR | WST |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | -8.88% | +50.47% |
| CAGR | -8.89% | +50.56% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.35 | 1.08 | |
| Max drawdown | 33.11% | 24.83% | |
| Max daily drop | 5.40% | 7.02% | |
| Max wkly drop | 8.99% | 15.30% | |
| 5Y | Growth | -22.65% | -7.40% |
| CAGR | -5.01% | -1.53% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.21 | 0.07 | |
| Max drawdown | 44.20% | 59.29% | |
| Max daily drop | 9.73% | 38.22% | |
| Max wkly drop | 14.50% | 39.71% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +333.14% | +353.32% |
| CAGR | +15.80% | +16.33% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.46 | 0.49 | |
| Max drawdown | 44.20% | 59.29% | |
| Max daily drop | 9.73% | 38.22% | |
| Max wkly drop | 14.50% | 39.71% |
Business comparison
| Category | DHR | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Danaher Corporation | West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Diagnostics & Research | Medical Instruments & Supplies |
| Core business | Danaher (post-Veralto spinoff) is primarily a bioprocessing business through Cytiva — providing single-use bioreactor systems, chromatography, and filtration consumables for biologic drug manufacturing. Danaher's Biotechnology segment represents the majority of post-spinoff revenues. The Danaher Business System (DBS) is the legendary operational methodology driving consistent margin improvement across all Danaher businesses. Recovery from COVID bioprocessing destocking is the primary near-term financial story. | West Pharmaceutical Services makes containment and delivery systems for injectable drugs and biologics — elastomeric stoppers (rubber caps for vials), closures, drug delivery systems, and syringe components. Every injectable biologic drug (insulin, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, GLP-1 drugs) requires West's containment components — high-specification rubber stoppers and plastic components that interface with drug manufacturers' filling equipment. West is deeply embedded in drug manufacturers' process validation (FDA requires re-validation if packaging components change) — creating extraordinary switching costs. |
| Investor focus | Investors focus on Cytiva's bioprocessing consumable revenue recovery from COVID inventory correction, Danaher Business System margin improvement, and exposure to biologic drug manufacturing growth from mRNA, cell therapy, and GLP-1 drugs. | Investors focus on WST's volume growth from GLP-1 drug demand surge (each GLP-1 injection requires a West stopper), biologics manufacturing expansion, proprietary high-value product (HVP) mix shift, and FDA process validation switching costs. |
DHR strengths
- →Cytiva's dominant bioprocessing market position: single-use bioreactor bags and chromatography resins with 40-50% market share — essential inputs for every biologic drug manufactured
- →Danaher Business System operational excellence: proven methodology for margin expansion creates consistent profitability improvement across all business units
- →Pure-play biologic drug manufacturing exposure: every new biologic drug (mRNA, antibodies, cell therapies) requires DHR's Cytiva products — structural growth driver
WST strengths
- →Process validation switching costs: FDA requires drug manufacturers to revalidate production processes if packaging components change — West's stoppers are literally embedded in drug regulatory filings, making switching nearly impossible without years of regulatory work
- →GLP-1 volume tailwind: GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro) are the fastest-growing drug category in history — each injection requires a West stopper, driving volume growth
- →High-value product (HVP) mix shift: West's premium elastomeric components (FluroTec barrier coating, Envision components) command higher margins and are gaining share over standard components
Risks to watch — DHR
- →Bioprocessing destocking headwind: 2022-2024 COVID inventory correction reduced Cytiva revenues dramatically — revenue recovery pace is uncertain
- →Premium valuation requires execution: DHR trades at premium multiples reflecting future growth expectations — disappointing recovery timeline would compress valuation significantly
- →Leadership transition after Larry Culp: losing a legendary operator to GE Aerospace creates uncertainty about DBS culture continuity
Risks to watch — WST
- →GLP-1 capacity ramp creates short-term stocking: drug manufacturers building GLP-1 capacity bought significant West component inventory — stocking followed by potential destocking similar to DHR's COVID experience
- →Premium valuation: WST historically trades at high multiples reflecting its unique market position — earnings disappointments create significant valuation compression risk
- →Volume dependence on drug market success: West benefits only when drugs using its packaging succeed commercially — pipeline drug failures reduce future volume potential
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