Becton Dickinson (BDX) vs West Pharmaceutical Services (WST)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) has outperformed Becton Dickinson (BDX) over the past year, gaining 37.8% versus a gain of 19.9%. Over five years, BDX leads with a -1.2% price change compared with -9.5% for WST. Becton Dickinson is the larger company by market cap ($49.78 billion vs $25.57 billion), about 1.9 times the size.
On valuation, Becton Dickinson trades at a lower forward P/E (13.7x vs 36.3x for West Pharmaceutical Services). Becton Dickinson offers the higher dividend yield (2.29% vs 0.24%). West Pharmaceutical Services converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 16.1% versus 7.7%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | BDX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $182.75 | $363.27 |
| Market cap | $49.78B | $25.57B |
| 1-day change | +1.44% | -0.88% |
| YTD return | +19.78% | +33.20% |
| 1-year return | +19.87% | +37.79% |
| 5-year return | -1.20% | -9.47% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 42.50 | 46.51 |
| Forward P/E | 13.74 | 36.35 |
| EPS (TTM) | $4.30 | $7.81 |
| Dividend yield | 2.29% | 0.24% |
| Annual dividend | $4.19 | $0.87 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $21.84B | $3.07B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +8.24% | +6.25% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.68B | $493.70M |
| Gross margin | 45.44% | 35.91% |
| Operating margin | 11.81% | 19.03% |
| Net margin | 7.68% | 16.06% |
| 52-week high | $193.07 | $386.00 |
| 52-week low | $127.59 | $223.83 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -5.35% | -5.89% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +6.20% | +13.14% |
| Average volume | 1.78M | 625.67K |
| Shares outstanding | 272.39M | 70.38M |
| Employees | 72,000 | 10,800 |
| Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| Industry | Medical/Dental Instruments | Medical/Dental Instruments |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- WST has outperformed BDX by 17.9 percentage points over the past year.
- Becton Dickinson offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (2.29% vs 0.24%).
- West Pharmaceutical Services is more profitable, keeping 16.1 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 7.7 cents for Becton Dickinson.
About Becton Dickinson
BDX stock →Becton, Dickinson and Company develops, manufactures, and sells medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic products for healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmaceutical industry, and the general public worldwide. It operates through Medical Essentials, Connected Care, BioPharma Systems, Interventional and Life Sciences segments.
Health Care · Medical/Dental Instruments · 72,000 employees
About West Pharmaceutical Services
WST stock →West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells containment and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.
Health Care · Medical/Dental Instruments · 10,800 employees
BDX vs WST FAQ
Which is bigger, Becton Dickinson or West Pharmaceutical Services?
Becton Dickinson (BDX) is larger, with a market capitalization of $49.78B compared with $25.57B for West Pharmaceutical Services (WST).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BDX or WST?
WST returned +37.79% over the past 12 months, compared with +19.87% for BDX (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, BDX or WST?
BDX has the lower trailing P/E at 42.5, versus 46.5 for WST. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Becton Dickinson or West Pharmaceutical Services?
Becton Dickinson has the higher yield at 2.29%, compared with 0.24% for West Pharmaceutical Services.
Are Becton Dickinson and West Pharmaceutical Services in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Medical/Dental Instruments industry within the Health Care sector.