ALB vs. WST
ALB (Albemarle Corporation) and WST (West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.) are both stocks. ALB operates in Specialty Chemicals (Basic Materials), while WST operates in Medical Instruments & Supplies (Healthcare). Over the past 10 years, ALB returned 9.19%/yr vs 15.87%/yr for WST. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
ALB vs. WST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ALB achieves a 19.31% return, which is significantly higher than WST's 15.16% return. Over the past 10 years, ALB has underperformed WST with an annualized return of 9.19%, while WST has yielded a comparatively higher 15.87% annualized return.
ALB
- 1D
- -2.00%
- 1M
- -11.72%
- YTD
- 19.31%
- 6M
- 33.82%
- 1Y
- 200.47%
- 3Y*
- -5.45%
- 5Y*
- 0.58%
- 10Y*
- 9.19%
WST
- 1D
- 1.33%
- 1M
- 5.37%
- YTD
- 15.16%
- 6M
- 11.44%
- 1Y
- 50.66%
- 3Y*
- -2.46%
- 5Y*
- -0.79%
- 10Y*
- 15.87%
ALB vs. WST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ALB Albemarle Corporation | 19.31% | 67.72% | -39.50% | -32.80% | -6.63% | 59.76% | 105.39% | -3.28% | -38.89% | 50.22% |
WST West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. | 15.16% | -15.73% | -6.75% | 49.97% | -49.70% | 65.88% | 89.05% | 54.13% | -0.08% | 17.02% |
Correlation
The correlation between ALB and WST is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 23, 1994 | 0.30 |
The correlation between ALB and WST shifts across timeframes, from 0.19 (1 year) to 0.30 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
ALB:
$19.97B
WST:
$22.90B
ALB:
-$2.33
WST:
$7.47
ALB:
3.61
WST:
7.14
ALB:
2.62
WST:
7.66
ALB:
$5.49B
WST:
$3.22B
ALB:
$1.02B
WST:
$1.17B
ALB:
$801.97M
WST:
$799.00M
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Return for Risk
ALB vs. WST — Risk / Return Rank
ALB
WST
ALB vs. WST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Albemarle Corporation (ALB) and West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| ALB | WST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.98 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.42 | 1.27 | +0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 9.20 | 2.06 | +7.14 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 21.20 | 4.12 | +17.08 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ALB | WST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.28 | 1.23 | +2.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.01 | -0.02 | +0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.19 | 0.46 | -0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.30 | 0.39 | -0.09 |
Drawdowns
ALB vs. WST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ALB drawdown since its inception was -83.90%, which is greater than WST's maximum drawdown of -59.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ALB and WST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ALB | WST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -83.90% | -59.29% | -24.61% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.93% | -24.70% | +2.77% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -78.60% | -53.79% | -24.81% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -83.90% | -59.29% | -24.61% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -83.90% | -59.29% | -24.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -45.68% | -32.08% | -13.60% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.66% | -16.88% | -3.78% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 9.50% | 12.32% | -2.82% |
Volatility
ALB vs. WST - Volatility Comparison
Albemarle Corporation (ALB) has a higher volatility of 11.91% compared to West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST) at 8.71%. This indicates that ALB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than WST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ALB | WST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.91% | 8.71% | +3.20% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 41.34% | 25.52% | +15.82% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 61.57% | 41.29% | +20.28% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 54.38% | 40.56% | +13.82% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 48.17% | 34.63% | +13.54% |
Dividends
ALB vs. WST - Dividend Comparison
ALB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.96%, more than WST's 0.28% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ALB Albemarle Corporation | 0.96% | 1.15% | 1.87% | 1.11% | 0.73% | 0.67% | 1.04% | 2.01% | 1.74% | 1.00% | 1.42% | 2.07% |
WST West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. | 0.28% | 0.31% | 0.25% | 0.22% | 0.31% | 0.15% | 0.23% | 0.41% | 0.58% | 0.54% | 0.58% | 0.75% |
Financials
ALB vs. WST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Albemarle Corporation and West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
ALB vs. WST - Profitability Comparison
ALB - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Albemarle Corporation reported a gross profit of 500.97M and revenue of 1.43B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 35.1%.
WST - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. reported a gross profit of 296.40M and revenue of 844.90M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 35.1%.
ALB - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Albemarle Corporation reported an operating income of 233.51M and revenue of 1.43B, resulting in an operating margin of 16.3%.
WST - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. reported an operating income of 177.10M and revenue of 844.90M, resulting in an operating margin of 21.0%.
ALB - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Albemarle Corporation reported a net income of 277.40M and revenue of 1.43B, resulting in a net margin of 19.4%.
WST - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. reported a net income of 138.80M and revenue of 844.90M, resulting in a net margin of 16.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions
ALB and WST have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ALB has higher volatility (11.91%) compared to WST (8.71%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ALB dropped -83.90% vs WST's -59.29%.
ALB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.28 vs 1.23), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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