WSO vs WST Stock Comparison
Compare WSO and WST across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between WSO and WST?
WSO leads the current stock comparison as Watsco, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Watsco, Inc. vs West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
WSO leads
WSO leads by 9 AIQ points, primarily on Value and Momentum, and the lead has widened from 0 points over 30 sessions.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support WSO, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Watsco, Inc.
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors WSO over WST, 57 versus 48 as of Sep 11, 2026. WSO's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value and momentum, while WST holds the stronger quality profile. WSO also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor WSO today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. WSO lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 9 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Watsco, Inc. and West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare WSO and WST against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Value57 vs 26WSO +31
- Momentum46 vs 37WSO +9
- Quality57 vs 63WST +6
- Risk Resilience74 vs 79WST +5
3 of 6 evidence groups favor WSO. WSO’s edge is concentrated in value and momentum; WST keeps a meaningful quality edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum +3
New signals
- 52-Week Low Proximity — bearish, risk, long horizon (2.6%)
Largest factor move: Momentum +9
No new signals fired.
WSO's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — WSO and WST both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
WSO (Watsco, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value and momentum.
WST (West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.): the counter-case, on quality, risk resilience, fundamentals.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
WSOWSO on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
WSOWSO on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
WSOWSO on the peer-relative Value factor, by 31 points.
Momentum
WSOWSO on the Momentum factor, by 9 points.
Lower downside
WSTWST on Risk Resilience, by 5 points.
Analyst upside
WSOWSO on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | WSO | WST | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +28.6% | +10.5% | WSO has more room |
| Target dispersion | +38.4% | +35.8% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 4 | 5 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor WSO. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | WSO | 57 vs 48 |
| Fundamentals | WSTon balance | revenue growth 37.3% vs 3.2%; EPS growth 116.6% vs 12.4%; TTM ROE 16.8% vs 18.5%; gross margin 27.9% vs 36.8%; operating margin 9.3% vs 20.6% — WST takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | WSO | Value 57 vs 26 |
| Technicals | WST | Price vs 50-day -7.7% vs -0.9%; vs 200-day -17% vs 16.7% |
| Risk Resilience | WST | Risk Resilience 74 vs 79 |
| Analyst expectations | WSO | Target upside 28.6% vs 10.5% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of WSO and WST and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 9 points.
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on WSO.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10WSO lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 9 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- WSO +9
- 57 vs 48
- 7 sessions ago
- WSO +10
- 58 vs 48
- 30 sessions ago
- Level
- 56 vs 56
- 90 sessions ago
- Level
- 58 vs 58
The lead changed hands 8 times in this window, most recently on Aug 25 when WSO moved ahead of WST.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
1 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (10.05%)
- 52-Week Low Proximity — bearish, risk, long horizon (2.6%)
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (18.40%)
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
WSO leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +1.07%, AIQ +1 points).
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +0.58%, AIQ +2 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1WST closes the Value gap — currently 31 points behind, the largest single contributor to WSO's edge.
- 2WST's MACD Bearish Crossover resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it.
- 3WSO's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
WST leads on balance| Metric | WSO | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 37.3% | 3.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 116.6% | 12.4% |
| Gross margin | 27.9% | 36.8% |
| Operating margin | 9.3% | 20.6% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 16.8% | 18.5% |
| Debt to equity | 0.18 | 0.1 |
Performance
WST leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | WSO | WST |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 0.5% | -2.3% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -17.2% | 4% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -16.9% | 44.5% |
| Year to date | -7.7% | 25.1% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -24% | 36% |
Technicals
WST has the stronger structure| Metric | WSO | WST |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 46.8 | 38.9 |
| ADX (14) | 29.9 | 13.6 |
| Price vs 50-day | -7.7% | -0.9% |
| Price vs 200-day | -17% | 16.7% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 25.1% | 18.6% |
Risk
WST is the more resilient| Metric | WSO | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1.12 | 0.64 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.68 | 0.97 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.92 | 1.55 |
| Max drawdown | -33.8% | -24.8% |
| Current drawdown | -31.9% | -5.9% |
| Annualized volatility | 34.8% | 34% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3.4% | -3% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, WSO or WST?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, WSO is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 57 against WST's 48. The edge comes from value and momentum. WST is not without a case — it holds the better quality profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is WSO or WST the better buy right now?
WSO carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor WSO over WST?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. WSO leads Value by 31 points; WSO leads Momentum by 9 points; WST leads Quality by 6 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, WSO or WST?
Analyst price targets imply +28.6% upside for WSO and +10.5% for WST, so the Street currently favors WSO. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, WSO or WST?
WSO is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. WSO on the peer-relative Value factor, by 31 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, WSO or WST?
WSO on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, WSO or WST?
WSO on the Momentum factor, by 9 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, WSO or WST?
WST is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. WST on Risk Resilience, by 5 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is WSO more profitable than WST?
WST leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 27.9% vs 36.8%; operating margin 9.3% vs 20.6%; ttm roe 16.8% vs 18.5%.
Is WSO's lead over WST getting stronger or weaker?
WSO lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 9 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 8 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-25, when WSO moved ahead of WST.
What would change the WSO vs WST verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: WST closes the Value gap — currently 31 points behind, the largest single contributor to WSO's edge; WST's MACD Bearish Crossover resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it; WSO's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about WSO and WST?
WSO: 1 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted. WST: 1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on WSO is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On WST it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare WSO and WST with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.