Biggest changeWhen considering whether to declare a dividend, our Board of Directors will take into account: • general economic and business conditions; • our financial condition and operating results; • our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs; • our capital requirements; • contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions on the payment of dividends by us; and • such other factors as our Board of Directors may deem relevant Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities In December 2021, we announced a share repurchase program for calendar-year 2022 authorizing the repurchase of up to 650,000 shares of our common stock from time to time on the open market or in privately-negotiated transactions.
Biggest changeWhen considering whether to declare a dividend, our Board of Directors will take into account: • general economic and business conditions; • our financial condition and operating results; • our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs; • our capital requirements; • contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions on the payment of dividends by us; and • such other factors as our Board of Directors may deem relevant Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities The following table shows information with respect to purchases of our common stock made during the three months ended December 31, 2023 by us or any of our “affiliated purchasers” as defined in Rule 10b-18(a)(3) under the Exchange Act: Period Total number of shares purchased (1) Average price paid per share (1) Total number of shares purchased as part of publicly announced plans or programs (1) Approximate dollar value of shares that may yet be purchased under the plans or programs (1) October 1 - 31, 2023 — $ — — $ 738,700,000 November 1 - 30, 2023 261,080 339.86 261,080 650,000,000 December 1 - 31, 2023 251,182 351.49 251,182 561,700,000 Total 512,262 $ 345.56 512,262 $ 561,700,000 (1) In February 2023, the Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program under which we may repurchase up to $1.0 billion in shares of common stock.
MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “WST.” As of January 25, 2023, we had 630 shareholders of record, which excludes beneficial owners whose shares were held by brokerage firms, depositaries and other institutional firms in “street names” for their customers.
MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “WST.” As of January 25, 2024, we had 574 shareholders of record, which excludes beneficial owners whose shares were held by brokerage firms, depositaries and other institutional firms in “street names” for their customers.
The cumulative shareholder return on our common stock is based on an investment of $100 on December 31, 2017 and is compared to the cumulative total return of the S&P indices mentioned above over the period with a like amount invested. *Five year total return data obtained from NASDAQ IR Insight ITEM 6. RESERVED 27
The cumulative shareholder return on our common stock is based on an investment of $100 on December 31, 2018 and is compared to the cumulative total return of the S&P indices mentioned above over the period with a like amount invested. *Five year total return data obtained from NASDAQ IR Insight ITEM 6. RESERVED 28
During the year ended December 31, 2022, we purchased 563,334 shares of our common stock under the now completed program at a cost of $202.8 million, or an average price of $360.03 per share.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, we purchased 563,334 shares of our common stock under the calendar-year 2022 program at a cost of $202.8 million, or an average price of $360.03 per share.
Dividends We paid a quarterly dividend of $0.17 per share on our common stock in each of the first three quarters of 2021; $0.18 per share in the fourth quarter of 2021 and each of the first three quarters of 2022; and $0.19 per share in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Dividends We paid a quarterly dividend of $0.18 per share on our common stock in each of the first three quarters of 2022; $0.19 per share in the fourth quarter of 2022 and each of the first three quarters of 2023; and $0.20 per share in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The number of shares to be repurchased and the timing of such transactions will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions. 26 Performance Graph The following performance graph compares the cumulative total return to holders of our common stock with the cumulative total return of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (“S&P 500”) and the Standard & Poor's 500 Health Care Index, for the five years ended December 31, 2022.
Performance Graph The following performance graph compares the cumulative total return to holders of our common stock with the cumulative total return of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (“S&P 500”) and the Standard & Poor's 500 Health Care Index, for the five years ended December 31, 2023.
The share repurchase program does not have an expiration date under which we may repurchase common stock on the open market or in privately-negotiated transactions.
The share repurchase program does not have an expiration date under which we may repurchase common stock on the open market or in privately-negotiated transactions. The number of shares to be repurchased and the timing of such transactions will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions.