STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) has received a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the five ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $262.50.

Several brokerages recently issued reports on STE. Needham & Company LLC restated a “hold” rating on shares of STERIS in a report on Friday, November 8th. JMP Securities reissued a “market outperform” rating and issued a $265.00 price target on shares of STERIS in a research note on Monday, November 18th. StockNews.com lowered shares of STERIS from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 29th. Piper Sandler upgraded shares of STERIS from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $230.00 to $260.00 in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Finally, Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and set a $260.00 price target on shares of STERIS in a research note on Thursday, November 7th.

STERIS Stock Performance

STERIS stock opened at $216.88 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $21.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.52 and a beta of 0.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 2.41 and a quick ratio of 1.55. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $211.46 and a 200-day simple moving average of $224.63. STERIS has a 1-year low of $197.82 and a 1-year high of $248.24.

STERIS (NYSE:STE) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 6th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.14 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.12 by $0.02. STERIS had a return on equity of 13.78% and a net margin of 8.02%. The company had revenue of $1.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.33 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.03 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that STERIS will post 9.11 EPS for the current year.

STERIS Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 19th. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 19th were issued a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.05%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 19th. STERIS’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 52.05%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Cary L. Majors sold 1,682 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $217.32, for a total value of $365,532.24. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 11,372 shares in the company, valued at $2,471,363.04. This represents a 12.88 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 1.14% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of STERIS

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in STE. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in shares of STERIS during the third quarter worth $25,000. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division acquired a new stake in shares of STERIS in the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of STERIS by 154.7% in the second quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 191 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Quarry LP acquired a new position in shares of STERIS during the third quarter worth about $67,000. Finally, Asset Dedication LLC raised its holdings in STERIS by 54.8% during the third quarter. Asset Dedication LLC now owns 291 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $71,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. 94.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

STERIS Company Profile

STERIS plc provides infection prevention products and services worldwide. It operates through four segments: Healthcare, Applied Sterilization Technologies, Life Sciences, and Dental. The Healthcare segment offers cleaning chemistries and sterility assurance products; automated endoscope reprocessing system and tracking products; endoscopy accessories, washers, sterilizers, and other pieces of capital equipment for the operation of a sterile processing department; and equipment used directly in the operating room, including surgical tables, lights, and connectivity solutions, as well as equipment management services.