Brokerages Set STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) Target Price at $258.75

Shares of STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) have been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the five analysts that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $258.75.

Several analysts have issued reports on STE shares. Piper Sandler upped their target price on STERIS from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. JMP Securities reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating and issued a $265.00 price target on shares of STERIS in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of STERIS in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $240.00 price target on shares of STERIS in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered STERIS from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 29th.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On STERIS

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of STE. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC purchased a new position in shares of STERIS in the 3rd quarter valued at about $150,000. Creative Planning increased its holdings in shares of STERIS by 1.4% in the 3rd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 9,019 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $2,187,000 after acquiring an additional 126 shares during the last quarter. Swedbank AB purchased a new position in shares of STERIS in the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,251,000. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of STERIS by 2.6% in the 3rd quarter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 61,860 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $14,051,000 after acquiring an additional 1,558 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Asset Dedication LLC increased its holdings in shares of STERIS by 54.8% in the 3rd quarter. Asset Dedication LLC now owns 291 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $71,000 after acquiring an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.69% of the company’s stock.

STERIS Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE:STE opened at $219.54 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 2.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The business has a fifty day moving average of $212.95 and a two-hundred day moving average of $223.99. The stock has a market cap of $21.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.61 and a beta of 0.84. STERIS has a 52-week low of $197.82 and a 52-week high of $248.24.

STERIS (NYSE:STE) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.33 by ($0.01). STERIS had a net margin of 8.66% and a return on equity of 13.91%. On average, research analysts expect that STERIS will post 9.08 earnings per share for the current year.

STERIS Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 21st. Investors of record on Thursday, February 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 20th. STERIS’s payout ratio is 48.41%.

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.