STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) Receives Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

Shares of STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) have received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the six brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $241.60.

Several research analysts recently weighed in on STE shares. Piper Sandler reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $225.00 price target (up from $220.00) on shares of STERIS in a research report on Friday, May 10th. JMP Securities reiterated a “market outperform” rating and set a $265.00 price target on shares of STERIS in a research report on Thursday, May 9th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of STERIS in a research report on Friday, May 10th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded STERIS from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, June 15th.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Jacqueline B. Kosecoff sold 4,584 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $231.53, for a total transaction of $1,061,333.52. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, Director Jacqueline B. Kosecoff sold 4,584 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $231.53, for a total transaction of $1,061,333.52. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, VP Renato Tamaro sold 1,154 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $231.64, for a total value of $267,312.56. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 6,677 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,546,660.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 7,762 shares of company stock worth $1,798,477 over the last three months. 1.14% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On STERIS

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. First Personal Financial Services acquired a new position in shares of STERIS in the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. J.Safra Asset Management Corp lifted its stake in shares of STERIS by 77.9% in the 1st quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 121 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of STERIS by 112.7% in the 1st quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 134 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of STERIS in the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in shares of STERIS in the 1st quarter valued at $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.69% of the company’s stock.

STERIS Trading Down 0.5 %

STERIS stock opened at $218.54 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.36, a current ratio of 3.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49. STERIS has a 52 week low of $195.47 and a 52 week high of $254.00. The company has a market capitalization of $21.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 57.21 and a beta of 0.83. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $220.44 and a 200 day moving average price of $221.24.

STERIS (NYSE:STE) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, May 8th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.58 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.41 by $0.17. STERIS had a return on equity of 13.73% and a net margin of 6.95%. The firm had revenue of $1.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.41 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.30 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that STERIS will post 9.24 EPS for the current year.

STERIS Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 26th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, June 12th were given a $0.52 dividend. This represents a $2.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.95%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, June 12th. STERIS’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 54.45%.

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.