Analysts Set STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) PT at $262.50

Shares of STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) have been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the five ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $262.50.

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

STERIS Price Performance

Shares of NYSE STE opened at $216.88 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a current ratio of 2.41. STERIS has a one year low of $197.82 and a one year high of $248.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.52 and a beta of 0.84. The company’s fifty day moving average is $211.46 and its two-hundred day moving average is $224.63.

STERIS (NYSE:STE) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 6th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.14 earnings per share (EPS) 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 firm had revenue of $1.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.33 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.03 earnings per share. STERIS’s revenue was up 7.3% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that STERIS will post 9.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

STERIS Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Buying and Selling at STERIS

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On STERIS

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC purchased a new stake in shares of STERIS during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division purchased a new position in shares of STERIS in the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its holdings in 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 during the last quarter. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in STERIS during the third quarter valued at about $67,000. Finally, Asset Dedication LLC increased its stake 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 acquiring an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.69% of the company’s stock.

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.