Sentry Investment Management LLC Cuts Position in STERIS plc (NYSE:STE)

Sentry Investment Management LLC lessened its position in STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) by 13.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 372 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock after selling 60 shares during the quarter. Sentry Investment Management LLC’s holdings in STERIS were worth $76,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Magnolia Capital Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of STERIS by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. Magnolia Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,534 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $521,000 after buying an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of STERIS by 1.6% during the third quarter. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,153 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $765,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Park Edge Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of STERIS by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Park Edge Advisors LLC now owns 4,662 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $958,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of STERIS by 5.7% in the 4th quarter. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,118 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $230,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sage Private Wealth Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of STERIS by 4.1% in the 4th quarter. Sage Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,537 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $316,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.69% of the company’s stock.

STERIS Stock Performance

STERIS stock opened at $219.89 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.13, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The firm has a market cap of $21.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.69 and a beta of 0.84. STERIS plc has a 1-year low of $197.82 and a 1-year high of $248.24. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $214.45 and a 200-day moving average of $223.13.

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

STERIS Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 21st. Investors of record on Thursday, February 20th will be issued a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.04%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 20th. STERIS’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.41%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages recently commented on STE. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of STERIS in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $240.00 target price on shares of STERIS in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Piper Sandler raised their price target on STERIS from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, JMP Securities reiterated a “market outperform” rating and issued a $265.00 price objective on shares of STERIS in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.75.

STERIS 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.