STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) Receives Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) has received an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the five research firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $258.75.

STE has been the subject of several research reports. JMP Securities reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating and issued a $265.00 target price on shares of STERIS in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Piper Sandler lifted their target price on STERIS from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $240.00 target price on shares of STERIS in a research report on Thursday, February 6th.

STERIS Stock Up 2.1 %

Shares of STE opened at $227.04 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $22.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.20 and a beta of 0.92. STERIS has a 12-month low of $197.82 and a 12-month high of $248.24. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $219.17 and its 200 day moving average price is $222.48. The company has a current ratio of 2.13, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

STERIS (NYSE:STE) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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, sell-side analysts forecast that STERIS will post 9.08 earnings per share for the current year.

STERIS Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 21st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 20th will be given a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.00%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 20th. STERIS’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.41%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On STERIS

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of STERIS during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Avalon Trust Co acquired a new position in shares of STERIS during the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Human Investing LLC acquired a new position in shares of STERIS during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Anfield Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of STERIS by 100.0% during the fourth quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 182 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Central Pacific Bank Trust Division lifted its stake in STERIS by 65.5% during the fourth quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division now owns 192 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. 94.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About STERIS

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.