STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) Given Average Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages

STERIS plc (NYSE:STE - Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of "Moderate Buy" by the five ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $258.75.

STE has been the topic of several recent research reports. Piper Sandler upped their target price on shares of STERIS from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Stephens reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $240.00 price objective on shares of STERIS in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a "hold" rating on shares of STERIS in a research note on Monday, April 7th. Finally, JMP Securities reaffirmed a "market outperform" rating and issued a $265.00 price target on shares of STERIS in a research report on Thursday, April 10th.

STERIS Price Performance

Shares of STE opened at $225.00 on Monday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $222.89 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $218.85. The stock has a market cap of $22.11 billion, a PE ratio of 47.77 and a beta of 0.87. STERIS has a 1-year low of $200.98 and a 1-year high of $248.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 2.13 and a quick ratio of 1.40.

STERIS (NYSE:STE - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.33 by ($0.01). STERIS had a net margin of 8.66% and a return on equity of 13.91%. As a group, analysts forecast that STERIS will post 9.08 EPS for the current year.

STERIS Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 21st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 20th were given a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 20th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.01%. STERIS's payout ratio is 48.41%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On STERIS

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in STERIS by 171.2% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 838,569 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock worth $191,370,000 after buying an additional 529,308 shares during the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in STERIS by 30.8% during the fourth quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 10,970 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock worth $2,275,000 after purchasing an additional 2,583 shares in the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new stake in STERIS in the third quarter valued at about $9,949,000. Merit Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in STERIS in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $260,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. increased its position in STERIS by 19.9% during the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,128 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock worth $232,000 after purchasing an additional 187 shares during the period. 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.

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