Analysts Set STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) Target Price at $253.00

Shares of STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) have received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the six research firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $253.00.

STE has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. JMP Securities reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating and set a $265.00 price objective on shares of STERIS in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. StockNews.com lowered STERIS from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 29th. Needham & Company LLC restated a “hold” rating on shares of STERIS in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $260.00 target price on shares of STERIS in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, KeyCorp increased their price target on shares of STERIS from $255.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 3rd.

Insider Activity at STERIS

In related news, CFO Michael J. Tokich sold 23,332 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $247.00, for a total transaction of $5,763,004.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 42,930 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,603,710. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 1.14% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On STERIS

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of STE. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of STERIS during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. J.Safra Asset Management Corp lifted its holdings in STERIS by 77.9% in the 1st quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 121 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division bought a new stake in STERIS during the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. Quent Capital LLC grew its holdings in STERIS by 112.7% during the first 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. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of STERIS in the first quarter valued at approximately $36,000. 94.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

STERIS Trading Up 0.0 %

STERIS stock opened at $227.52 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $22.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 56.46 and a beta of 0.85. STERIS has a 1 year low of $195.47 and a 1 year high of $248.24. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $233.17 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $227.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a current ratio of 2.33.

STERIS (NYSE:STE) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.98 by $0.16. The business had revenue of $1.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.27 billion. STERIS had a return on equity of 13.85% and a net margin of 7.36%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.00 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that STERIS will post 9.02 EPS for the current fiscal year.

STERIS Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 19th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 19th will be paid 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 Tuesday, November 19th. STERIS’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 56.58%.

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.