STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) Shares Sold by Swiss National Bank

Swiss National Bank cut its stake in shares of STERIS plc (NYSE:STE - Free Report) by 2.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 308,960 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock after selling 8,400 shares during the period. Swiss National Bank owned 0.31% of STERIS worth $67,925,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. New York Life Investment Management LLC raised its position in STERIS by 9.4% during the fourth quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 15,450 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock valued at $3,397,000 after purchasing an additional 1,333 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in STERIS by 16.3% during the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 68,274 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock valued at $15,010,000 after acquiring an additional 9,555 shares during the period. Berry Wealth Group LP purchased a new position in STERIS during the 4th quarter valued at $326,000. Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. grew its position in STERIS by 122.2% in the 4th quarter. Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 500 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock valued at $110,000 after acquiring an additional 275 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norden Group LLC increased its stake in STERIS by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Norden Group LLC now owns 4,612 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock worth $1,014,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the period. 94.69% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently commented on STE. JMP Securities restated a "market outperform" rating and issued a $265.00 price target on shares of STERIS in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Stephens reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and set a $250.00 price target on shares of STERIS in a research note on Friday, February 9th. StockNews.com cut STERIS from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday. KeyCorp initiated coverage on STERIS in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $253.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reiterated a "hold" rating on shares of STERIS in a report on Friday, April 12th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $239.60.

STERIS Stock Up 0.8 %

NYSE STE traded up $1.70 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $209.52. 639,561 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 460,755. The company has a market cap of $20.70 billion, a PE ratio of 36.69 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 2.43 and a quick ratio of 1.49. STERIS plc has a 52 week low of $185.22 and a 52 week high of $254.00. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $217.97 and its 200-day simple moving average is $216.04.

STERIS (NYSE:STE - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.22 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.17 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $1.40 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.35 billion. STERIS had a return on equity of 13.67% and a net margin of 10.48%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 14.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.02 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that STERIS plc will post 8.67 earnings per share for the current year.

STERIS Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 26th. Investors of record on Wednesday, June 12th will be paid a dividend of $0.52 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 12th. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.99%. STERIS's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.43%.

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.