LaFleur & Godfrey LLC Sells 1,960 Shares of STERIS plc (NYSE:STE)

LaFleur & Godfrey LLC lessened its holdings in shares of STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) by 3.5% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 54,803 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock after selling 1,960 shares during the period. STERIS accounts for approximately 1.5% of LaFleur & Godfrey LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 19th biggest position. LaFleur & Godfrey LLC owned 0.06% of STERIS worth $11,265,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC purchased a new stake in shares of STERIS in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division bought a new stake in STERIS in the third quarter worth $28,000. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of STERIS in the third quarter worth $67,000. Asset Dedication LLC increased its holdings in shares of STERIS by 54.8% during the third quarter. Asset Dedication LLC now owns 291 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $71,000 after acquiring an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of STERIS by 45.0% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 583 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $139,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the last quarter. 94.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

STERIS Stock Down 0.3 %

STE opened at $209.50 on Monday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $212.04 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $224.82. The company has a market capitalization of $20.68 billion, a PE ratio of 47.83 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 company has a current ratio of 2.41, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33.

STERIS (NYSE:STE) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.14 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.12 by $0.02. STERIS had a return on equity of 13.78% and a net margin of 8.02%. The company had revenue of $1.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.33 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.03 EPS. STERIS’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that STERIS plc will post 9.1 EPS for the current year.

STERIS Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 19th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 19th were given a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 19th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.09%. STERIS’s payout ratio is currently 52.05%.

Insider Transactions at STERIS

In other STERIS news, SVP Cary L. Majors sold 1,682 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $217.32, for a total transaction of $365,532.24. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 11,372 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,471,363.04. This represents a 12.88 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.14% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of STERIS from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 29th. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $260.00 target price on shares of STERIS in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. Piper Sandler raised STERIS from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price target for the company from $230.00 to $260.00 in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Needham & Company LLC restated a “hold” rating on shares of STERIS in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, JMP Securities reiterated a “market outperform” rating and set a $265.00 price objective on shares of STERIS in a research report on Monday, November 18th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $262.50.

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.