Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. Has $22.77 Million Holdings in STERIS plc (NYSE:STE)

Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. lifted its position in shares of STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) by 1,012.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 103,554 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock after buying an additional 94,245 shares during the period. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. owned about 0.10% of STERIS worth $22,766,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Millburn Ridgefield Corp bought a new stake in STERIS in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of STERIS in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. acquired a new position in shares of STERIS in the third quarter valued at approximately $49,000. NBC Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in STERIS during the third quarter worth approximately $50,000. Finally, Exchange Traded Concepts LLC acquired a new stake in STERIS during the third quarter worth approximately $54,000. 94.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

STERIS Trading Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE:STE traded up $1.20 on Thursday, hitting $206.24. The company had a trading volume of 384,284 shares, compared to its average volume of 458,173. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $219.61 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $216.36. STERIS plc has a 1 year low of $185.22 and a 1 year high of $254.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.49, a current ratio of 2.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $20.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.91 and a beta of 0.81.

STERIS (NYSE:STE) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 7th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.17 by $0.05. STERIS had a net margin of 10.48% and a return on equity of 13.67%. The company had revenue of $1.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.35 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.02 EPS. STERIS’s revenue was up 14.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that STERIS plc will post 8.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

STERIS Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 26th. Shareholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.01%. STERIS’s dividend payout ratio is currently 36.43%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

STE has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. TheStreet raised STERIS from a “c+” rating to a “b” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of STERIS in a research note on Friday, April 12th. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $250.00 price target on shares of STERIS in a research note on Friday, February 9th. JMP Securities reiterated a “market outperform” rating and set a $265.00 price objective on shares of STERIS in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Finally, KeyCorp initiated coverage on shares of STERIS in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $253.00 price objective for the company. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $239.60.

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.